Genesis 29:15-28

Good News Translation

Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel and Leah

¹⁵ Laban said to Jacob, “You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?” ¹⁶ Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger Rachel. ¹⁷ Leah had lovely^[a] eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

¹⁸ Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel.”

¹⁹ Laban answered, “I would rather give her to you than to anyone else; stay here with me.” ²⁰ Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up; let me marry your daughter.” ²² So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone. ²³ But that night, instead of Rachel, he took Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had intercourse with her. (²⁴ Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) ²⁵ Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, “Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?”

²⁶ Laban answered, “It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. ²⁷ Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years.”

²⁸ Jacob agreed, and when the week of marriage celebrations was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.