Study Desk

Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, "I will serve you [as a hired workman] for seven years [in return] for [the privilege of marrying] Rachel your younger daughter."

So Jacob served [Laban] for seven years for [the right to marry] Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Finally, Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time [of service] is completed, so that I may take her to me [as my wife]."

But in the morning [when Jacob awoke], it was Leah [who was with him]! And he said to Laban, "What is this that you have done to me? Did I not work for you [for seven years] for Rachel? Why have you deceived and betrayed me [like this]?"

"Finish the week [of the wedding feast] for Leah; then we will give you Rachel also, and in return you shall work for me for seven more years."

So Jacob consummated his marriage and lived with Rachel [as his wife], and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with Laban for another seven years.

Leah conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Reuben (See, a son!), for she said, "Because the LORD has seen my humiliation and suffering; now my husband will love me [since I have given him a son]."

She conceived again and gave birth to a son and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me [as a companion], for I have given him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.

Again she conceived and gave birth to a [fourth] son, and she said, "Now I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah; then [for a time] she stopped bearing [children].

When Rachel saw that she conceived no children for Jacob, she envied her sister, and said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I will die."

Bilhah conceived and gave birth to a son for Jacob.

Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again and gave birth to a second son for Jacob.

Zilpah, Leah's maid, gave birth to a son for Jacob.

Zilpah, Leah's maid, gave birth to a second son for Jacob.

Then Leah said, "I am happy! For women will call me happy." So she named him Asher (happy).

But Leah answered, "Is it a small thing that you have taken my husband? Would you take away my son's mandrakes also?" So Rachel said, "Jacob shall sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son's mandrakes."

When Jacob came in from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, "You must sleep with me [tonight], for I have in fact hired you with my son's mandrakes." So he slept with her that night.

God listened and answered [the prayer of] Leah, and she conceived and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob.

Leah conceived again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob.

Then Leah said, "God has endowed me with a good [marriage] gift [for my husband]; now he will live with me [regarding me with honor as his wife], because I have given birth to six sons." So she named him Zebulun.