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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Genesis 29 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/29.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/genesis/29-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NIV</a> > Genesis 29</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/28.htm" title="Genesis 28">◄</a> Genesis 29 <a href="../genesis/30.htm" title="Genesis 30">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/genesis/29.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="sectionhead">Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>There he 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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”</p><p class="reg">“We’re from Harran,” they replied.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”</p><p class="reg">“Yes, we know him,” they answered.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”</p><p class="reg">“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>“Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>“We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”</p><p class="sectionhead">Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel</p><p class="reg">After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Leah had weak <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or delicate">a</a></sup></span> eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.</p> <p class="sectionhead">Jacob’s Children</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>When the <span class="name">Lord</span> saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.">b</a></sup></span> for she said, “It is because the <span class="name">Lord</span> has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the <span class="name">Lord</span> heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Simeon probably means one who hears.">c</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.">d</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/genesis/29-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the <span class="name">Lord</span>.” So she named him Judah. <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.">e</a></sup></span> Then she stopped having children.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">17</span> <span class="footnotebot">Or <i>delicate</i></span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">32</span> <span class="footnotebot"><i>Reuben</i> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>he has seen my misery</i>; the name means <i>see, a son</i>.</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">33</span> <span class="footnotebot"><i>Simeon</i> probably means <i>one who hears.</i></span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">34</span> <span class="footnotebot"><i>Levi</i> sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for <i>attached.</i></span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">35</span> <span class="footnotebot"><i>Judah</i> sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for <i>praise.</i></span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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