Genesis 29:35 - Prayer Tents

Jacob Arrives at Laban’s Home

29Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East.H3290H5375H7272H3212H776H1121H6924

2Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening.H7200H875H7704H7969H5739H6629H7257H875H8248H5739H1419H68H875H6310

3Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.H5739H622H1556H68H875H6310H8248H6629H7725H68H7725H875H6310H4725

4Jacob asked the shepherds, "My friends, where are you from?" "From Haran," they answered.H3290H559H251H370H559H2771

5He asked, "Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?" "Yes, we do," they answered.H559H3045H3837H1121H5152H559H3045

6"Is he well?" he asked. "He is well," they answered. "Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with his flock."H559H7965H559H7965H7354H1323H935H6629

7Jacob said, "Since it is still broad daylight and not yet time to bring the flocks in, why don't you water them and take them back to pasture?"H559H2005H1419H3117H6256H4735H622H8248H6629H3212H7462

8They answered, "We can't do that until all the flocks are here and the stone has been rolled back; then we will water the flocks."H559H3201H5739H622H1556H68H875H6310H8248H6629

9While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with the flock.H5750H1696H7354H935H1H6629H7462

10When Jacob saw Rachel with his uncle Laban's flock, he went to the well, rolled the stone back, and watered the sheep.H3290H7200H7354H1323H3837H517H251H6629H3837H517H251H3290H5066H1556H68H875H6310H8248H6629H3837H517H251

11Then he kissed her and began to cry for joy.H3290H5401H7354H5375H6963H1058

12He told her, "I am your father's relative, the son of Rebecca." She ran to tell her father;H3290H5046H7354H1H251H7259H1121H7323H5046H1

13and when he heard the news about his nephew Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him into the house. When Jacob told Laban everything that had happened,H3837H8085H8088H3290H269H1121H7323H7125H2263H5401H935H1004H5608H3837H1697

14Laban said, "Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood." Jacob stayed there a whole month.H3837H559H389H6106H1320H3427H3117H2320

Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel and Leah

15Laban said to Jacob, "You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?"H3837H559H3290H251H5647H2600H5046H4909

16Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger Rachel.H3837H8147H1323H8034H1419H3812H8034H6996H7354

17Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.H3812H7390H5869H7354H3303H8389H3303H4758

18Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, "I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel."H3290H157H7354H559H5647H7651H8141H7354H6996H1323

19Laban answered, "I would rather give her to you than to anyone else; stay here with me."H3837H559H2896H5414H5414H312H376H3427

20Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.H3290H5647H7651H8141H7354H5869H259H3117H160

21Then Jacob said to Laban, "The time is up; let me marry your daughter."H3290H559H3837H3051H802H3117H4390H935

22So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone.H3837H622H582H4725H6213H4960

23But that night, instead of Rachel, he took Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had intercourse with her.H6153H3947H3812H1323H935H935

24(Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.)H3837H5414H1323H3812H2153H8198H8198

25Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, "Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?"H1242H3812H559H3837H6213H5647H7354H7411

26Laban answered, "It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.H3837H559H6213H4725H5414H6810H6440H1067

27Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years."H4390H2063H7620H5414H5656H5647H7651H312H8141

28Jacob agreed, and when the week of marriage celebrations was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.H3290H6213H4390H7620H5414H7354H1323H802

29(Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.)H3837H5414H7354H1323H1090H8198H8198

30Jacob had intercourse with Rachel also, and he loved her more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban another seven years.H935H7354H157H7354H3812H5647H7651H312H8141

The Children Born to Jacob

31When the LORD saw that Leah was loved less than Rachel, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless.H3068H7200H3812H8130H6605H7358H7354H6135

32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, "The LORD has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me"; so she named him Reuben.H3812H2029H3205H1121H7121H8034H7205H3588H559H3588H3068H7200H6040H3588H376H157

33She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "The LORD has given me this son also, because he heard that I was not loved"; so she named him Simeon.H2029H3205H1121H559H3068H8085H8130H5414H7121H8034H8095

34Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, "Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons"; so she named him Levi.H2029H3205H1121H559H6471H376H3867H3205H7969H1121H8034H7121H3878

35Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "This time I will praise the LORD"; so she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.H2029H3205H1121H559H6471H3034H3068H7121H8034H3063H5975H3205