Genesis 29
Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram
1 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.
2 There 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.
3 When 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.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”
“We’re from Harran,” they replied.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”
“Yes, we know him,” they answered.
6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”
“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
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 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.”
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd.
10 When 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.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.
12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
13 As 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.
14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month,
15 Laban 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 name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah had weak[a] eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.”
20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.
23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.
25 When 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 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.
27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
28 And 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 servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.
30 Jacob 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.
Jacob’s Children
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.
32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,[b] for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 She 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.[c]
34 Again 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.[d]
35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[e] Then she stopped having children.
Footnotes:
- Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
- Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
- Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
- Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
- Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
- Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
- Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
- Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
- Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
Observation Questions
Did Jacob continue his journey to the land of the eastern peoples? (verse 1)
Why were the three flocks of sheep lying near the well in the open country? (verse 2)
Was the stone over the mouth of the well large? (verse 2)
What would the shepherds do when all the flocks were gathered there? (verse 3)
How did Jacob address the shepherds? (verse 4)
Where did the shepherds say they were from? (Verse 4)
Who did the shepherds from Herron say was coming when Jacob asked about Laban? (verse 5-7)
What was the reason the shepherds gave for not watering the sheep yet? (verse 8)
What did Jacob do when he saw Rachel? (verse 10-12)
What was Rachel's reaction to being kissed and being told that Jacob was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah? (verse 12)
What was Laban's reaction to hearing the news about Jacob? (verse 13-14)
Did Jacob continue his journey to the land of the eastern peoples? (verse 1)
Why were the three flocks of sheep lying near the well in the open country? (verse 2)
Was the stone over the mouth of the well large? (verse 2)
What would the shepherds do when all the flocks were gathered there? (verse 3)
How did Jacob address the shepherds? (verse 4)
Where did the shepherds say they were from? (Verse 4)
Who did the shepherds from Herron say was coming when Jacob asked about Laban? (verse 5-7)
What was the reason the shepherds gave for not watering the sheep yet? (verse 8)
What did Jacob do when he saw Rachel? (verse 10-12)
What was Rachel's reaction to being kissed and being told that Jacob was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah? (verse 12)
What was Laban's reaction to hearing the news about Jacob? (verse 13-14)
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
Did Jacob stay with Laban? (verse 14)
When did Laban say to Jacob, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."? (verse 15)
What do we know about the two daughters of Laban? (verse 9, 16-35)
Who did Jacob ask for? (verse 18)
What did Laban say in response to Jacob's request? (verse 19)
Why did seven years of service seem like only a few days to Jacob? (verse 20)
What did Jacob say to Laban when the seven years had been completed? (verse 21)
Was there a feast after the seven years of service? (verse 22)
Who was given to Jacob on the evening of the great feast? (verse 23)
Who was Leah's attendant? (verse 24)
What was Jacob's reaction to seeing Leah in the morning? (verse 25)
What did Laban say the custom was? (verse 26)
Was Rachel given to Jacob at the end of the bridal week? (verse 27-30)
Did Jacob work another seven years for Rachel? (verse 27)
Did Jacob finish the week with Leah? (verse 28)
Who was Rachel's attendant? (verse 29)
Was Jacob's love for Rachel greater than his love for leah? (verse 30)
Did Jacob stay with Laban? (verse 14)
When did Laban say to Jacob, "Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be."? (verse 15)
What do we know about the two daughters of Laban? (verse 9, 16-35)
Who did Jacob ask for? (verse 18)
What did Laban say in response to Jacob's request? (verse 19)
Why did seven years of service seem like only a few days to Jacob? (verse 20)
What did Jacob say to Laban when the seven years had been completed? (verse 21)
Was there a feast after the seven years of service? (verse 22)
Who was given to Jacob on the evening of the great feast? (verse 23)
Who was Leah's attendant? (verse 24)
What was Jacob's reaction to seeing Leah in the morning? (verse 25)
What did Laban say the custom was? (verse 26)
Was Rachel given to Jacob at the end of the bridal week? (verse 27-30)
Did Jacob work another seven years for Rachel? (verse 27)
Did Jacob finish the week with Leah? (verse 28)
Who was Rachel's attendant? (verse 29)
Was Jacob's love for Rachel greater than his love for leah? (verse 30)
Jacob’s Children
Did the Lord see that Leah was not loved? (verse 31)
Did Rachel remain childless? (verse 31)
Why did Leah name her first son Reuben? (verse 32)
Why did Leah name her second son Simeon? (verse 33)
Why did Leah name her third son Levi? (verse 34)
When did Leah stop having children? (verse 35)
Thoughts
When 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.
“Just because you are a relative of mine,
should you work for me for nothing?
Tell me what your wages should be.” - Laban
Did the Lord see that Leah was not loved? (verse 31)
Did Rachel remain childless? (verse 31)
Why did Leah name her first son Reuben? (verse 32)
Why did Leah name her second son Simeon? (verse 33)
Why did Leah name her third son Levi? (verse 34)
When did Leah stop having children? (verse 35)
Thoughts
When 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.
“Just because you are a relative of mine,
should you work for me for nothing?
Tell me what your wages should be.” - Laban
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