Jacob Meets Rachel
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. Jdg 6:3Hos 12:12Jdg 6:33Ecc 9:7Num 23:7Psa 119:32Psa 119:601Ki 4:30 He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well. Jhn 4:14Isa 49:10Jhn 4:6Exo 2:15-16Gen 24:11Gen 24:13Psa 23:2Rev 7:17 When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” Gen 28:10Gen 27:43Act 7:2Act 7:4Gen 11:31Gen 24:10
“We are from Haran,” they answered.
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. Gen 24:24Gen 24:29Gen 31:53
“We know him,” they replied.
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. 1Sa 17:221Sa 25:52Sa 20:9Exo 18:7Gen 37:14Gen 43:27
“Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.” Eph 5:16Gal 6:9-10
But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.” Luk 24:2Mrk 16:3Gen 29:3Gen 34:14Gen 43:32
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. Exo 2:15-16Exo 2:21Sng 1:7-8Gen 24:15 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. Exo 2:17 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. Gen 33:4Gen 43:30Gen 45:14-15Gen 45:2Exo 18:7Exo 4:27Gen 27:26Gen 29:13 He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father. Gen 24:28Gen 13:8Gen 14:14-16
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened. Gen 24:292Sa 19:39Act 20:37Exo 18:7Exo 4:27Gen 45:15Luk 7:45Rom 16:16
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” 2Sa 19:12-13Gen 2:23Jdg 9:22Sa 5:1Gen 29:12Gen 29:15Mic 7:5Gen 13:8
After Jacob had stayed with him a month, Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” Gen 30:28Gen 31:7
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. Gen 49:31Rut 4:11Gen 29:17Gen 29:25-32Gen 30:19Gen 31:4Gen 35:23Gen 46:15 Leah had weak eyes, 1 but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. Gen 12:111Sa 10:2Gen 24:16Gen 29:18Gen 29:6-12Gen 30:1-2Gen 30:22Gen 35:19-20 Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Hos 12:12Exo 22:16-17Gen 34:122Sa 3:14Gen 29:20Gen 29:30Gen 31:41Hos 3:2
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” Isa 6:11Isa 6:5Psa 12:2 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her. 1Co 13:7Eph 5:2Hos 12:12Sng 8:6-7Gen 24:672Co 5:14Gen 30:26
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.” Jdg 15:1Gen 29:18Gen 29:20Gen 31:41Gen 38:16Gen 4:1Mat 1:18
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast. Rev 19:9Jdg 14:10-18Mat 22:2-10Mat 25:1-10Rut 4:10-13Jhn 2:1-10 But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. Mic 7:5Gen 24:65Gen 38:14-15 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant. Gen 16:1Gen 30:9-12Gen 46:18Gen 24:59
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?” Mat 7:2Pro 11:311Co 3:13Gen 12:18Gen 27:35-36Jdg 1:7Rev 3:19Jhn 21:17
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.” Lev 18:18Jdg 14:12Gen 2:2-3Gen 8:10-12Jdg 14:10Mal 2:151Ti 6:10
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. Gen 29:24Gen 30:3-8Gen 35:22Gen 35:25Gen 37:2
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. Gen 31:41Gen 29:18Gen 29:20Gen 31:15Gen 44:27Mat 10:371Sa 18:17-27Deu 21:15
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 1Sa 2:21Psa 127:31Sa 1:5Deu 21:15Gen 20:18Gen 30:1-2Mat 10:37Exo 3:7 And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, 2 for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.” Deu 26:7Exo 3:7Exo 4:311Sa 1:111Sa 1:202Sa 16:12Gen 31:42Gen 37:21-22
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon. 3 Gen 34:25Gen 30:18Gen 30:20Gen 30:6Gen 30:8Gen 34:30Gen 35:23Gen 42:24
Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. 4 Exo 32:26-29Gen 49:5-7Deu 33:8-10Exo 2:1Gen 34:25Gen 35:23Gen 46:11Num 18:2-4
And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. 5 Then Leah stopped having children. 1Ch 5:2Gen 49:8-12Mat 1:2Deu 33:7Gen 35:26Gen 38:1-30Gen 43:8-9Gen 44:18-34