CINXE.COM

<!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</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/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="/bmc//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="/genesis/">Genesis</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 align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/genesis/29.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/genesis/29.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/genesis/29.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/genesis/29.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/genesis/29.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/genesis/29.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/genesis/29.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Jacob Meets Rachel<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. <A name="4"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. <A name="5"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” <p class="reg">“We are from Haran,” they answered. <A name="6"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. <p class="reg">“We know him,” they replied. <A name="7"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. <p class="reg">“Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.” <A name="8"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.” <A name="9"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.” <A name="10"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. <A name="12"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. <A name="13"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father. <A name="14"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened. <A name="15"></a><p class="hdg">Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” <p class="reg"> After Jacob had stayed with him a month, <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” <A name="17"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. <A name="18"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Leah had weak eyes,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. <A name="19"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” <A name="20"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” <A name="21"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. <A name="22"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” <A name="23"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. <A name="24"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. <A name="25"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. <A name="26"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?” <A name="27"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/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. <A name="28"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” <A name="29"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. <A name="30"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. <A name="31"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. <A name="32"></a><p class="hdg">Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. <A name="33"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.” <A name="34"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> <A name="35"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and 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="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/genesis/29-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> Then Leah stopped having children.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">17</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Or <i>had delicate eyes</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">32</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <i>Reuben</i><span class="thin"> </span> means <i>Look, a son</i><span class="thin"> </span> and also sounds like the Hebrew for <i>He has seen my misery</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">33</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <i>Simeon</i><span class="thin"> </span> probably means <i>one who hears</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">34</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <i>Levi</i><span class="thin"> </span> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>being attached to</i><span class="thin"> </span> or <i>feeling affection for</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><span class="fnverse">35</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> <i>Judah</i><span class="thin"> </span> sounds like the Hebrew for <i>praise</i><span class="thin"> </span>.<br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Free <a href=http://berean.bible/downloads.htm>downloads</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible/licensing.htm>licensing</a> available. See also the <a href=http://literalbible.com>Berean Literal Bible</a> and <a href=http://interlinearbible.com>Berean Interlinear Bible</a>.<span class=p><br /><br /></span><a href=/>Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../genesis/28.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Genesis 28"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Genesis 28" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../genesis/30.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Genesis 30"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Genesis 30" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchapnoad.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>