UST GEN Chapter 29

Jacob Meets Rachel and Laban in the City of Haran

29:1-14

29 Then Jacob left Bethel and continued traveling until he came to the land in the east where various people groups lived. 2 When he arrived there, he looked around, and he saw a well in an open field. There were three flocks of sheep lying near the well waiting for water. That was the well that flocks drank water from, but there was a heavy, large stone covering the top of the well. 3 Every day shepherds would bring all the flocks of sheep there. They would work together to remove the stone from the top of the well and draw water for the sheep. Then they would put the stone back over the top of the well.

4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My friends, where do you live?” They replied, “We are from the city of Haran.” 5 So Jacob asked them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” They answered, “Yes, we do.” 6 So Jacob asked, “Is he doing well?” They answered him, “Yes, he is well. In fact, here comes his daughter Rachel now, bringing his sheep.” 7 Then Jacob urged them, “Look, the sun is still bright, and it is too early to gather the flocks for the night. You ought to draw water for them and take them back out to the fields to graze some more.” 8 But they replied, “We can’t do that until all the shepherds are here with their flocks. Then together we will move the stone away from the top of the well and draw water for the sheep.”

9 While Jacob was still talking with the shepherds, Rachel arrived at the well with her father Laban’s sheep; it was her job to take care of them. 10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his uncle Laban with her father’s sheep, he walked over to the well, removed the stone that covered it, and drew water for his uncle’s sheep. 11 Then he kissed Rachel on her cheek and he was so happy that he started crying. 12 Then he told her that he was her father’s nephew, the son of her aunt Rebekah. So she ran home and told her father the news.

13 When Laban heard about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to greet him. Then he hugged him and kissed him on the cheeks and took him to his house. Then Jacob told Laban about himself and everything that had happened, 14 and Laban exclaimed to him, “There is no doubt that you are a close relative of my family!”

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.

Jacob’s Children

29:31-30:24

31 Now Yahweh knew that Jacob did not love Leah, so he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel was not able to conceive. 32 Then Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, which means “See, a son!” because she exclaimed, “Now that Yahweh has seen that I am suffering and helped me, surely my husband will love me!”

33 Then Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She exclaimed, “Since Yahweh heard that my husband does not love me, he has given me this child also.” So she named him Simeon, which means “he hears.”

34 Then Leah became pregnant yet again and gave birth to another son, and she exclaimed, “Now finally my husband will want to be with me because I have given him three sons!” That is why his name was Levi, which means “be with.”

35 Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son, and she exclaimed, “Now I will praise Yahweh!” That is why she named him Judah, which means “praise.” Then Leah stopped having children for a while.