Genesis 29

Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. He looked and saw a well in the field, with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for the flocks were watered from that well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well. When all the flocks were gathered there, the stone would be rolled away from the mouth of the well and the sheep watered. Then the stone would be put back in its place over the mouth of the well. Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s descendant?” They said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Is he well?” They said, “He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” He said, “Look, there is still much of the day left. It is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and go and pasture them.” They said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we can water the sheep.” While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, he went near and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother. Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father. When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him into his house. Jacob told Laban all these things. Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month. Laban said to Jacob, “Should you serve me for nothing just because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages will be.” Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Jacob loved Rachel and said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Laban said, “It is better to give her to you than to give her to another man. Stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days because of his love for her. Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is complete, so that I may sleep with her.” Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast. In the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her. Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant. In the morning, there was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What have you done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?” Laban said, “It is not done that way in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete her wedding week, and we will give you the other one too, for another seven years of service with me.” Jacob did so and completed her wedding week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant. Jacob slept with Rachel too, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years. The LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction; now my husband will love me.” She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son too.” So she named him Simeon. She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” That is why he was named Levi. She conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.

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