Jacob’s Love for Rachel

1Then Jacob [†]took up his journey and came to the land of the sons of the east. 2And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they gave water to the flocks to drink. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3And all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and give water to the sheep to drink and return the stone back to its place on the mouth of the well.

4And Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.” 7And he said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Give water to the sheep to drink, and go, pasture them.” 8But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we give water to the sheep to drink.”

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10Now it happened, when 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 mouth of the well and gave water to the flock of Laban his mother’s brother to drink. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted his voice and wept. 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was a [†]relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

13So it happened that when Laban heard the report of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and he embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he recounted to Laban all these things. 14And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him one month.

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my [†]relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance. 18Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they were in his sight but a few days because of his love for her.

Laban Deceives Jacob

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22And Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23Now it happened in the evening that he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her. 24Laban also gave his servant-woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a servant-woman. 25Now it happened 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 with you? Why then have you deceived me?” 26But Laban said, “It is not [†]the practice in our place to give the younger before the firstborn. 27Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.” 28And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29Laban also gave his servant-woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant-woman. 30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with [†]Laban for another seven years.

31And Yahweh saw that Leah was [†]unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32So Leah conceived and bore a son and named him [†]Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has [†]seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Because Yahweh has [†]heard that I am [†]unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be [†]joined to me because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi. 35And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will [†]praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him [†]Judah. Then she stopped bearing.