Genesis 29
Modern English Version
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 Then Jacob went on his journey and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. A large stone was on the well’s opening. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds rolled the stone from the well’s opening, watered the sheep, then put the stone back on the well’s opening in its place.
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?”
And they said, “We are from Harran.”
5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?”
And they said, “We know him.”
6 He said to them, “Is he well?”
And they said, “He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.”
7 He said, “Since it is yet midday, it is not the time that the livestock should be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
8 They said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we may water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s opening and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. Then she ran and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then Jacob told Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.”
And he stayed with him for a month. 15 Laban said to Jacob, “Since you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, so that I may have relations with her.”
22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place and prepared a feast. 23 But in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob had relations with her. 24 Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah for a maidservant.
25 In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah, and he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?”
26 Then Laban said, “It is not the custom in our country to marry off the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the period of seven days for this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”
28 Jacob did so and completed her week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife also. 29 Laban gave Bilhah his maidservant to Rachel his daughter to be her maid. 30 So Jacob also had relations with Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served Laban another seven years.
Jacob’s Children
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Surely the Lord has looked upon my affliction. Now therefore my husband will love me.”
33 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I was unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” Then she called his name Simeon.
34 She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
35 She conceived again and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped giving birth.
Genesis 29
Easy-to-Read Version
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 Then Jacob continued his trip. He went to the country in the East. 2 He looked and saw a well in the field. There were three flocks of sheep lying near the well, where the sheep drank water. There was a large rock covering the mouth of the well. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the rock away from the well. Then all the sheep could drink from the water. After the sheep were full, the shepherds would put the rock back in its place.
4 Jacob said to the shepherds there, “Brothers, where are you from?”
They answered, “We are from Haran.”
5 Then Jacob said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?”
The shepherds answered, “We know him.”
6 Then Jacob said, “How is he?”
They answered, “He is well. Look, that is his daughter Rachel coming now with his sheep.”
7 Jacob said, “Look, it is still day and long before the sun sets. It is not yet time for the animals to be gathered together for the night. So give them water and let them go back into the field.”
8 But they said, “We cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered together. Then we will move the rock from the well, and all the sheep will drink.”
9 While Jacob was talking with the shepherds, Rachel came with her father’s sheep. (It was her job to take care of the sheep.) 10 Rachel was Laban’s daughter. Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother. When Jacob saw Rachel, he went and moved the rock and gave water to the sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and cried. 12 He told her that he was from her father’s family. He told her that he was the son of Rebekah. So Rachel ran home and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him. Laban hugged him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.
14 Then Laban said, “This is wonderful! You are from my own family.” So Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
Laban Tricks Jacob
15 One day Laban said to Jacob, “You are a relative of mine. It is not right for you to continue working for me without pay. What should I pay you?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older was Leah and the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah’s eyes were gentle,[a] but Rachel was beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said to Laban, “I will work seven years for you if you will allow me to marry your daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban said, “It would be better for her to marry you than someone else. So stay with me.”
20 So Jacob stayed and worked for Laban for seven years. But it seemed like a very short time because he loved Rachel very much.
21 After seven years Jacob said to Laban, “Give me Rachel so that I can marry her. My time of work for you is finished.”
22 So Laban gave a party for all the people in that place. 23 That night Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob. Jacob and Leah had sexual relations together. 24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter to be her maid.) 25 In the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah he had slept with, and he said to Laban, “You have tricked me. I worked hard for you so that I could marry Rachel. Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban said, “In our country we don’t allow the younger daughter to marry before the older daughter. 27 Continue for the full week of the marriage ceremony, and I will also give you Rachel to marry. But you must serve me another seven years.”
28 So Jacob did this and finished the week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) 30 So Jacob had sexual relations with Rachel also. And Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
Jacob’s Family Grows
31 The Lord saw that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, so he made it possible for Leah to have children. But Rachel did not have any children.
32 Leah gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben.[b] She named him this because she said, “The Lord has seen my troubles. My husband does not love me. So now maybe my husband will love me.”
33 Leah became pregnant again and had another son. She named this son Simeon.[c] She said, “The Lord has heard that I am not loved, so he gave me this son.”
34 Leah became pregnant again and had another son. She named this son Levi.[d] She said, “Now, surely my husband will love me. I have given him three sons.”
35 Then Leah gave birth to another son. She named this son Judah.[e] Leah named him this because she said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Then Leah stopped having children.
Footnotes
- Genesis 29:17 Leah’s eyes were gentle This might be a polite way of saying Leah was not very pretty.
- Genesis 29:32 Reuben This is like the Hebrew word meaning “Look, a son.”
- Genesis 29:33 Simeon This is like the Hebrew word meaning “He hears.”
- Genesis 29:34 Levi This is like the Hebrew word meaning “accompany,” “be joined together,” or “become close.”
- Genesis 29:35 Judah This name is like the word meaning “He is praised.”
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International