(KJV) Genesis 29¹

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⥃Jacob Meets Rachel

[1] Then Jacob² went on his journey³, and came⁴ into the land of the people⁵ of the east⁶. [2] And he looked, and behold a well⁷ in the field, and, lo, there⁸ [were] three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone⁹ [was] upon the well’s mouth. [3] And thither were all the flocks¹⁰ gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place. [4] And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence [be] ye? And they said, Of Haran¹¹ [are] we. [5] And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of¹² Nahor? And they said, We know [him]. [6] And he said unto them, [Is] he well¹³? And they said, [He is] well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. [7] And he said, Lo¹⁴, [it is] yet high day¹⁵, neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go [and] feed [them]. [8] And they said, We cannot, until¹⁶ all the flocks be gathered together, and [till] they roll¹⁷ the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.

[9] And while he yet spake with them, Rachel¹⁸ came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them¹⁹. [10] 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 rolled²⁰ the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. [11] And Jacob kissed²¹ Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept²². [12] And Jacob told Rachel that he [was] her father’s brother²³, and that he [was] Rebekah’s son: and she²⁴ ran and told her father. [13] And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings²⁵ of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran²⁶ to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed²⁷ him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these²⁸ things.

⥃Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

[14] And Laban said to him, Surely thou [art] my²⁹ bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month³⁰.

[15] And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou [art] my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me³¹, what [shall] thy wages [be]? [16] And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder [was] Leah³², and the name of the younger [was] Rachel. [17] Leah [was] tender eyed; but Rachel³³ was beautiful³⁴ and well favoured. [18] And Jacob loved³⁵ Rachel; and said, I will serve³⁶ thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. [19] And Laban said, [It is] better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.³⁷ [20] And Jacob served³⁸ seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him [but] a few days, for the love³⁹ he had to her.⁴⁰

[21] [¶]And Jacob said unto Laban, Give [me⁴¹] my wife, for my days⁴² are fulfilled, that I may go in⁴³ unto her. [22] And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made⁴⁴ a feast. [23] And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her⁴⁵ to him; and he went in unto her. [24] And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah⁴⁶ his maid [for] an handmaid. [25] And it came to pass, that in the morning⁴⁷, behold, it [was] Leah: and he said to Laban, What [is] this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore⁴⁸ then hast thou beguiled me? [26] And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country⁴⁹, to give the younger before the firstborn. [27] Fulfil her week⁵⁰, and we will⁵¹ give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. [28] And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week⁵²: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. [29] And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah⁵³ his handmaid to be her maid. [30] And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved⁵⁴ also Rachel more than Leah, and served⁵⁵ with him yet seven other years.

⥃Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah

[31] And when the Lord saw⁵⁶ that Leah [was] hated⁵⁷, he opened⁵⁸ her womb: but Rachel [was] barren. [32] And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name⁵⁹ Reuben⁶⁰: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked⁶¹ upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.⁶² [33] And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because⁶³ the Lord hath heard that I [was] hated, he hath therefore given me this [son] also: and she called⁶⁴ his name Simeon⁶⁵.⁶⁶ [34] And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was⁶⁷ his name called Levi⁶⁸.⁶⁹ [35] And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called⁷⁰ his name Judah⁷¹; and left bearing⁷². ⁷³

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