41 Esau held a grudge(A) against Jacob(B) because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning(C) for my father are near; then I will kill(D) my brother Jacob.”(E)

42 When Rebekah was told what her older son Esau(F) had said, she sent for her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother Esau is planning to avenge himself by killing you.(G) 43 Now then, my son, do what I say:(H) Flee at once to my brother Laban(I) in Harran.(J) 44 Stay with him for a while(K) until your brother’s fury subsides. 45 When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him,(L) I’ll send word for you to come back from there.(M) Why should I lose both of you in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite(N) women. If Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land,(O) from Hittite women like these, my life will not be worth living.”(P)

28 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed(Q) him. Then he commanded him: “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.(R) Go at once to Paddan Aram,[a](S) to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel.(T) Take a wife for yourself there, from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.(U) May God Almighty[b](V) bless(W) you and make you fruitful(X) and increase your numbers(Y) until you become a community of peoples. May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham,(Z) so that you may take possession of the land(AA) where you now reside as a foreigner,(AB) the land God gave to Abraham.” Then Isaac sent Jacob on his way,(AC) and he went to Paddan Aram,(AD) to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean,(AE) the brother of Rebekah,(AF) who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”(AG) and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women(AH) were to his father Isaac;(AI) so he went to Ishmael(AJ) and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth(AK) and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.(AL)

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

10 Jacob left Beersheba(AM) and set out for Harran.(AN) 11 When he reached a certain place,(AO) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(AP) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(AQ) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.(AR) 13 There above it[c] stood the Lord,(AS) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(AT) I will give you and your descendants the land(AU) on which you are lying.(AV) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(AW) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(AX) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[d](AY) 15 I am with you(AZ) and will watch over you(BA) wherever you go,(BB) and I will bring you back to this land.(BC) I will not leave you(BD) until I have done what I have promised you.(BE)(BF)

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(BG) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(BH) This is none other than the house of God;(BI) this is the gate of heaven.”

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(BJ) and set it up as a pillar(BK) and poured oil on top of it.(BL) 19 He called that place Bethel,[e](BM) though the city used to be called Luz.(BN)

20 Then Jacob made a vow,(BO) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(BP) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(BQ) 21 so that I return safely(BR) to my father’s household,(BS) then the Lord[f] will be my God(BT) 22 and[g] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(BU) will be God’s house,(BV) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(BW)

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(BX) There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.(BY) The stone(BZ) over the mouth of the well was large. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(CA) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(CB) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”(CC)

“We’re from Harran,(CD)” they replied.

He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”(CE)

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel(CF) with the sheep.(CG)

“Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

“We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone(CH) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water(CI) the sheep.”

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(CJ) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(CK) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(CL) away from the mouth of the well and watered(CM) his uncle’s sheep.(CN) 11 Then Jacob kissed(CO) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(CP) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(CQ) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(CR) So she ran and told her father.(CS)

13 As soon as Laban(CT) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(CU) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”(CV)

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative(CW) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(CX) should be.”

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(CY) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(CZ) 17 Leah had weak[h] eyes, but Rachel(DA) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(DB) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(DC) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(DD)

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(DE) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(DF)

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(DG)

22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.(DH) 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah(DI) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(DJ) to his daughter as her attendant.(DK)

25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?(DL) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?(DM)

26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.(DN) 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week;(DO) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.(DP)

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(DQ) 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah(DR) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.(DS) 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(DT) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(DU)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(DV) he enabled her to conceive,(DW) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(DX) She named him Reuben,[i](DY) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(DZ) Surely my husband will love me now.”

33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(EA) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[j](EB)

34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(EC) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[k](ED)

35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[l](EE) Then she stopped having children.(EF)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 28:2 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia; also in verses 5, 6 and 7
  2. Genesis 28:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  3. Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
  4. Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  5. Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
  6. Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
  7. Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then
  8. Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
  9. Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
  10. Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
  11. Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
  12. Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.

41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;

44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away;

45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

28 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother's brother.

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan;

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;

Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

13 And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.

19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God:

22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

29 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.

And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.

And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.

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

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

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

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

14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

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

17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

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

22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and 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 unto her.

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

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

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

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.