Genesis 29 | King James Version

King James Version

1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well' mouth. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well' mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well' mouth in his place. 4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him . 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them . 8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well' mouth; then we water the sheep. 9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father' sheep: for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother' brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother' brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well' mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother' brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father' brother, and that he was Rebekah' son: and she ran and told her father. 13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister' son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. 15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be ? 16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. 21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

New International Reader’s Version

Jacob arrives in Paddan Aram

1 Then Jacob continued on his journey. He came to the land where the eastern tribes lived. 2 There 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. 3 All 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. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘My friends, where are you from?’ ‘We’re from Harran,’ they replied. 5 He said to them, ‘Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?’ ‘Yes, we know him,’ they answered. 6 Then 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.’ 9 He was still talking with them when Rachel came with her father’s sheep. It was her job to take care of the flock. 10 Rachel 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. 11 Jacob kissed Rachel. Then he began to cry because he was so happy. 12 He 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. 13 As 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.

Jacob marries Leah and Rachel

14 Then Laban said to him, ‘You are my own flesh and blood.’ Jacob stayed with Laban for a whole month. 15 Then 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.’ 16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder one was Leah. And the name of the younger one was Rachel. 17 Leah was plain, but Rachel was beautiful. She had a nice figure. 18 Jacob 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.’ 19 Laban said, ‘It’s better for me to give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.’ 20 So 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. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. I’ve completed my time. I want to sleep with her.’ 22 So Laban brought all the people of the place together and had a feast prepared. 23 But when evening came, he gave his daughter Leah to Jacob. And Jacob slept with her. 24 Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter as her servant. 25 When 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?’ 26 Laban replied, ‘It isn’t our practice here to give the younger daughter to be married before the elder one. 27 Complete this daughter’s wedding week. Then we’ll give you the younger one also. But you will have to work for another seven years.’ 28 So Jacob completed the week with Leah. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant. 30 Jacob 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

31 The 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. 32 Leah 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.’ 33 She 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. 34 She 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. 35 She 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.