Jacob Meets Rachel
Study note
Jacob continues his journey and arrives at a well in the open country where shepherds are waiting to water their flocks. A large stone covers the well. He learns that the shepherds know Laban, and Rachel, Laban's daughter, is coming with her father's sheep. When Jacob sees Rachel, he rolls the heavy stone away by himself and waters her flock. He kisses Rachel and begins to weep — he has found his family. Rachel runs to tell her father, and Laban welcomes Jacob warmly. Jacob stays with them for a month.
1 Jacob picked up and continued his journey, heading toward the land of the eastern peoples. Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
2 He came across a well out in the open countryside. Three flocks of sheep were resting near it, because this was the well where all the local shepherds watered their sheep. A big stone sat over the opening. And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
3 Here is how it worked: once all the flocks gathered there, the shepherds would roll the heavy stone off the well. They would water their sheep and then roll the stone back. And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
4 Jacob greeted the shepherds, "Hey there, friends — where are you from?" They said, "We're from Haran." And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
5 He asked, "Do you happen to know a man named Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" "Sure, we know him," they said. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6 "How is he doing?" Jacob asked. "He's doing great," they replied. "look — here comes his daughter Rachel right now with the sheep." And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
7 Jacob said, "It's still the middle of the day — way too early to round up the flocks. Why not water the sheep now and take them back out to graze?" And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
8 They explained, "We can't do that. We have to wait until every flock shows up and the stone gets rolled off the well. Only then can we water the sheep." And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
9 While Jacob was still chatting with them, Rachel arrived with her father's flock. She was the one who tended the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel — his uncle Laban's daughter — along with Laban's sheep, he went right over. He rolled the heavy stone off the well by himself. Then he watered his uncle's whole flock. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11 After that, Jacob kissed Rachel and started weeping out loud. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12 He explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father — Rebekah's son. She sprinted home and told her father everything. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
13 The second Laban heard about Jacob — his sister's boy — he ran out to meet him. He threw his arms around Jacob, kissed him, and brought him home. Jacob told Laban the whole story. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14 Laban said, "You are definitely family — my own flesh and blood!" Jacob stayed with him for a full month. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
Jacob Works for Rachel
Study note
Laban asks Jacob what his wages should be. Jacob loves Rachel and offers to work seven years for her. Laban agrees. The text says the seven years seemed like only a few days to Jacob because of his great love for Rachel. Leah, the older sister, is described as having 'weak' or 'tender' eyes, while Rachel is described as lovely in form and appearance.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Look, because you're family doesn't mean you should work for me for free. Tell me — what would you like to be paid?" And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah and the younger one was Rachel. And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah had gentle eyes, but Rachel was truly beautiful -- with a lovely face and figure. Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
18 Jacob had fallen head over heels for Rachel. So he offered, "I'll work for you for seven years if you'll give me your younger daughter Rachel as my wife." And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 Laban said, "Better you than some stranger. Stay and work for me." And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20 So Jacob put in seven years of hard work for Rachel. But it felt like hardly any time at all because he loved her so much. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
Laban's Deception
Study note
When the seven years are up, Jacob asks for Rachel. Laban prepares a wedding feast. But that night, Laban brings Leah to Jacob instead of Rachel. Jacob does not realize it until morning. When he confronts Laban, Laban explains that it is their custom for the older daughter to marry first. The deceiver Jacob has now been deceived. Laban offers Rachel too if Jacob will complete Leah's bridal week and then work another seven years. Jacob agrees and marries Rachel a week later. He loves Rachel more than Leah.
21 When the seven years were up, Jacob told Laban, "My time is done. Give me my wife so I can marry her." And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 Laban invited everyone in town and threw a great wedding feast. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23 But when night fell, Laban pulled a switch — he brought Leah to Jacob instead. Jacob slept with her without realizing the difference. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
24 Laban also gave his servant girl Zilpah to Leah as a personal helper. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25 When morning came and Jacob saw Leah lying beside him, he was furious. He confronted Laban: "What did you do to me? I worked seven years for Rachel! Why did you trick me?" And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
26 Laban said, "That's just not how we do things around here. We don't let the younger daughter marry before the older one." And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 "Finish this week of wedding parties with Leah. Then I will let you marry Rachel too — as long as you work for me another seven years." Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 Jacob agreed. He finished the wedding week with Leah, and then Laban gave him Rachel as his wife too. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to Rachel as her personal attendant. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30 Jacob and Rachel became husband and wife, and he loved Rachel far more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
Leah's Sons
Study note
God sees that Leah is not loved and opens her womb, while Rachel remains childless. Leah bears four sons in succession. Each name reflects her longing to be loved by Jacob: Reuben ('see, a son'), Simeon ('God heard'), Levi ('attached'), and Judah ('praise'). With Judah, Leah says she will praise the Lord. Judah will become the ancestor of King David and eventually Jesus. These four sons are part of the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 The Lord noticed that Leah wasn't getting the love she deserved, so he allowed her to have children. Meanwhile, Rachel remained unable to get pregnant. And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
32 Leah got pregnant and had a baby boy. She named him Reuben, explaining, "The Lord saw how unhappy I was! Surely now my husband will love me." And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33 She got pregnant again and had another boy. She said, "The Lord heard that I'm not loved, so he gave me another son." She named him Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34 She got pregnant a third time and had another boy. She said, "Maybe now my husband will finally feel close to me since I've given him three sons." So she named this one Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
35 One more time she got pregnant and had a boy. She said, "This time I will simply praise the Lord." She named him Judah. After that, she stopped having children for a while. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.