Jacob Meets Rachel 1 AKJV Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east. BSB BSB: Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 AKJV And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, see, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was on the well’s mouth. BSB BSB: 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.
3 AKJV 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 on the well’s mouth in his place. BSB BSB: 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.
4 AKJV And Jacob said to them, My brothers, from where be you? And they said, Of Haran are we. BSB BSB: “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 AKJV And he said to them, Know you Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. BSB BSB: “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 AKJV And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep. BSB BSB: “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 AKJV And he said, See, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water you the sheep, and go and feed them. BSB BSB: “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.”
8 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: 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.”
9 AKJV And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. BSB BSB: While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: 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.
11 AKJV And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. BSB BSB: Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 AKJV 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. BSB BSB: 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.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel 14 AKJV And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him the space of a month. BSB BSB: Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 AKJV And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? tell me, what shall your wages be? BSB BSB: Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 AKJV And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. BSB BSB: Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 AKJV Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. BSB BSB: Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 AKJV And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter. BSB BSB: Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 AKJV And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. BSB BSB: Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 AKJV And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had to her. BSB BSB: So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 AKJV And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her. BSB BSB: Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 AKJV And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. BSB BSB: So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 AKJV And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her. BSB BSB: But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 AKJV And Laban gave to his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. BSB BSB: And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 AKJV And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? did not I serve with you for Rachel? why then have you beguiled me? BSB BSB: 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?”
26 AKJV And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. BSB BSB: Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 AKJV Fulfill her week, and we will give you this also for the service which you shall serve with me yet seven other years. BSB BSB: Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 AKJV And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. BSB BSB: And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 AKJV And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. BSB BSB: Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah 31 AKJV And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. BSB BSB: When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 AKJV And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD has looked on my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me. BSB BSB: And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 AKJV And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the LORD has heard I was hated, he has therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. BSB BSB: 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.
34 AKJV And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. BSB BSB: 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.
35 AKJV And she conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing. BSB BSB: 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. Then Leah stopped having children.