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 weak,^[a] but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. ¹⁸ Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, ^(A)“I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” ¹⁹ Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob ^(B)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 that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” ²² So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and ^(C)made a feast. ²³ But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. ²⁴ (Laban gave^{[b] (D)}his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) ²⁵ And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” ²⁶ Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. ^27 (E)Complete the week of 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 his daughter Rachel to be his wife. ²⁹ (Laban gave ^(F)his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) ³⁰ So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban ^(G)for another seven years.

Jacob's Children

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was ^(H)hated, ^(I)he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. ³² And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,^[c] for she said, “Because the Lord ^(J)has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” ³³ She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.^{[d] 34} Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be ^(K)attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.^{[e] 35} And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name ^(L)Judah.^[f] Then she ceased bearing.

⁹ When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and ^(A)gave her to Jacob as a wife. ¹⁰ Then Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹ And Leah said, ^(B)“Good fortune has come!” so she called his name ^(C)Gad.^{[a] 12} Leah's servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³ And Leah said, “Happy am I! For women ^(D)have called me happy.” So she called his name Asher.^[b]

¹⁴ In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found ^(E)mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son's mandrakes.” ¹⁵ But she said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?” Rachel said, “Then he may lie with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes.” ¹⁶ When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come in to me, for I have hired you with my son's mandrakes.” So he lay with her that night. ¹⁷ And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. ¹⁸ Leah said, “God has given me my wages because I gave my servant to my husband.” So she called his name Issachar.^[c]

¹⁹ And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. ²⁰ Then Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good endowment; now my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” So she called his name ^(F)Zebulun.^{[d] 21} Afterward she bore a daughter and called her name Dinah.

⁴ So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was

¹⁴ Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there ^(A)any portion or inheritance left to us in our father's house?

¹⁷ So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels.

² And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. ³ He himself went on before them, ^(A)bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

^4 (B)But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him ^(C)and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. ⁵ And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, ^(D)“The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” ⁶ Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. ⁷ Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down.

¹¹ Then all the people who were ^(A)at the gate and the elders said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman, who is coming into your house, like Rachel and Leah, ^(B)who together ^(C)built up the house of Israel. May you act worthily in ^(D)Ephrathah and ^(E)be renowned in Bethlehem,