| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. | 1So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people. |
| 2As 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, | 2He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well. |
| 3and 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. | 3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well's mouth. |
| 4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” | 4Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They replied, "We're from Haran." |
| 5He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” | 5So he said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" "We know him," they said. |
| 6He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” | 6"Is he well?" Jacob asked. They replied, "He is well. Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." |
| 7He 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.” | 7Then Jacob said, "Since it is still the middle of the day, it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more." |
| 8But 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.” | 8"We can't," they said, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep." |
| 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. | 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was tending them. |
| 10Now 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. | 10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. |
| 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. |
| 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father. | 12When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father. |
| 13As 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, | 13When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister's son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban how he was related to him. |
| 14and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month. | 14Then Laban said to him, "You are indeed my own flesh and blood." So Jacob stayed with him for a month. |
| 15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” | 15Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages should be." |
| 16Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. | 16(Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. |
| 17Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. | 17Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) |
| 18Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” | 18Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, "I'll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel." |
| 19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” | 19Laban replied, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." |
| 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. | 20So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great. |
| 21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” | 21Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her." |
| 22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. | 22So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast. |
| 23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. | 23In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. |
| 24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) | 24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) |
| 25And 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?” | 25In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What in the world have you done to me! Didn't I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?" |
| 26Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. | 26"It is not our custom here," Laban replied, "to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. |
| 27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” | 27Complete my older daughter's bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work." |
| 28Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. | 28Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, 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.) | 29(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) |
| 30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. | 30Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years. |
| 31When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. |
| 32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” | 32So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now." |
| 33She 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. | 33She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the LORD heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. |
| 34Again 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. | 34She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him." That is why he was named Levi. |
| 35And 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. | 35She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the LORD." That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. |
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