Genesis 29:18-30:13

New King James Version

¹⁸ Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, ^(A)“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. Stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob ^(B)served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may ^(C)go in to her.” ²² And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and ^(D)made a feast. ²³ Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his maid ^(E)Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. ²⁵ So 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 you? Why then have you ^(F)deceived me?”

²⁶ And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our ^[a]country, to give the younger before the firstborn. ^27 (G)Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”

²⁸ Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. ²⁹ And Laban gave his maid ^(H)Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. ³⁰ Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also ^(I)loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban ^(J)still another seven years.

The Children of Jacob

³¹ When the Lord ^(K)saw that Leah was ^[b]unloved, He ^(L)opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³² So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name ^[c]Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely ^(M)looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” ³³ Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am ^[d]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name ^[e]Simeon. ³⁴ She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called ^[f]Levi. ³⁵ And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name ^(N)Judah.^[g] Then she stopped bearing.

Jacob’s Children

30 Now when Rachel saw that ^(O)she bore Jacob no children, Rachel ^(P)envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, ^(Q)or else I die!”

² And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, ^(R)“Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?”

³ So she said, “Here is ^(S)my maid Bilhah; go in to her, ^(T)and she will bear a child on my knees, ^(U)that I also may ^[h]have children by her.” ⁴ Then she gave him Bilhah her maid ^(V)as wife, and Jacob went in to her. ⁵ And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. ⁶ Then Rachel said, “God has ^(W)judged my case; and He has also heard my voice and given me a son.” Therefore she called his name ^[i]Dan. ⁷ And Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸ Then Rachel said, “With ^[j]great wrestlings I have wrestled with my sister, and indeed I have prevailed.” So she called his name ^[k]Naphtali.

⁹ When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing, she took Zilpah her maid and ^(X)gave her to Jacob as wife. ¹⁰ And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹ Then Leah said, ^[l]“A troop comes!” So she called his name ^[m]Gad. ¹² And Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³ Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters ^(Y)will call me blessed.” So she called his name ^[n]Asher.