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Genesis 29 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

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Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:1 - Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:2 - As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:3 - and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:4 - Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:5 - He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:6 - He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:7 - He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:8 - 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.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:9 - While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:10 - Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:11 - Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:12 - And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:13 - As soon as 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. Jacob told Laban all these things,
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:14 - and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:15 - Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:16 - Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:17 - Leah’s eyes were weak,[fn] but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:18 - Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:19 - Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:20 - So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:21 - Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:22 - So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:23 - But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:24 - (Laban gave[fn] his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:25 - And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:26 - Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:27 - Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:28 - Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:29 - (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:30 - So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

Jacob’s Children

Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:31 - When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:32 - And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,[fn] for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:33 - She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.[fn]
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:34 - Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.[fn]
Unchecked Copy BoxGen 29:35 - And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah.[fn] Then she ceased bearing.
ESV Footnotes
Or soft
Or had given; also verse 29
Reuben means See, a son
Simeon sounds like the Hebrew for heard
Levi sounds like the Hebrew for attached
Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise
ESV

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Books and Bibles, a Publishing Ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

See detailed copyright information.

For more information on this translation, see the ESV Preface.

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