Genesis 29
29
1 THEN JACOB went [briskly and cheerfully] on his way [400 miles] and came to the land of the people of the East.
2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was a big one,
3 And when all the flocks were gathered there, [the shepherds] would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and replace the stone on the well's mouth.
4 And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.
5 [Jacob] said to them, Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6 He said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, He is doing well; and behold, here comes his daughter Rachel with [his] sheep!
7 He said, The sun is still high; it is a long time yet before the flocks need be gathered [in their folds]. [Why not] water the sheep and return them to their pasture?
8 But they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together; then [the shepherds] roll the stone from the well's mouth and we water the sheep.
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she shepherded them.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his uncle, Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of his uncle Laban.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and he wept aloud.
12 Jacob told Rachel he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.
13 When Laban heard of the arrival of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him and brought him to his house. And [Jacob] told Laban all these things.
14 Then Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And [Jacob] stayed with him a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah's eyes were weak and dull looking, but Rachel was beautiful and attractive.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, I will work for you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay and live with me.
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Finally, Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may take her to me.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast [with drinking].
23 But when night came, he took Leah his daughter and brought her to [Jacob], who had intercourse with her.
24 And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah to be her maid.
25 But in the morning [Jacob saw his wife, and] behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you [all those seven years] for Rachel? Why then have you deceived and cheated and thrown me down [like this]?
26 And Laban said, It is not permitted in our country to give the younger [in marriage] before the elder.
27 Finish the [wedding feast] week [for Leah]; then we will give you [Rachel] also, and you shall work for me yet seven more years in return.
28 So Jacob complied and fulfilled [Leah's] week; then [Laban] gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.
29 (And Laban gave Bilhah his maid to Rachel his daughter to be her maid.)
30 And Jacob lived with Rachel also as his wife, and he loved Rachel more than Leah and served [Laban] another seven years [for her].
31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was despised, He made her able to bear children, but Rachel was barren.
32 And Leah became pregnant and bore a son and named him Reuben [See, a son!]; for she said, Because the Lord has seen my humiliation and affliction; now my husband will love me.
33 [Leah] became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Because the Lord heard that I am despised, He has given me this son also; and she named him Simeon [God hears].
34 And she became pregnant again and bore a son and said, Now this time will my husband be a companion to me, for I have borne him three sons. Therefore he was named Levi [companion].
35 Again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, Now will I praise the Lord! So she called his name Judah [praise]; then [for a time] she ceased bearing.
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Genesis 29: AMPC
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Genesis 29
29
Jacob Meets Rachel
1So Jacob went on his journey #Gen. 25:6; Num. 23:7; Judg. 6:3, 33; Hos. 12:12and came to the land of the people of the East. 2And he looked, and saw a #Gen. 24:10, 11; Ex. 2:15, 16well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they 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.
4And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?”
And they said, “We are from #Gen. 11:31; 28:10Haran.”
5Then he said to them, “Do you know #Gen. 24:24, 29; 28:2Laban the son of Nahor?”
And they said, “We know him.”
6So he said to them, #Gen. 43:27“Is he well?”
And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel #Gen. 24:11; Ex. 2:16, 17is coming with the sheep.”
7Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
9Now while he was still speaking with them, #Ex. 2:16Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and #Ex. 2:17rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11Then Jacob #Gen. 33:4; 45:14, 15kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was #Gen. 13:8; 14:14, 16; 28:5her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. #Gen. 24:28So she ran and told her father.
13Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that #Gen. 24:29–31; Luke 15:20he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14And Laban said to him, #Gen. 2:23; 37:27; Judg. 9:2; 2 Sam. 5:1; 19:12, 13“Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, #Gen. 30:28; 31:41what should your wages be?” 16Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was #Gen. 12:11, 14; 26:7beautiful of form and appearance.
18Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, #Gen. 31:41; 2 Sam. 3:14; Hos. 12:12“I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20So Jacob #Gen. 30:26; Hos. 12:12served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may #Judg. 15:1go in to her.” 22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and #Judg. 14:10; John 2:1, 2made a feast. 23Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24And Laban gave his maid #Gen. 30:9, 10Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25So 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 you? Why then have you #Gen. 27:35; 31:7; 1 Sam. 28:12deceived me?”
26And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27#Gen. 31:41; Judg. 14:2Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”
28Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29And Laban gave his maid #Gen. 30:3–5Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also #Gen. 29:17–20; Deut. 21:15–17loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban #Gen. 30:26; 31:41; Hos. 12:12still another seven years.
The Children of Jacob
31When the Lord #Ps. 127:3saw that Leah was unloved, He #Gen. 30:1opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely #Gen. 16:11; 31:42; Ex. 3:7; 4:31; Deut. 26:7; Ps. 25:18looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33Then 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 called his name Simeon. 34She 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 his name was called Levi. 35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name #Gen. 49:8; Matt. 1:2Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.