Genesis 29:1–20

JACOB MEETS RACHEL

29Jacob resumed his journey^C and went to the eastern country.^{Dg 2}He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. But a large stone covered the opening of the well. ³The shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep when all the flocks^A were gathered there. Then they would return the stone to its place over the well’s opening.

⁴Jacob asked the men at the well, “My brothers! Where are you from?”

“We’re from Haran,” they answered.

⁵“Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” Jacob asked them.

They answered, “We know him.”

⁶“Is he well?” Jacob asked.

“Yes,” they said, “and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep.”

⁷Then Jacob said, “Look, it is still broad daylight. It’s not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze.”

⁸But they replied, “We can’t until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we will water the sheep.”

⁹While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. ¹⁰As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep,^B he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep. ¹¹Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.^{C 12}He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

JACOB DECEIVED

¹³When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.

¹⁴Laban said to him, “Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.”^Dh

After Jacob had stayed with him a month, ¹⁵Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. ¹⁷Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. ¹⁸Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”ⁱ

¹⁹Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.” ²⁰So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.