Study Desk

Then Isaac sent for Jacob, and blessing him, said, Do not take a wife from among the women of Canaan;

So when Esau saw that Isaac had given Jacob his blessing, and sent him away to Paddan-aram to get a wife for himself there, blessing him and saying to him, Do not take a wife from among the women of Canaan;

It was clear to Esau that his father had no love for the women of Canaan,

And coming to a certain place, he made it his resting-place for the night, for the sun had gone down; and he took one of the stones which were there, and putting it under his head he went to sleep in that place.

And this stone which I have put up for a pillar will be God's house: and of all you give me, I will give a tenth part to you.

And there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone.

Then Jacob said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together: get water for the sheep and go and give them their food.

And they said, We are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will get water for the sheep.

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.

Then when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of the hole, he got water for Laban's flock.

And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.

And Laban said to him, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with him for the space of a month.

Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be?

And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.

And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.

And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.

Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.

And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?

Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.

And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.