Genesis 29

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to k the land of the people of the east. 2 As 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, 3 and 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.

4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" They said, l "We are from Haran." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him." 6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!" 7 He 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." 8 But 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."

9 While he was still speaking with them, m Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 Now 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. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was n her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, o and she ran and told her father.

13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, o he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14 and Laban said to him, p "Surely you are my bone and my flesh!" And he stayed with him a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?" 16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, 1 but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, q "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me." 20 So Jacob q served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed." 22 So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and r made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24 (Laban gave 2 s his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25 And 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?" 26 Laban said, "It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 t Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 (Laban gave u his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban v for another seven years.

Jacob's Children

31 When the Lord saw that Leah was w hated, x he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, 3 for she said, "Because the Lord y has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me." 33 She 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. 4 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be z attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi. 5 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord." Therefore she called his name a Judah. 6 Then she ceased bearing.

  1. Cross References
    Numbers 23:7
    And Balaam took up his discourse and said, "From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: 'Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!
    Judges 6:3
    For whenever the Israelites planted crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up against them.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 27:43
    Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 2:16 - 17
    Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 13:8
    Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.
    Genesis 14:14
    When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
    Genesis 14:16
    Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 24:28 - 29
    Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 29:12
    And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 2:23
    Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my ...
    Genesis 37:27
    Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and l...
    Judges 9:2
    "Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem,...
    2 Samuel 5:1
    Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at ...
    2 Samuel 19:12 - 13
    You are my brothers; you are my bone and my fle...
    1 Chronicles 11:1
    Then all Israel gathered together to David at H...
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 30:26
    Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, that I may go, for you know the service that I have given you.
    Genesis 31:41
    These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
    Hosea 12:12
    Jacob fled to the land of Aram; there Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep.
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 29:18
    Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.
  10. Cross References
    Judges 14:10
    His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do.
    John 2:1 - 2
    On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 30:9 - 12
    When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
  12. Cross References
    Judges 14:12
    And Samson said to them, "Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can tell me what it is, within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 30:3 - 7
    Then she said, "Here is my servant Bilhah; go in to her, so that she may give birth on my behalf, that even I may have children through her.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 29:20
    So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
    Genesis 31:41
    These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
  15. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:15
    If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him children, and if the firstborn son belongs to the unloved.
  16. Cross References
    Genesis 30:22
    Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.
  17. Cross References
    Genesis 31:42
    If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labor of my hands and rebuked you last night.
    Exodus 3:7
    Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.
    Exodus 4:31
    And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
    Deuteronomy 26:7
    Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
  18. Cross References
    Numbers 18:2
    And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.
    Numbers 18:4
    They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you.
  19. Cross References
    Matthew 1:2
    Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
    Genesis 49:8
    Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons shall bow down before you.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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