Genesis 29

Jacob Meets Rachel

1 Jacob kept it moving and ended up in the land where his mom’s people lived.

2 He saw a well in the field with three herds of sheep posted up nearby. The shepherds were waiting to water the sheep.

3 They had to roll a big stone away from the well, water the sheep, and then cover it back up.

4 Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘Listen, where y’all from?’ They said, ‘We are from Haran.’

5 Jacob said, ‘You all know Laban, Nahor’s grandson,’ They said, ‘Yeah, we know him.’

6 ‘How is he doing?’ They said, ‘He is good. And look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.’

7 Jacob said, ‘Why do you not all water the sheep now and let them graze?’

8 They said, ‘We cannot do it until everyone is here to roll the stone away.’

9 While Jacob was talking, Rachel pulled up with her dad’s sheep, since she was a shepherd too.

10 When Jacob saw Rachel and Laban’s sheep, he rolled the stone away by himself and watered the flock.

11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and straight up started crying.

12 He told her, ‘I am your cousin, Rebekah’s son.’ Rachel ran home to tell her dad.

Jacob Stays with Laban

13 When Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob, hugged him, and brought him to his crib. Jacob told Laban everything that happened.

14 Laban said, ‘You are family, my own flesh and blood.’ Jacob stayed with him for a month.

Jacob Agrees to Work for Rachel

15 Laban said, ‘You should not work for free just because you are family. Tell me what you want as payment.’

16 Laban had two daughters. Leah was the older one, and Rachel was the younger.

17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was fine as wine with a banging figure.

18 Jacob was head over heels for Rachel, so he said, ‘I will work seven years for her.’

19 Laban said, ‘Deal. It is better for her to marry you than some random dude. Stay with me.’

20 Jacob worked seven years, but it felt like a few days because he was so in love with Rachel.

Laban Tricks Jacob

21 After the seven years, Jacob said, ‘Alright, I did my time. Let me marry Rachel.’

22 Laban threw a big wedding feast for Jacob.

23 But at night, Laban pulled a fast one. He sent Leah instead of Rachel, and Jacob slept with her, not knowing the difference.

24 Laban gave Leah a servant, Zilpah, as her maid.

25 When Jacob woke up in the morning and saw Leah, he was like, ‘Listen, Laban, what did you do to me, I worked for Rachel, not Leah!’

26 Laban said, ‘It is not our custom to marry off the younger daughter before the older one.’

27 ‘Finish this bridal week with Leah, and I will give you Rachel too, if you agree to work another seven years.’

28 Jacob agreed. He finished the week with Leah, and Laban gave him Rachel as his wife too.

29 Laban also gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, as her maid.

30 Jacob loved Rachel way more than Leah, and he worked another seven years for her.

Leah Has Kids

31 When God saw Leah was not loved, He blessed her with kids, but Rachel could not have any.

32 Leah had a son and named him Reuben, saying, ‘The Lord saw my misery. Now my husband will love me.’

33 She had another son and named him Simeon, saying, ‘The Lord heard I am unloved, so He gave me this one too.’

34 She had a third son and named him Levi, saying, ‘Maybe now my husband will connect with me since I have given him three sons.’

35 She had a fourth son and named him Judah, saying, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ Then she stopped having kids for a while.