| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people. | 1Jacob resumed his journey and went to the eastern country. |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 4Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They replied, "We're from Haran." | 4Jacob asked the men at the well, "My brothers! Where are you from?"" We're from Haran," they answered." |
| 5So he said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" "We know him," they said. | 5Do you know Laban grandson of Nahor?" Jacob asked them. They answered, "We know him."" |
| 6"Is he well?" Jacob asked. They replied, "He is well. Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." | 6Is he well?" Jacob asked." Yes," they said, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep." |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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." | 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 tending them. | 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. |
| 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. | 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 began to weep loudly. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly. |
| 12When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, 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 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. | 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 said to him, "You are indeed my own flesh and blood." So Jacob stayed with him for a month. | 14Laban said to him, "Yes, you are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him a month, |
| 15Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? 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." |
| 16(Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. | 16Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. |
| 17Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) | 17Leah had ordinary eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. |
| 18Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, "I'll serve you seven years in exchange 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, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." | 19Laban replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me." |
| 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. | 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, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations 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 people of that place and prepared a feast. | 22So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast. |
| 23In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. | 23That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. |
| 24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) | 24And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave. |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 26"It is not our custom here," Laban replied, "to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. | 26Laban answered, "It is not the custom in this place to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. |
| 27Complete my older daughter's bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more 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." |
| 28Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. | 28And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. |
| 29(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) | 29And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. |
| 30Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more 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 enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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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