| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1So Jacob moved on and came to the land of the eastern people. | 1Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples. |
| 2He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well. | 2There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large. |
| 3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the well's mouth. | 3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well's mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well. |
| 4Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They replied, "We're from Haran." | 4Jacob asked the shepherds, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Harran," they replied. |
| 5So he said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" "We know him," they said. | 5He said to them, "Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?" "Yes, we know him," they answered. |
| 6"Is he well?" Jacob asked. They replied, "He is well. Now look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." | 6Then Jacob asked them, "Is he well?" "Yes, he is," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." |
| 7Then Jacob said, "Since it is still the middle of the day, it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze some more." | 7"Look," he said, "the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture." |
| 8"We can't," they said, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep." | 8"We can't," they replied, "until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep." |
| 9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was tending them. | 9While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherd. |
| 10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban. | 10When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. |
| 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep loudly. | 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. |
| 12When Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and the son of Rebekah, she ran and told her father. | 12He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father. |
| 13When Laban heard this news about Jacob, his sister's son, he rushed out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban how he was related to him. | 13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. |
| 14Then Laban said to him, "You are indeed my own flesh and blood." So Jacob stayed with him for a month. | 14Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood." After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, |
| 15Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages should be." | 15Laban said to him, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be." |
| 16(Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. | 16Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. |
| 17Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) | 17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. |
| 18Since Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel, he said, "I'll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel." | 18Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." |
| 19Laban replied, "I'd rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me." | 19Laban said, "It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." |
| 20So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because his love for her was so great. | 20So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. |
| 21Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her." | 21Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her." |
| 22So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast. | 22So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. |
| 23In the evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had marital relations with her. | 23But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. |
| 24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) | 24And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant. |
| 25In the morning Jacob discovered it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What in the world have you done to me! Didn't I work for you in exchange for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?" | 25When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?" |
| 26"It is not our custom here," Laban replied, "to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. | 26Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. |
| 27Complete my older daughter's bridal week. Then we will give you the younger one too, in exchange for seven more years of work." | 27Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work." |
| 28Jacob did as Laban said. When Jacob completed Leah's bridal week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. | 28And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. |
| 29(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) | 29Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. |
| 30Jacob had marital relations with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban for seven more years. | 30Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years. |
| 31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to become pregnant while Rachel remained childless. | 31When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. |
| 32So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has looked with pity on my oppressed condition. Surely my husband will love me now." | 32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." |
| 33She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Because the LORD heard that I was unloved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. | 33She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. |
| 34She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "Now this time my husband will show me affection, because I have given birth to three sons for him." That is why he was named Levi. | 34Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi. |
| 35She became pregnant again and had another son. She said, "This time I will praise the LORD." That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. | 35She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. |
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