Genesis 29

¹And Jacob lifted his feet and walked to the land of the people of the East.

²And he saw, and look — a well in the field, and look — three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks, and the stone was great upon the mouth of the well.

³And all the flocks were gathered there, and they rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flocks, and they returned the stone over the mouth of the well to its place.

⁴And Jacob said to them, 'My brothers, where are you from?' And they said, 'We are from Haran.'

⁵And he said to them, 'Do you know Laban son of Nahor?' And they said, 'We know him.'

⁶And he said to them, 'Is he well?' And they said, 'He is well, and look — Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.'

⁷And he said, Look, the day is still great; it is not time to gather the livestock. Water the flock and go, pasture them.

⁸And they said, 'We are not able, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water the flock.'

⁹While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock that belonged to her father, for she was a shepherdess.

¹⁰And it was when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

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

¹²And Jacob told Rachel that he was a kinsman of her father, and that he was Rebekah's son. And she ran and told her father.

¹³And it was when Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him into his house. And he recounted to Laban all these things.

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

¹⁵And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?

¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

¹⁷And the eyes of Leah were tender, but Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.

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

¹⁹And Laban said, Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man. Stay with me.

²⁰And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were in his eyes like a few days, in his love for her.

²¹And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, and let me come in to her.

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

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

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

²⁵And it was in the morning, and look, she 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?

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

²⁷Complete the week of this one, and she will also be given to you for the service that you will serve with me yet another seven years.

²⁸And Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter as a wife.

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

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

³¹And the Lord saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

³²And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, For the Lord has seen my affliction, for now my husband will love me.

³³And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, For the Lord has heard that I am hated, and he gave me also this one. And she called his name Simeon.

³⁴And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he called his name Levi.

³⁵And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, This time I will give thanks to the Lord. Therefore she called his name Judah. And she stopped bearing.