| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. | 1Jacob resumed his journey and went to the eastern country. |
| 2He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. | 2He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well. |
| 3When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. | 3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep. The stone was then placed back on the well's opening. |
| 4“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered. | 4Jacob asked the men at the well, "My brothers! Where are you from?"" We're from Haran," they answered." |
| 5“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied. | 5Do you know Laban grandson of Nahor?" Jacob asked them. They answered, "We know him."" |
| 6“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.” | 6Is he well?" Jacob asked." Yes," they said, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep." |
| 7“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.” | 7Then Jacob said, "Look, it is still broad daylight. It's not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze." |
| 8But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.” | 8But they replied, "We can't until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well's opening. Then we will water the sheep." |
| 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. | 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. |
| 10As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. | 10As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban's daughter Rachel with his sheep, he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban's sheep. |
| 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly. |
| 12He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father. | 12He told Rachel that he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father. |
| 13When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened. | 13When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened. |
| 14Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month, | 14Laban said to him, "Yes, you are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him a month, |
| 15Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” | 15Laban said to him, "Just because you're my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be." |
| 16Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. | 16Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. |
| 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. | 17Leah had ordinary eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. |
| 18Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” | 18Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, "I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." |
| 19Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” | 19Laban replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me." |
| 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. | 20So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. |
| 21Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” | 21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with her." |
| 22So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. | 22So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast. |
| 23But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. | 23That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. |
| 24And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. | 24And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave. |
| 25When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?” | 25When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?" |
| 26Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. | 26Laban answered, "It is not the custom in this place to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. |
| 27Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” | 27Complete this week of wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one in return for working yet another seven years for me." |
| 28And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. | 28And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. |
| 29Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. | 29And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. |
| 30Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. | 30Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. |
| 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. |
| 32And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.” | 32Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has seen my affliction; surely my husband will love me now." |
| 33Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon. | 33She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "The LORD heard that I am unloved and has given me this son also." So she named him Simeon. |
| 34Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. | 34She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne three sons for him." Therefore he was named Levi. |
| 35And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children. | 35And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." Therefore she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children. |
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