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14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month. 15 Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”

16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. 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 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her. 24 Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant. 25 In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

26 Laban said, “It is not done so 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 you will serve with me for seven more years.”

28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife. 29 Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant. 30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.

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14 Laban responded, “You certainly are my flesh and blood!”[a] So Jacob[b] stayed with him for about a month.[c]

Jacob Agrees to Work in Order to Marry Rachel

15 Later, Laban asked Jacob, “Should you serve me for free, just because you’re my nephew?[d] Let’s talk about what your wages should be.”

16 Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. 17 Leah looked rather plain,[e] but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: “I’ll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19 “It’s better that I give her to you than to another man,” Laban replied, “so stay with me.” 20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.

21 Eventually, Jacob told Laban, “Bring me my wife, now that my time of service[f] has been completed, so I can go be with her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

Laban Deceives Jacob

23 That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob.[g] He had marital relations with her. 24 Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant. 25 The next morning, Jacob[h] realized that it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” he demanded of Laban. “Didn’t I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?”

26 But Laban responded, “It’s not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage[i] before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the week for this daughter,[j] then we’ll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years.”

28 So Jacob completed another seven years’ work, and then Laban[k] gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant. 30 Jacob[l] also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years’ work for Rachel.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 29:14 Lit. bones
  2. Genesis 29:14 Lit. he
  3. Genesis 29:14 Lit. for days of a new month
  4. Genesis 29:15 Lit. brother
  5. Genesis 29:17 Or Leah had weak eyes
  6. Genesis 29:21 The Heb. lacks of service
  7. Genesis 29:23 Lit. him
  8. Genesis 29:25 Lit. he
  9. Genesis 29:26 The Heb. lacks in marriage
  10. Genesis 29:27 Lit. one
  11. Genesis 29:28 Lit. he
  12. Genesis 29:30 Lit. he