Genesis 29 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

Jacob Meets Rachel

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Gen 29:1So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.

Gen 29:2And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth.

Gen 29:3

Gen 29:3Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.

Gen 29:4

Gen 29:4And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”

Gen 29:5

Gen 29:5Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”

Gen 29:6

Gen 29:6So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.”

Gen 29:7

Gen 29:7Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

Gen 29:8

Gen 29:8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”

Gen 29:9

Gen 29:9Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

Gen 29:10

Gen 29:10And 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 rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

Gen 29:11

Gen 29:11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.

Gen 29:12

Gen 29:12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.

Gen 29:13

Gen 29:13Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things.

Gen 29:14

Gen 29:14And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

Gen 29:15

Gen 29:15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?”

Gen 29:16

Gen 29:16Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Gen 29:17

Gen 29:17Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance.

Gen 29:18

Gen 29:18Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”

Gen 29:19

Gen 29:19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”

Gen 29:20

Gen 29:20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

Gen 29:21

Gen 29:21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

Gen 29:22

Gen 29:22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

Gen 29:23

Gen 29:23Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.

Gen 29:24

Gen 29:24And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

Gen 29:25

Gen 29:25So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”

Gen 29:26

Gen 29:26And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

Gen 29:27

Gen 29:27“Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”

Gen 29:28

Gen 29:28Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.

Gen 29:29

Gen 29:29And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.

Gen 29:30

Gen 29:30Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.

The Children of Jacob

Gen 29:31

Gen 29:31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

Gen 29:32

Gen 29:32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben;[fn] for she said, “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”

Gen 29:33

Gen 29:33Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.[fn]

Gen 29:34

Gen 29:34She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.[fn]

Gen 29:35

Gen 29:35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah.[fn] Then she stopped bearing.

See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NKJV Footnotes

(29:32)

Literally See, a Son

(29:33)

Literally Heard

(29:34)

Literally Attached

(29:35)

Literally Praise

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) appearing on or deriving from this or any other web page is for personal use only. Any other use of the NKJV must be in conformity with the Quotation Policy for the New King James Version. For more information about the New King James Version, the Quotation Policy, and for inquiries about permission to use the New King James Version, go to Thomas Nelson, Inc..

For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.