Genesis 29

1 Then Jacob set out and went to the land of the east, to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau. [a] 2 And he looked — and there was a well in the plain, and three flocks of sheep resting beside it, for the flocks were watered from that well. And there was a great stone over the mouth of the well. 3 When all the flocks had gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the flocks, and then set the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. 4 And Jacob said to them, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5 And he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6 And he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look — his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” 7 And Jacob said, “It is still broad day — not yet time for the cattle to be gathered in. Water the flocks, and go feed them.” 8 And they said, “We cannot, until all the shepherds are gathered and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the flocks.” 9 While he was still speaking with them — look: Rachel, the daughter of Laban, came with her father’s sheep, for she was the one who fed her father’s sheep. 10 And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And he told Rachel that he was a close kinsman of her father, and Rebekah’s son. And she ran and told her father all these words. 13 When Laban heard the name of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him into his house. And Jacob told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, “You are of my own bones and my own flesh.” And Jacob stayed with him a full month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are my brother, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and very lovely in face. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.” 19 And Laban said to him, “Better that I give her to you than that I give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel — and in his eyes they were like a few days, because of his love for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed — let me go in to her.” 22 And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a wedding feast. 23 But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her in to Jacob — and Jacob went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah, as her servant. [c] 25 And morning came — and look, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?” 26 And Laban answered, “It is not done this way in our country — to give the younger before the older. 27 Finish her bridal week, and I will give you the other one too — in return for the work you will do for me: another seven years.” 28 And Jacob did so, and completed her bridal week. And Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 And Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, as her servant. 30 And Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served Laban another seven years.

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. [b] 32 And Leah conceived and bore Jacob a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying, “Because the Lord has looked on my humiliation — now my husband will love me.” 33 And she conceived again and bore Jacob a second son, and she said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this one also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived yet again and bore a son, and said, “This time my husband will be with me — for I have borne him three sons.” So she called his name Levi. 35 And she conceived once more and bore a son, and said, “Now, this time, I will give thanks to the Lord.” So she called his name Judah. And she stopped bearing children.