Genesis 29: Jacob marries Leah and Rachel

In plain English: Then Jacob went on with his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

In plain English: He looked and saw a well in a field, with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone over the mouth of the well was large.

In plain English: When all the flocks were gathered there, they would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep, then put the stone back in its place over the well.

In plain English: Jacob said to them, "My relatives, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."

In plain English: He asked them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."

Good to know: Laban was Nahor's grandson: his father was Bethuel (Genesis 28:5), and Bethuel was Nahor's son (Genesis 24:24). In Hebrew "son of" can also mean grandson.

In plain English: He asked them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well. Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep."

In plain English: He said, "Look, it is still the middle of the day, too early to gather the livestock. Water the sheep, then go and let them graze."

In plain English: They said, "We can't, until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep."

In plain English: While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, because she looked after them.

In plain English: When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and Laban's sheep, he went over, rolled the stone off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his mother's brother Laban.

In plain English: Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept out loud.

In plain English: Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.

In plain English: When Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him, hugged him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.

In plain English: Laban said to him, "You really are my own bone and flesh." Jacob stayed with him for a month.

In plain English: Laban said to Jacob, "Just because you are my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your pay should be."

In plain English: Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.

In plain English: Leah's eyes were weak (or: tender, soft), but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a beautiful face.

The Hebrew word: "Weak" is rak, which means tender or soft, and can also mean weak.

How it is translated: In its 16 verses this Bible says "tender" in 10, and "weak" and "soft" in 2 each.

What changes: Read as "tender" or "soft", the verse may be saying something gentle or kind about Leah's eyes, not pointing out a weakness.

In plain English: Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will work for you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

In plain English: Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me."

In plain English: So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him, because of his love for her.

In plain English: Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is up, so that I can sleep with her."

In plain English: Laban gathered all the men of the place and held a feast.

In plain English: In the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her.

In plain English: Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.

In plain English: In the morning, there was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Didn't I work for you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?"

Good to know: "Deceived" (rimmah) is related to the word "deceit" (mirmah) that Isaac used about Jacob in Genesis 27:35.

In plain English: Laban said, "In our place it is not done to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn.

In plain English: Finish this one's week, and we will give you the other one too, in return for another seven years of work with me."

In plain English: Jacob did so, and finished Leah's week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

In plain English: Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.

In plain English: Jacob slept with Rachel too, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years.

In plain English: Yahweh saw that Leah was hated (or: loved less), and he opened her womb, but Rachel could not have children.

The Hebrew word: "Hated" is sane, the ordinary word for hate.

How it is translated: This Bible says "hate" (or "hated", "hates") in about 9 of every 10 of its 139 verses.

What changes: Verse 30 says Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Read with that, "hated" may mean "loved less". Deuteronomy 21:15 uses the same word for a man with two wives, one loved and one "hated".

In plain English: Leah became pregnant and had a son, and she named him Reuben, because she said, "Yahweh has looked at my suffering. Now my husband will love me."

Good to know: "Reuben" sounds like the Hebrew for "see, a son". Leah's reason uses the same word for seeing: Yahweh has "looked" (ra'ah) at her suffering.

In plain English: She became pregnant again and had a son, and she said, "Because Yahweh heard that I am hated (or: loved less), he has given me this son too." She named him Simeon.

Good to know: "Simeon" (Shim'on) sounds like shama, "heard": Leah says Yahweh has heard.

In plain English: She became pregnant again and had a son. She said, "Now, this time, my husband will be joined to me, because I have given him three sons." So he was named Levi.

Good to know: "Levi" sounds like lavah, "joined": Leah hopes her husband will now be joined to her.

In plain English: She became pregnant again and had a son. She said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

Good to know: "Judah" (Yehudah) sounds like odeh, "I will praise".