Study Desk

And Laban said to him, "You certainly are ^(C1)my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a month.

Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall ^(C1)your wages be?"

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

And Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was ^(C1)beautiful in figure and appearance.

Now Jacob ^(C1)loved Rachel, so he said, "^(C2)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."

Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me."

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days ^(C1)because of his love for her.

Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my ^(F1)time is completed, that I may ^(C1)have relations with her."

So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast.

Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob had relations with her.

Laban also gave his female slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a slave.

So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "^(C1)What is this that you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you ^(C2)deceived me?"

But Laban said, "It is not ^(F1)the practice in our place to ^(F2)marry off the younger before the firstborn.

"Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which ^(C1)you shall serve with me, for another seven years."

Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

Laban also gave his female slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.

So Jacob had relations with Rachel also, and indeed ^(C1)he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with ^(F1)Laban for ^(C2)another seven years.