Genesis:29
Seeker Overlay ON
*
Then Jacob went on his journey ,
and came to the land of the people of the east .
*
As he looked ,
he saw a well in the field ,
and lo ,
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 ,
*
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 upon the mouth of the well .
*
Jacob said to them , "
My brothers ,
where do you come from ?"
They said , "
We are from Haran ."
*
He said to them , "
Do you know Laban the son of Nahor ?"
They said , "
We know him ."
*
He said to them , "
Is it well with him ?"
They said , "
It is well ;
and see ,
Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep !"
*
He said , "
Behold ,
it is still high day ,
it is not time for the animals to be gathered together ;
water the sheep ,
and go ,
pasture them ."
*
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 ."
*
While he was still speaking with them ,
Rachel came with her father '
s sheep ;
for she kept them .
*
Now when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother '
s brother ,
and the sheep of Laban his mother '
s brother ,
Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well '
s mouth ,
and watered the flock of Laban his mother '
s brother .
*
Then Jacob kissed Rachel ,
and wept aloud .
*
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 .
*
When Laban heard the tidings of 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 ,
*
and Laban said to him , "
Surely you are my bone and my flesh !"
And he stayed with him a month .
*
Then Laban said to Jacob , "
Because you are my kinsman ,
should you therefore serve me for nothing ?
Tell me ,
what shall your wages be ?"
*
Now Laban had two daughters ;
the name of the older was Leah ,
and the name of the younger was Rachel .
*
Leah '
s eyes were weak ,
but Rachel was beautiful and lovely .
*
Jacob loved Rachel ;
and he said , "
I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel ."
*
Laban said , "
It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man ;
stay with me ."
*
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel ,
and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her .
*
Then Jacob said to Laban , "
Give me my wife that I may go in to her ,
for my time is completed ."
*
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place ,
and made a feast .
*
But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob ;
and he went in to her .
* (
Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid .)
*
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 ?"
*
Laban said , "
It is not so done in our country ,
to give the younger before the first-born .
*
Complete the week of this one ,
and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years ."
*
Jacob did so ,
and completed her week ;
then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife .
* (
Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid .)
*
So Jacob went in to Rachel also ,
and he loved Rachel more than Leah ,
and served Laban for another seven years .
*
When the LORD saw that Leah was hated ,
he opened her womb ;
but Rachel was barren .
*
And Leah conceived and bore a son ,
and she called his name Reuben ;
for she said , "
Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction ;
surely now my husband will love me ."
*
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 .
*
Again she conceived and bore a son ,
and said , "
Now this time my husband will be joined to me ,
because I have borne him three sons ";
therefore his name was called Levi .
*
And she conceived again and bore a son ,
and said , "
This time I will praise the LORD ";
therefore she called his name Judah ;
then she ceased bearing .