| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. | 1Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. |
| 2And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. | 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. |
| 3Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth. | 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. |
| 4And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” | 4“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered. |
| 5Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” | 5“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied. |
| 6So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” | 6“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.” |
| 7Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” | 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.” |
| 8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we 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.” |
| 9Now while 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 a shepherdess. |
| 10And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. | 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 lifted up his voice and wept. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. |
| 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. 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. |
| 13Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban 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. |
| 14And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month. | 14Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month, |
| 15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages 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 elder 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’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. | 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. |
| 18Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” | 18Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” |
| 19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” | 19Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” |
| 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had 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, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” | 21Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” |
| 22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. | 22So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. |
| 23Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in 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 maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. | 24And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. |
| 25So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then 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?” |
| 26And Laban said, “It must not be done so 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. |
| 27Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.” | 27Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” |
| 28Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. | 28And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. |
| 29And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. | 29Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. |
| 30Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still 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 unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. |
| 32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” | 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.” |
| 33Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name 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. |
| 34She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called 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. |
| 35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. | 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. |
|
