Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are great men of the Old Testament, renowned for their faith but sometimes questionable in other aspects. They lived in a different time, in another culture, and remember this is before the Law was given to God’s people. Abraham lied, on two separate occasions, about his wife being his sister; Isaac later did the same thing with one of the same kings. Jacob stole his older brother’s birthright and later his father’s blessing. And now it’s Jacob’s turn to be on the receiving end of some deception. This is just the beginning of the drama for Jacob.

Open your Bible app, web browser – or maybe you prefer a real Bible printed on paper – or follow along with us below as read Genesis 29 together.

Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.

2 As he looked he saw a well in a field, and there were three flocks of sheep lying by it because they watered the flocks from that well: and a great stone covered the well’s mouth.

3 When all the flocks gathered, they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, then put the stone back in place on the well’s mouth.

4 Jacob said to them “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said “We are from Haran.”.

5 And he asked them “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” And they said, “We know him.”

6 So he asked them “Is he well?” And they said “He is well, and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”

7 He said “Lood, it is the middle of the day, is it not time that flocks should be gathered together: water the sheep, and take them back to pasture.”

8 And they said “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, until they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”

9 And while he was speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she was a shepherd.

10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with his sheep, that he rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered his uncle’s flock.

11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud.

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.

13 When Laban heard the news of his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban everything.

14 Laban said “Surely you are my own flesh and blood.” And he stayed with him for about a month.

15 Laban said to Jacob “Just because we are related should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what your wages should be?”

16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.

18 Jacob loved Rachel and said “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

19 Laban said “It is better that I give her to you than to any other man: stay with me.”

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban “Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go to her.” 

22 Laban gathered all the people of that place together and made a feast.

23 But in the evening, he brought his daughter Leah to him; and he went in to her.

24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a servant.

25 In the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban “What have you done to me? Did not I serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”

26 And Laban said “It is not done that way in our country, to give in marriage the younger before the firstborn.

27 Finish her week, and we will give you the younger one also if you will work for me another seven years.”

28 And Jacob did so; he fulfilled her week and was given his daughter Rachel as his wife also.

29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant. 

30 And Jacob also went in unto Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served seven more years. 

31 When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb but Rachel was childless.

32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Reuben: for she said “Surely the LORD has looked upon my affliction, and now my husband will love me.”

33 She conceived again and bore a son; and said “Because the Lord has heard I am unloved, he has given me this son also,” and she named him Simeon.

34 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said “Now this time will my husband become attached to me, because I have given him three sons: so she named him Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bore a son: and  said “Now will I praise the LORD” so she called his name Judah. Then she stopped having children.