Jacob Meets Rachel 1 UEB Then Jacob went on his journey and came to 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 UEB As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there by it. For out of that well they would water the flocks, and the stone over the well's mouth was large. 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 UEB When all the flocks had gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the well's mouth and water the sheep, and then put the stone again over the well's mouth, back in its 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 UEB Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They replied, "We are from Haran." BSB BSB: “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 UEB He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him." BSB BSB: “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 UEB He said to them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well, and, look there, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep." BSB BSB: “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 UEB Jacob said, "See, it is the middle of the day. It is not the time for the flocks to be gathered together. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze." 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 UEB They said, "We cannot water them until all the flocks are gathered together. The men will then roll the stone from the well's mouth, and we will 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 UEB While Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them. BSB BSB: While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 UEB When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob came over, 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 UEB Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly. BSB BSB: Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 UEB Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rebekah's son. Then 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 UEB When Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob 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 UEB Laban said to him, "You are indeed my bone and my flesh." Then Jacob stayed with him for about one month. BSB BSB: Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 UEB Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you serve me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me, what will 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 UEB Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older 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 UEB Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. BSB BSB: Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 UEB Jacob loved Rachel, so he 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 UEB Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me." BSB BSB: Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 UEB So Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him only a few days, for the love he had for her. BSB BSB: So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 UEB Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days have been completed—so that I may marry 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 UEB So 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 UEB In the evening, Laban took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, who slept with her. BSB BSB: But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 UEB Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah, to be her servant. BSB BSB: And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 UEB In the morning, behold, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked 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 UEB Laban said, "It is not our custom to give the younger daughter before the firstborn. BSB BSB: Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 UEB Complete the bridal week of this daughter, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven 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 UEB Jacob did so, and completed Leah's week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his 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 UEB Laban also gave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to be her servant. BSB BSB: Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah 31 UEB Yahweh saw that Leah was not loved, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was childless. BSB BSB: When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 UEB Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, "Because Yahweh has looked upon my affliction; surely now 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 UEB Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, "Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved, 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 UEB Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, "Now this time will my husband be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was 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 UEB She conceived again and bore a son. She said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." Therefore she called his name Judah; then she stopped having children. 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.