Jacob Works for Laban to Marry Rachel and Leah

29:14b-30

After Jacob had stayed with Laban and worked for him for an entire month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my nephew, that does not mean that you should have to work for me for free! Tell me what you want me to pay you.” 16 Now Laban had two daughters: The name of the older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17 Leah had pretty eyes, but Rachel was extremely beautiful in every way. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said to Laban, “I will work seven years for you if you will let me marry your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 Laban replied, “I agree to your terms. I would much rather give her to you to marry than give her to someone else. So stay here and work for me.” 20 So Jacob worked seven years for Laban so that he could marry Rachel, but he loved her so much that to him the time seemed to pass quickly like only a few days.

21 When the seven years were over, Jacob said to Laban, “Please let me marry your daughter Rachel now so that I can live with her as my wife, because I have finished my seven years of work for you.” 22 So Laban invited all the local people and held a wedding feast. 23 But that evening Laban tricked Jacob and brought his daughter Leah to Jacob’s tent instead of Rachel, so that he had marital relations with her. 24 Laban also gave his female servant Zilpah to Leah to be her personal servant.

25 But the next morning Jacob was shocked to see that it was Leah he had married! So he complained to Laban, “You have treated me very badly! You know that Rachel is the one I served you for! So why did you trick me?” 26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here for the younger daughter to marry before the older daughter marries. 27 So then, keep Leah as your wife and finish this week of celebrating your marriage to her. Then our family will also give you my younger daughter to marry if you will work for me for another seven years.”

28 So Jacob agreed with Laban and did what he said: he finished celebrating his marriage to Leah that week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to marry. 29 Laban also gave his servant Bilhah to Rachel to be her servant. 30 Then Jacob had marital relations with Rachel, and he loved her more than he loved Leah. Then he started working for Laban for seven more years.