Genesis 29

Then Jacob went on his way and came to the land of the eastern peoples.

He looked out and 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.

When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep, then put the stone back in place.

And Jacob said to them, “Where are you from, brothers?” “We're from Harran,” they said.

And he said, “Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” “We know him,” they said.

And he said, “Is he well?” “He is,” they said. “And here's Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.”

And he said, “Look, the sun's still high. It's not time to bring the stock in yet. Water the sheep and take them back to graze.”

“We can't,” they said, “not until all the flocks are gathered and the stone's rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.”

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came up with her father's sheep, because she was a shepherd.

When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, with Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's flock.

And Jacob kissed Rachel, and he lifted up his voice and wept.

And Jacob told Rachel he was her father's relative, Rebekah's son. And she ran and told her father.

As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him and brought him to his house. And Jacob told him everything.

And Laban said to him, “You really are my own flesh and blood.” And Jacob stayed with him a month.

Then Laban said to him, “Just because you're a relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

Now Laban had two daughters. The older was called Leah, and the younger Rachel.

Leah had soft eyes, but Rachel was beautiful in every way.

Jacob was in love with Rachel, and he said, “I'll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

And Laban said, “It's better that I give her to you than to another man. Stay here with me.”

So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and it seemed to him like a few days, because of his love for her.

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time's up, and I want to sleep with her.”

So Laban brought everyone in the place together and put on a feast.

But when evening came he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her.

And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant.

And in the morning — there was Leah. And Jacob said to Laban, “What have you done to me? Wasn't it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you cheated me?”

And Laban said, “It's not the custom here to give the younger daughter before the older one.

Finish this one's bridal week, and we'll give you the other one as well, for another seven years' work.”

And Jacob did that. He finished the week with Leah, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.

And Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant.

And Jacob slept with Rachel too, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

When the Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved, He opened her womb. But Rachel couldn't have children.

Leah fell pregnant and had a son, and she called him Reuben, because she said, “The Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”

She fell pregnant again and had a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I'm not loved, He gave me this one too.” So she called him Simeon.

She fell pregnant again and had a son, and she said, “Now, this time, my husband will be attached to me, because I've had three sons for him.” So he was called Levi.

She fell pregnant again and had a son, and she said, “This time I'll praise the Lord.” So she called him Judah. Then she stopped having children.