Genesis 29 | New International Reader’s Version

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.

English Standard Version

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. (Nu 23:7; Jud 6:3) 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, 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. 4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” (Ge 27:43) 5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 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!” 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.” 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 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. (Ex 2:16) 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. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 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. (Ge 13:8; Ge 14:14; Ge 14:16; Ge 24:28)

Ge 13:8Ge 14:14Ge 14:16Ge 24:28

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, (Ge 29:12) 14 and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month. (Ge 2:23; Ge 37:27; Jud 9:2; 2Sa 5:1; 2Sa 19:12; 1Ch 11:1)

Ge 2:23Ge 37:27Jud 9:22Sa 5:12Sa 19:121Ch 11:1

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?” 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,^[1] but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” (Ge 30:26; Ge 31:41; Ho 12:12) 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.” 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. (Ge 29:18) 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. (Jud 14:10; Joh 2:1) 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave^[2] his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) (Ge 30:9) 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?” 26 Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” (Jud 14:12) 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) (Ge 30:3) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. (Ge 29:20; Ge 31:41)

Jacob’s Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. (Ge 30:22; De 21:15) 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,^[3] for she said, “Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” (Ge 31:42; Ex 3:7; Ex 4:31; De 26:7)

Ge 31:42Ex 3:7Ex 4:31De 26:7

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.^[4] 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.^[5] (Nu 18:2; Nu 18:4) 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah.^[6] Then she ceased bearing. (Ge 49:8; Mt 1:2)