⁹ While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,^(A) for she was a shepherd. ¹⁰ When Jacob saw Rachel^(B) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone^(C) away from the mouth of the well and watered^(D) his uncle’s sheep.^{(E) 11} Then Jacob kissed^(F) Rachel and began to weep aloud.^{(G) 12} He had told Rachel that he was a relative^(H) of her father and a son of Rebekah.^(I) So she ran and told her father.^(J)

¹³ As soon as Laban^(K) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him^(L) 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.”^(M)

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^(N) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages^(O) should be.”

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,^(P) and the name of the younger was Rachel.^{(Q) 17} Leah had weak^[a] eyes, but Rachel^(R) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.^{(S) 18} Jacob was in love with Rachel^(T) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(U)

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,^(V) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.^(W)

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

²² So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.^{(Y) 23} But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah^(Z) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his servant Zilpah^(AA) to his daughter as her attendant.^(AB)

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

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

²⁸ And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.^{(AH) 29} Laban gave his servant Bilhah^(AI) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.^{(AJ) 30} Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.^(AK) And he worked for Laban another seven years.^(AL)

Jacob’s Children

³¹ When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,^(AM) he enabled her to conceive,^(AN) but Rachel remained childless.

30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,^(A) she became jealous of her sister.^(B) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

²² Then God remembered Rachel;^(A) he listened to her^(B) and enabled her to conceive.^{(C) 23} She became pregnant and gave birth to a son^(D) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”^{(E) 24} She named him Joseph,^[a](F) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”^(G)

Jacob’s Flocks Increase

²⁵ After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Send me on my way^(H) so I can go back to my own homeland.^{(I) 26} Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you,^(J) and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.”

Jacob Flees From Laban

31 Jacob heard that Laban’s sons^(A) were saying, “Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.”^{(B) 2} And Jacob noticed that Laban’s attitude toward him was not what it had been.^(C)

³ Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Go back^(D) to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you.”^(E)

¹⁷ Then Jacob put his children and his wives^(A) on camels,^{(B) 18} and he drove all his livestock ahead of him, along with all the goods he had accumulated^(C) in Paddan Aram,^[a](D) to go to his father Isaac^(E) in the land of Canaan.^(F)

¹⁹ When Laban had gone to shear his sheep,^(G) Rachel stole her father’s household gods.^{(H) 20} Moreover, Jacob deceived^(I) Laban the Aramean^(J) by not telling him he was running away.^{(K) 21} So he fled^(L) with all he had, crossed the Euphrates River,^(M) and headed for the hill country of Gilead.^(N)

³³ So Laban went into Jacob’s tent and into Leah’s tent^(A) and into the tent of the two female servants,^(B) but he found nothing.^(C) After he came out of Leah’s tent, he entered Rachel’s tent. ³⁴ Now Rachel had taken the household gods^(D) and put them inside her camel’s saddle^(E) and was sitting on them. Laban searched^(F) through everything in the tent but found nothing.

³⁵ Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence;^(G) I’m having my period.^(H)” So he searched but could not find the household gods.^(I)

¹⁸ As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni.^[a](A) But his father named him Benjamin.^[b](B)

¹⁹ So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath^(C) (that is, Bethlehem^(D)). ²⁰ Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day^(E) that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.^(F)

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