International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Jacob journeyed on and reached the territory that belonged to the people who lived in the east.

1Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east.

2As he was observing a well that had been dug out on the open range, all of a sudden he noticed three flocks of sheep lying there, because shepherds watered their flocks from that well. There was a very large stone that covered the opening of the well,

2He looked, and saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.

3and when all the flocks had been gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the opening of the well, water their flocks, and then return the stone to its place covering the opening of the well.

3When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

4Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they answered.

4Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran."

5"Do you happen to know Nahor's son Laban?" he inquired. "We do," they replied.

5He said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him."

6So he asked them, "How's he doing?" "Very well," they answered. "As a matter of fact, look over there! That's his daughter Rachel, coming here with his sheep."

6And he said to them, "Is it well with him?" And they said, "It is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep."

7"Look!" Jacob replied. "The sun is still high. It's not yet time for the flocks to be gathered. Let's water the sheep, then let them graze."

7He said, "Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."

8But they responded, "We can't do that until all the sheep have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the opening of the well. Only then can we water the flock."

8But they said, "We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."

9While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, since she was a shepherdess.

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, accompanied by Laban's sheep, Jacob approached the well, rolled the stone from the opening of the well, and then watered his mother's brother Laban's flock.

10When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to cry out loud.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted his voice and wept.

12Jacob told Rachel that he was related to her father, since he was Rebekah's son, so she ran and told her father.

12Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah's son, and she ran and told her father.

13When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him, kissed him, and brought him back to his house. Then Jacob told Laban about everything that had happened.

13So when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things.

14Laban responded, "You certainly are my flesh and blood!" So Jacob stayed with him for about a month.

14Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a month.

15Later, Laban asked Jacob, "Should you serve me for free, just because you're my nephew? Let's talk about what your wages should be."

15Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"

16Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel.

16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was lovely in form and appearance.

17And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of form and face.

18Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

18Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."

19"It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me."

19Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me."

20Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.

20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

21Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her."

21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her."

22So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.

22Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.

23That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her.

23Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her.

24Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.

24Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

25The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! "What have you done to me?" he demanded of Laban. "Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?"

25So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?"

26But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn.

26But Laban said, "It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the firstborn.

27Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years."

27"Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years."

28So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

28Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

29Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.

29Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.

30Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel.

30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.

31Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.

31Now the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

32Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me."

32Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said, "Because the LORD has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me."

33Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon.

33Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." So she named him Simeon.

34Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi.

34She conceived again and bore a son and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.

35Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.

35And she conceived again and bore a son and said, "This time I will praise the LORD." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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