Genesis 29
1 Jacob set out and went to the land of the people of the east. 2 He looked and saw a well in the field. Three flocks were lying beside it, because the flocks were given water from that well. The stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the flock. Then they would put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well. 4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Harran." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him." 6 He asked them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well. And look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock." 7 He said, "Look, it is still broad daylight. It is not time for the livestock to be gathered in. Water the flock, and go, let them graze." 8 They said, "We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered and they roll the stone off the mouth of the well. Then we water the flock."
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's flock, because she was the one who tended it. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the flock of his mother's brother Laban, he came near and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well. He watered the flock of his mother's brother Laban. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept out loud. 12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father. 13 When Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a whole month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you work for me for free just because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages will be." 16 Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.
17 Leah's eyes were tender, and Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful to look at. 18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will work for you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter." 19 Laban said, "It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man. Stay with me." 20 So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days in his love for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, because my time is complete. Let me sleep with her." 22 So Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 In the evening Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her. 24 Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.
25 When morning came, look, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Didn't I work for you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?" 26 Laban said, "It is not done that way in our place, to give the younger daughter before the firstborn. 27 Finish this one's week, and we will give you that one too, in return for working with me another seven years." 28 Jacob did so, and he finished this one's week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid. 30 Jacob slept with Rachel too. He also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. 31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, because she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my affliction; for now my husband will love me."
33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, "It is because the LORD has heard that I am hated, and he has given me this one too." She named him Simeon. 34 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, "Now, this time, my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he named him Levi. 35 She became pregnant again and gave birth to a son. She said, "This time I will give thanks to the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.