Genesis 29:15-30

New Catholic Bible

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel. ¹⁷ Leah had sad^[a] eyes, while Rachel was very beautiful and lovely. ¹⁸ Because of this, Jacob loved Rachel. He therefore said, “I will serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

¹⁹ Laban answered, “I prefer to give her to you rather than to a stranger. Stay with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served him for seven years for Rachel. He was so in love with her that it seemed only a few days.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is completed and I wish to marry her.”

²² Laban gathered all the men of that place and threw a banquet. ²³ When it was the evening, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him and he married her. ²⁴ Laban gave his own slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a slave.

²⁵ When morning came, behold, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What have you done! Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you tricked me?”

²⁶ Laban answered, “It is not the custom in our land to give the younger one before the older one. ²⁷ Finish the bridal week with this one; then I will give you the other as well if you will serve me for another seven years.”

²⁸ Jacob did this. He finished the bridal week with Leah, and then Laban gave him Rachel as his wife. ²⁹ Laban gave his own slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a slave. ³⁰ Jacob slept with Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he served his uncle for another seven years.