Genesis 29
Legacy Standard Bible
Jacob’s Love for Rachel
29 Then Jacob [a]took up his journey and came to the land of (A)the sons of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold, (B)a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they gave water to the flocks to drink. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 And all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and give water to the sheep to drink and return the stone back to its place on the mouth of the well.
4 And Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from (C)Haran.” 5 Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the (D)son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is (E)Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.” 7 And he said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Give water to the sheep to drink, and go, pasture them.” 8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we give water to the sheep to drink.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now it happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and gave water to the flock of Laban his mother’s brother to drink. 11 Then Jacob (F)kissed Rachel and lifted his voice and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was a [b](G)relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and (H)she ran and told her father.
13 So it happened that when (I)Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and he (J)embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he recounted to Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “Surely you are (K)my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him one month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my [c]relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall (L)your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was (M)beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance. 18 Now Jacob (N)loved Rachel, so he said, “(O)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they were in his sight but a few days (P)because of his love for her.
Laban Deceives Jacob
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may (Q)go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it happened in the evening that he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. 24 Laban also gave his servant-woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a servant-woman. 25 Now it happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “(R)What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you (S)deceived me?” 26 But Laban said, “It is not [d]the practice in our place to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which (T)you shall serve with me for another seven years.” 28 And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 Laban also gave his servant-woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant-woman. 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed (U)he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with [e]Laban for (V)another seven years.
31 And Yahweh saw that Leah was [f]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son and named him [g]Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has [h](W)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “(X)Because Yahweh has [i]heard that I am [j]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be [k]joined to me because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (Y)Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will [l]praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him [m](Z)Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Footnotes
- Genesis 29:1 Lit lifted up his feet
- Genesis 29:12 Lit brother
- Genesis 29:15 Lit brother
- Genesis 29:26 Lit done thus in
- Genesis 29:30 Lit him
- Genesis 29:31 Lit hated
- Genesis 29:32 Lit see, a son
- Genesis 29:32 Lit looked upon
- Genesis 29:33 Heb shama, related to Simeon
- Genesis 29:33 Lit hated
- Genesis 29:34 Heb lavah, related to Levi
- Genesis 29:35 Heb jadah, related to Judah
- Genesis 29:35 Heb Jehudah
Genesis 29
Living Bible
29 Jacob traveled on, finally arriving in the land of the East. 2 He saw in the distance three flocks of sheep lying beside a well in an open field, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 (The custom was that the stone was not removed until all the flocks were there. After watering them, the stone was rolled back over the mouth of the well again.) 4 Jacob went over to the shepherds and asked them where they lived.
“At Haran,” they said.
5 “Do you know a fellow there named Laban, the son of Nahor?”
“We sure do.”
6 “How is he?”
“He’s well and prosperous. Look, there comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 “Why don’t you water the flocks so they can get back to grazing?” Jacob asked. “They’ll be hungry if you stop so early in the day!”
8 “We don’t roll away the stone and begin the watering until all the flocks and shepherds are here,” they replied.
9 As this conversation was going on, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 And because she was his cousin—the daughter of his mother’s brother—and because the sheep were his uncle’s, Jacob went over to the well and rolled away the stone and watered his uncle’s flock. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and started crying! 12-13 He explained about being her cousin on her father’s side, and that he was her Aunt Rebekah’s son. She quickly ran and told her father, Laban, and as soon as he heard of Jacob’s arrival, he rushed out to meet him and greeted him warmly and brought him home. Then Jacob told him his story.
14 “Just think, my very own flesh and blood,” Laban exclaimed.
After Jacob had been there about a month, 15 Laban said to him one day, “Just because we are relatives is no reason for you to work for me without pay. How much do you want?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters, Leah, the older, and her younger sister, Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely, and in every way a beauty. 18 Well, Jacob was in love with Rachel. So he told her father, “I’ll work for you seven years if you’ll give me Rachel as my wife.”
19 “Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to someone outside the family.”
20 So Jacob spent the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But they seemed to him but a few days, he was so much in love. 21 Finally the time came for him to marry her.
“I have fulfilled my contract,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife, so that I can sleep with her.”
22 So Laban invited all the men of the settlement to celebrate with Jacob at a big party. 23 Afterwards, that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 (And Laban gave to Leah a servant girl, Zilpah, to be her maid.) 25 But in the morning—it was Leah!
“What sort of trick is this?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked for seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?”
26 “It’s not our custom to marry off a younger daughter ahead of her sister,” Laban replied smoothly.[a] 27 “Wait until the bridal week is over and you can have Rachel too—if you promise to work for me another seven years!”
