Genesis 29:6-35 ▼

6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.”

7 And he said, “Behold, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go pasture them.”

8 And they said, “We are not able until that all the flocks are gathered together and they have rolled the stone from the mouth of the well; then we will water the sheep.”

9 He was still speaking with them, and Rachel came with the sheep that belonged to her father, for she was a shepherdess.

10 And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, the brother of his mother, and the sheep of Laban, the brother of his mother, that Jacob drew near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and he watered the sheep of Laban, the brother of his mother.

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and he lifted up his voice and wept.

12 And Jacob told to Rachel that he was a brother of her father, and that he was a son of Rebekah. And she ran and told it to her father.

13 And it came to pass when Laban heard the report about Jacob, the son of his sister, that he ran to meet him, and he embraced him and he kissed him, and he brought him to his house. And he told to Laban all these things.

14 And Laban said to him, “Surely my bone and my flesh you are.” And he dwelt with him a month of days.

15 And Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my brother, then should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what is your wage?”

16 And Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 And Leah’s eyes were tender, and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautful of appearance.

18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Dwell with me.”

20 And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were to him a few days, because of his love for her.

21 And Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and he made a feast.

23 And it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her.

24 And Laban gave to her Zilpah his maidservant, to Leah his daughter, as a maidservant.

25 And it came to pass in the morning that behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? And why have you deceived me?”

26 And Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give to you also this one for the service that you will serve with me—yet another seven years.”

28 And Jacob did so, and he fulfilled the week of this one; and he gave to him Rachel his daughter, to him, for a wife.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maidservant, to her as a maidservant.

30 And he went in also to Rachel, and he loved Rachel also, more than Leah, and he served with him yet another seven years.

31 And YHWH saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb, and Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Surely YHWH has looked on my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

33 And she conceived again and bore a son and she said, “Surely YHWH has heard that I am hated, and He has given to me also this one.” And she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again and bore a son and she said, “Now this time my husband will join himself to me, because I have borne to him three sons.” Upon thus his name was called Levi.

35 And she conceived again and bore a son and she said, “This time I will praise YHWH.” Upon thus she called his name Judah. And she stopped bearing.