Genesis 29:16-28
Evangelical Heritage Version
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had attractive eyes,[a] but Rachel had a beautiful face and figure. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 Laban said, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him like a few days, because of the love he had for her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is finished, so that I may go to her.”
22 Laban gathered together all the local people and made a feast. 23 When evening had arrived, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob went to her. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) 25 When morning came, Jacob realized it was Leah. So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban said, “That is not the way we do it here. We do not give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the marriage week for this one, and we will give you the other one too—for seven more years of service.”
28 So that is what Jacob did. When he fulfilled the marriage week, Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 29:17 Is this a negative description or a positive one? Were Leah’s eyes weak or lacking sparkle, or were they delicate, tender, or lovely? At best, it seems that this is a weak compliment. Compared to her sister, Leah looked plain.
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.