Genesis 29Book 1 of 66 · 35 verses · MBT primary, NKJV fallback where MBT pending

  1. So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
  2. And he looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large stone covered the well's mouth.
  3. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds 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 brothers, where do you come from?" And they said, "We are from Haran."
  5. Then he said to them, "Do you know a man named Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him."
  6. So he said to them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well, and here is his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep."
  7. Then he said, "Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and pasture them."
  8. But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."
  9. Now while he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
  10. As soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
  11. Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept aloud.
  12. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son, so she quickly ran and told her father.
  13. When Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house, and Jacob told Laban all these things.
  14. And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my own bone and flesh," and he stayed with him for about a month.
  15. Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore work for 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 weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
  18. Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered, "I will work for 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 any other man. Stay and work with me."
  20. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him only a few days because of the love he had for her.
  21. Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her."
  22. So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and prepared a feast.
  23. Now it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
  24. And Laban gave his female servant 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 with you? Why then have you deceived me?"
  26. And Laban said, "It is not the custom in our place to give the younger before the firstborn."
  27. Complete her week, and we will give you this one also in return for the service which you will serve with me another seven years.
  28. Then Jacob did so and completed her week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.
  29. And Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.
  30. Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he worked for Laban another seven years.
  31. When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb and enabled her to have children, but Rachel was barren.
  32. So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has surely seen 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 unloved, He has therefore given me this son also," and she named him 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 he was named Levi.
  35. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.