Genesis 29
29
Jacob Loves Rachel
1Then Jacob lifted up his feet and went to the land of the peoples of the east.
2When 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.
3When 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.)
4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We’re from Haran,” they said.
5So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s son?” They said, “We know.”
6He said to them, “Is he well?” “Well,” they said. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock.”
7He 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.”
8But 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.”
9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock that belonged to her father (for she was a shepherdess).
10Now 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.
11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12Then Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.
13Now 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.
14Laban said to him, “Surely you are my own bone and flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you, my relative, serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?”
16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
18Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “Let me serve you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than I give her to another man! Stay with me.”
20So Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, yet in his eyes it was like a few days, because of his love for her.
21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, so I may go to her.”
22So Laban gathered all the men of the place and he prepared a feast.
23When it was evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him, and he went to her.
24Laban also gave her Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a female servant.
25So 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?”
26But Laban said, “It’s not done so in our place—to give the younger before the first-born.
27Complete 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.”
28So Jacob did; he also completed this one’s bridal week. Then he gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29Laban also gave his daughter Rachel his female servant Bilhah, to be a servant for her.
30Jacob 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
31Now Adonai saw that Leah was unloved, so he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive.
32Leah 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.”
33Then 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.
34Then 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.
35Then 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.
Currently Selected:
Genesis 29: TLV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Genesis 29
29
Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram
1Then Jacob continued on his journey. He came to the land where the eastern tribes lived. 2There he saw a well in the open country. Three flocks of sheep were lying near it. The flocks were given water from the well. The stone over the opening of the well was large. 3All the flocks would gather there. The shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s opening. They would give water to the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the opening of the well.
4Jacob asked the shepherds, “My friends, where are you from?”
“We’re from Harran,” they replied.
5He said to them, “Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?”
“Yes, we know him,” they answered.
6Then Jacob asked them, “How is he?”
“He’s fine,” they said. “Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7“Look,” he said, “the sun is still high in the sky. It’s not time for the flocks to be brought together. Give water to the sheep and take them back to the grasslands.”
8“We can’t,” they replied. “We have to wait until all the flocks are brought together. The stone has to be rolled away from the opening of the well. Then we’ll give water to the sheep.”
9He was still talking with them when Rachel came with her father’s sheep. It was her job to take care of the flock. 10Rachel was the daughter of Laban, Jacob’s uncle. When Jacob saw Rachel with Laban’s sheep, he went over to the well. He rolled the stone away from the opening. He gave water to his uncle’s sheep. 11Jacob kissed Rachel. Then he began to cry because he was so happy. 12He had told Rachel he was a relative of her father. He had also said he was Rebekah’s son. Rachel ran and told her father what Jacob had said.
13As soon as Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he hurried to meet him. Laban hugged Jacob and kissed him. Then Laban brought him to his home. There Jacob told him everything. 14Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
Jacob stayed with Laban for a whole month. 15Then Laban said to him, “You are one of my relatives. But is that any reason for you to work for me for nothing? Tell me what your pay should be.”
16Laban had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah. And the name of the younger one was Rachel. 17Leah was plain, but Rachel was beautiful. She had a nice figure. 18Jacob was in love with Rachel. He said to Laban, “I’ll work for you for seven years so I can marry your younger daughter Rachel.”
19Laban said, “It’s better for me to give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20So Jacob worked for seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her so much.
21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. I’ve completed my time. I want to sleep with her.”
22So Laban brought all the people of the place together and had a feast prepared. 23But when evening came, he gave his daughter Leah to Jacob. And Jacob slept with her. 24Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter as her servant.
25When Jacob woke up the next morning, there was Leah next to him! So he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? I worked for you so I could marry Rachel, didn’t I? Why did you trick me?”
26Laban replied, “It isn’t our practice here to give the younger daughter to be married before the older one. 27Complete this daughter’s wedding week. Then we’ll give you the younger one also. But you will have to work for another seven years.”
28So Jacob completed the week with Leah. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant. 30Jacob slept with Rachel also. He loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And he worked for Laban for another seven years.
Jacob Becomes the Father of Many Children
31The Lord saw that Jacob didn’t love Leah as much as he loved Rachel. So he let Leah have children. But Rachel wasn’t able to have children. 32Leah became pregnant. She had a son. She named him Reuben. She said, “The Lord has seen me suffer. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, “The Lord heard that Jacob doesn’t love me very much. That’s why the Lord gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.
34She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, “Now at last my husband will value me. I have had three sons by him.” So the boy was named Levi.
35She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, “This time I’ll praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.