Genesis 29

29 ¹Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. ²He saw a well in the field, with three flocks lying beside it, since that well watered the flocks, and a large stone lay over its mouth. ³There all the flocks would gather; shepherds rolled the stone off the well's mouth, watered the sheep, then returned the stone to its place over the well's mouth. ⁴Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We are from Haran," they replied.

⁵He asked them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" "We know him," they answered.

⁶Then he asked, "Is he well?" "He is well," they said. "Look—his daughter Rachel comes with the sheep."

⁷"Look," Jacob said, "the day is still high, too soon to gather the herds. Water the sheep, then go graze them."

⁸"We can't," they said, "until all the flocks gather and the stone is rolled off the well's mouth. Then we'll water the sheep."

⁹While Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's flock, for she tended it. ¹⁰When Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and sheep of Laban his mother's brother, he approached, rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother. ¹¹Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. ¹²Jacob told Rachel he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

¹³As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, hugged and kissed him, and brought him home. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.

A Month in Laban's House

¹⁴Laban said to him, "You are indeed my bone and flesh." So Jacob stayed with him a full month. ¹⁵Laban said to Jacob, "Should you serve me for free just because you're my relative? Tell me—what should your wages be?"

¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. ¹⁷Leah's eyes were dull, but Rachel was lovely in form and beautiful to look at. ¹⁸Jacob loved Rachel and said, "I'll serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."

¹⁹Laban said, "Better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay here with me." ²⁰Jacob served seven years for Rachel; they felt like only a few days because he loved her.

²¹Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife—my time is complete—so I can go in to her."

²²So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. ²³That evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he was intimate with her. ²⁴And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant. ²⁵In the morning—it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Didn't I serve you for Rachel? Why did you deceive me?"

²⁶Laban replied, "It's not the custom here to give the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷Finish this one's bridal week, then we'll give you the other too—for another seven years of work." ^a a v27 A wedding was customarily celebrated for a full seven days.

²⁸Jacob did this, completed her week, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ²⁹And Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant. ³⁰Jacob slept with Rachel too, and loved her more than Leah. He served Laban seven more years.

Our Father Sees Leah

³¹When our Father saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³²Leah conceived and bore a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, "Our Father has seen my suffering; surely now my husband will love me." ^b b v32 Each of Jacob's sons is named for a play on his mother's words at his birth — her struggle, joy, or hope spoken into the child's name. ³³She conceived again, bore a son, and said, "Because our Father heard I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. ^c c v33 The name Simeon means "one who hears." ³⁴She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time my husband will be joined to me, since I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi. ^d d v34 The name Levi means "joined." ³⁵She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise our Father." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children. ^e e v35 Judah's name means "praise." From Judah's tribe came King David — and from David's line, Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5).