Genesis 29:21-35 ▼

21 Eventually, Jacob told Laban, |Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her.|

22 So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

23 That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her.

24 Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.

25 The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! |What have you done to me?| he demanded of Laban. |Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?|

26 But Laban responded, |It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn.

27 Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years.|

28 So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

29 Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.

30 Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel.

31 Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.

32 Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, |The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me.|

33 Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, |Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too.| So she named him Simeon.

34 Later, she conceived again and said, |This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons.| So he named him Levi.

35 Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, |This time I'll praise the LORD.| So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.