| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. | 1Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. |
| 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, | 2There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. |
| 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 away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. |
| 4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” | 4Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Harran," they replied. |
| 5He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” | 5He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. |
| 6He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” | 6Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and 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.” | 7"Look," he said, "the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture." |
| 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 replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will 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 talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherd. |
| 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 daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. |
| 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. |
| 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. | 12He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So 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, | 13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. |
| 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 my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole 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?” | 15Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? 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. | 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. |
| 17Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. | 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. |
| 18Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” | 18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return 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 said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here 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 served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. |
| 21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” | 21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her." |
| 22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. | 22So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. |
| 23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. | 23But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. |
| 24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) | 24And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. |
| 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?” | 25When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?" |
| 26Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. | 26Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. |
| 27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” | 27Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work." |
| 28Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. | 28And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then 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.) | 29Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. |
| 30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. | 30Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. |
| 31When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but 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.” | 32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my misery. 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 conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, 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. | 34Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So 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 conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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