28 So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. Then Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel a servant girl, Bilhah, to be her maid. 30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her more than Leah, and stayed and worked the additional seven years.
31 But because Jacob was slighting Leah, Jehovah let her have a child, while Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah became pregnant and had a son, Reuben (meaning “God has noticed my trouble”), for she said, “Jehovah has noticed my trouble—now my husband will love me.” 33 She soon became pregnant again and had another son and named him Simeon (meaning “Jehovah heard”), for she said, “Jehovah heard that I was unloved, and so he has given me another son.” 34 Again she became pregnant and had a son, and named him Levi (meaning “Attachment”) for she said, “Surely now my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!” 35 Once again she was pregnant and had a son and named him Judah (meaning “Praise”), for she said, “Now I will praise Jehovah!” And then she stopped having children.
Footnotes
- Genesis 29:26 Laban replied smoothly, implied from context.
Genesis 29
New King James Version
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 So Jacob went on his journey (A)and came to the land of the people of the East. 2 And he looked, and saw a (B)well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.
4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?”
And they said, “We are from (C)Haran.”
5 Then he said to them, “Do you know (D)Laban the son of Nahor?”
And they said, “We know him.”
6 So he said to them, (E)“Is he well?”
And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel (F)is coming with the sheep.”
7 Then he said, “Look, it is still [a]high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
9 Now while he was still speaking with them, (G)Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 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 (H)rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob (I)kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was (J)her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. (K)So she ran and told her father.
13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that (L)he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, (M)“Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, (N)what should your wages be?” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were [b]delicate, but Rachel was (O)beautiful of form and appearance.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, (P)“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 (Q)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 (R)go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and (S)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 (T)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 (U)deceived me?”
26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our [c]country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 (V)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 (W)Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also (X)loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban (Y)still another seven years.
The Children of Jacob
31 When the Lord (Z)saw that Leah was [d]unloved, He (AA)opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name [e]Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely (AB)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 [f]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name [g]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 [h]Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name (AC)Judah.[i] Then she stopped bearing.
Footnotes
- Genesis 29:7 early in the day
- Genesis 29:17 Or weak
- Genesis 29:26 Lit. place
- Genesis 29:31 Lit. hated
- Genesis 29:32 Lit. See, a Son
- Genesis 29:33 Lit. hated
- Genesis 29:33 Lit. Heard
- Genesis 29:34 Lit. Attached
- Genesis 29:35 Lit. Praise
Genesis 29
Tree of Life Version
Jacob Loves Rachel
29 Then Jacob lifted up his feet and went to the land of the peoples of the east. 2 When he looked, suddenly, there was a well in the field, and there were three herds of sheep resting by it. (For from that well they would water the flocks. The stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the herds gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the flocks, and put the stone back to its place over the mouth of the well.)
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they said.
5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s son?”
They said, “We know.”
6 He said to them, “Is he well?”
“Well,” they said. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock.”
7 He said, “Since it’s still the middle of the day, it’s not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the flock and let them go and graze.”
8 But they said, “We can’t, not until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well—then we water the flock.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock that belonged to her father (for she was a shepherdess). 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel (the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother), Jacob stepped forward and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban, his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 Then Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.
13 Now when Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, hugged and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my own bone and flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you, my relative, serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?”
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 delicate, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “Let me serve you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than I give her to another man! Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, yet in his eyes it was like a few days, because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, so I may go to her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the men of the place and he prepared a feast. 23 When it was evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him, and he went to her. 24 Laban also gave her Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a female servant.
25 So when it was morning, behold there she was, Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you’ve done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked with you? So why have you deceived me?”
26 But Laban said, “It’s not done so in our place—to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Complete the bridal week for this one. Then we’ll also give you this other—for work that you’ll do with me—another seven years more.”
28 So Jacob did; he also completed this one’s bridal week. Then he gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban also gave his daughter Rachel his female servant Bilhah, to be a servant for her.
30 Jacob also went to Rachel and indeed loved Rachel more than Leah. So he served with him for yet another seven years.
Rivalry Continues With Wives
31 Now Adonai saw that Leah was unloved, so he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son and named him Reuben because she said, “For Adonai has seen my affliction. Surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and said, “For Adonai heard that I am hated, so He’s given me this one also,” and she named him Simeon. 34 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will join himself to me because I’ve given birth to three sons for him.” For this reason he was named Levi. 35 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I praise Adonai.” For this reason she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.