| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. | 1Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 4Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Harran," they replied. | 4“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered. |
| 5He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. | 5“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied. |
| 6Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." | 6“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.” |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherd. | 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. |
| 12He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. | 12He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 14Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, | 14Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month, |
| 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." | 15Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work 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 older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. |
| 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. | 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. |
| 18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." | 18Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” |
| 19Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." | 19Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” |
| 20So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. | 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. |
| 21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her." | 21Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” |
| 22So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. | 22So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. |
| 23But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. | 23But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. |
| 24And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. | 24And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. |
| 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?" | 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?” |
| 26Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. | 26Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. |
| 27Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work." | 27Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” |
| 28And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. | 28And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. |
| 29Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. | 29Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. |
| 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. | 30Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. |
| 31When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
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