Bookmark this verse 
Bookmark this verse 
Bookmark this verse 
Bookmark this verse 
Bookmark this verse 
Bookmark this verse Genesis 29
1
And Jacob lifted··up his feet, and went to▫ the land of the sons of the east.
2
And he saw, and behold a well in the field, and behold there three droves of the flock lying··down◦ by◦ it; for out··of that◦ well they watered the droves; and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.
3
And all the droves were gathered thither; and they rolled the stone from upon the well’s mouth, and watered the flock, and they returned the stone to its place upon the well’s mouth.
4
And Jacob said to them, My brothers, whence▵ are you◦? And they said, We◦ are from Haran.
5
And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6
And he said to them, Has◦ he peace? And they said, Peace; and behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the flock.
7
And he said, Behold, as··yet the day is great, it is not time for the livestock to be gathered; water◦ ye the flock, and go and pasture them.
8
And they said, We cannot until all the droves are gathered, and they roll the stone from upon the well’s mouth; then shall we water◦ the flock.
9
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock which was her father’s, for she◦ was pasturing them.
10
And it was, when▵ Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the flock of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob approached, and rolled the stone from on the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted··up his voice and wept.
12
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.
13
And it was, as Laban heard the rumor 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 recounted◦ to Laban all these things.
14
And Laban said to him, Surely thou◦ art my bone and my flesh. And he dwelt with him a month of days.
15
And Laban said to Jacob, For thou◦ art my brother, and shouldest thou serve me for··nothing? Tell me, what shall be thy wages?
16
And Laban had◦ two daughters; the name of the elder◦ was Leah, and the name of the younger◦ was Rachel.
17
And the eyes of Leah were weak1, and Rachel was beautiful in form◦ and beautiful in appearance.
18
And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger◦ daughter.
19
And Laban said, It is better that I should give her to thee than give her to another man◦; dwell with··me.
20
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they were in his eyes as only◦ days, in his love for her.
21
And Jacob said to▵ Laban, Give▵ me my woman, for my days are··fulfilled, and I will come to▵ her.
22
And Laban gathered all the men◦ of the place, and made a feast.
23
And it was, in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to▵ him, and he came to▵ her.
24
And Laban gave to her Zilpah his handmaid, to Leah his daughter for a handmaid.
25
And it was, in the morning, that behold, it◦ was Leah; and he said to▵ Laban, What is this that thou hast done to me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? And why hast thou deceived me?
26
And Laban said, It is not done so in our place, to give the younger▵ before the firstborn.
27
Fulfill this week, and we will give to thee her2 also, for the service which thou shalt serve with··me yet seven other years.
28
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled this week, and he gave to him Rachel his daughter to him for a woman.
29
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, to be to her for a handmaid.
30
And he came also to▵ Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more··than Leah, and served with▵ him yet seven other years.
31
And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb, and Rachel was barren.
32
And Leah conceived and gave··birth··to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, For Jehovah has seen3 my affliction, for now my man◦ will love me.
33
And she conceived yet··again, and gave··birth··to a son, and said, Because◦ Jehovah has heard that I▵ was hated, and has given to me this··one also; and she called his name Simeon4
34
And she conceived yet··again, and gave··birth··to a son, and said, Now this time◦ will my man◦ join to▵ me, for I have given··birth··to three sons for him; therefore she called his name Levi5.
35
And she conceived yet··again, and gave··birth··to a son, and she said, This time◦ I will confess Jehovah; therefore she called his name Judah6; and she stood still from giving··birth.
1literally, “soft,” but see AC 3820
2literally, “this one”
3“It was according to ancient custom that when a child was born, a name was given significative of the state; and that the state also was then described” (AC 2643:2). “In the original language ‘Reuben’ means seeing” (AE 434:7).
4“Simeon... was named from the word that means ‘to hear’” (AE 443:3).
5“By the same word [as Levi] in the original language is meant also a mutual giving and receiving; and in the Jewish Church by mutual giving and receiving was represented mutual love” (AC 3875:5).
6“A real universal has been put into the name of each... for instance... in the expression, ‘will confess,’ from which Judah was named; and so with regard to all the others” (AC 3861e, 3880:1e).
