אֵת

Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to take a wife there, commanding him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”

Esau went to Ishmael and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth and daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, in addition to the wives he already had.

Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

Early the next morning, Jacob took the stone that he had placed under his head, and he set it up as a pillar. He poured oil on top of it,

…and he called that place Bethel, though previously the city had been named Luz.

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.

“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.

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.”

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.

Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.

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.

Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.

Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”

So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.

But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.

And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.

Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”

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.

Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

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.

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. Then Leah stopped having children.

So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her,

When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

Then Leah said, “How fortunate!” So she named him Gad.

Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.

Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”

But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”

“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun.

After that, Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.

Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,

…and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said.