d.
Being led in God's sovereignty to meet Rachel and Laban
29:1-14
Gen. 29
:1
29:1
Then Jacob
1went on his journey and came to the land of the children of the east.
Gen. 29
:2
29:2
And he looked, and there in the field was a well, and there three flocks of sheep were lying beside it; for from that well they watered the flocks. And the stone on the mouth of the well was large.
Gen. 29
:3
29:3
And when all the flocks would gather there, they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep; then they would put the stone back on the mouth of the well in its place.
Gen. 29
:4
29:4
And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.
Gen. 29
:5
29:5
And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We do know
him.
Gen. 29
:6
29:6
And he said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well, and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep.
Gen. 29
:7
29:7
And he said, Look, it is still full day;
and it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go feed
them.
Gen. 29
:8
29:8
And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.
Gen. 29
:9
29:9
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the sheep which belonged to her father, for she was a shepherdess.
Gen. 29
:10
29:10
Now when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob drew near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
Gen. 29
:11
29:11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept.
Gen. 29
:12
29:12
And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s
1arelative and that he was Rebekah’s son. And she ran and
btold her father.
Gen. 29
:13
29:13
And when Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him. And he embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then
1Jacob related to Laban all these things.
Gen. 29
:14
29:14
And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he stayed with him a month.
e.
Being cheated by Laban to marry Laban's two daughters
29:15-30
Gen. 29
:15
29:15
And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?
Gen. 29
:16
29:16
Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Gen. 29
:17
29:17
And Leah’s eyes were
1dull, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
Gen. 29
:18
29:18
And Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, I will
aserve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
Gen. 29
:19
29:19
And 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
29:20
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but they seemed to him only a few days because of the love he had for her.
Gen. 29
:21
29:21
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give
me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.
Gen. 29
:22
29:22
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
Gen. 29
:23
29:23
But in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her.
Gen. 29
:24
29:24
And Laban gave
aZilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah to be her female servant.
Gen. 29
:25
29:25
And in the morning there she was,
1Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?
Gen. 29
:26
29:26
And Laban said, It is not done in this way in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Gen. 29
:27
29:27
Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me for another seven years.
Gen. 29
:28
29:28
And Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter as a wife.
Gen. 29
:29
29:29
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter
aBilhah his female servant to be her female servant.
Gen. 29
:30
29:30
And he went in also to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel, more than Leah. And he
aserved with
1Laban for another seven years.
f.
The competition, envy, and wrestling between Jacob's wives in bearing children
29:31—30:24
Gen. 29
:31
29:31
Now when Jehovah saw that Leah was
ahated, He opened her womb; but Rachel was
bbarren.
Gen. 29
:32
29:32
And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name
1aReuben, for she said, Because Jehovah has looked upon my affliction, surely now my husband will love me.
Gen. 29
:33
29:33
And she conceived again and bore a son and said, Because Jehovah has heard that I am hated, He has therefore given me this
son also; so she called his name
1aSimeon.
Gen. 29
:34
29:34
And she conceived again and bore a son and said, Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons. Therefore his name was called
1aLevi.
Gen. 29
:35
29:35
And she conceived again and bore a son and said, This time I will praise Jehovah. Therefore she called his name
1aJudah. Then she ceased bearing.
