-
Genesis 35:16-20
/RSS FeedGenesis 35:16-20
16 Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult.
17 During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.”
18 And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin.
19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
20 Jacob set up a pillar on her grave; it marks Rachel’s tomb to this day. -
Genesis 31:22-42
/RSS FeedGenesis 31:22-42
22 On the third day Laban was informed that Jacob had fled.
23 So he took his relatives with him, pursued Jacob for seven days, and overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
24 But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
25 Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there as well.
26 Then Laban said to Jacob, “What have you done? You have deceived me and carried off my daughters like captives of war!
27 Why did you run away secretly and deceive me, without even telling me? I would have sent you away with joy and singing, with tambourines and harps.
28 But you did not even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters goodbye. Now you have done a foolish thing.
29 I have power to do you great harm, but last night the God of your father said to me, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.’
30 Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”
31 “I was afraid,” Jacob answered, “for I thought you would take your daughters from me by force.
32 If you find your gods with anyone here, he shall not live! In the presence of our relatives, see for yourself if anything is yours, and take it back.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the idols.
33 So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, then Leah’s tent, and then the tents of the two maidservants, but he found nothing. Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s tent.
34 Now Rachel had taken Laban’s household idols, put them in the saddlebag of her camel, and was sitting on them. And Laban searched everything in the tent but found nothing.
35 Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched, but could not find the household idols.
36 Then Jacob became incensed and challenged Laban. “What is my crime?” he said. “For what sin of mine have you so hotly pursued me?
37 You have searched all my goods! Have you found anything that belongs to you? Put it here before my brothers and yours, that they may judge between the two of us.
38 I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten the rams of your flock.
39 I did not bring you anything torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for what was stolen by day or night.
40 As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.
41 Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.” -
Genesis 30:17-24
/RSS FeedGenesis 30:17-24
17 And God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore a fifth son to Jacob.
18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my maidservant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar.
19 Again Leah conceived and bore a sixth son to Jacob.
20 “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.
21 After that, Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb,
23 and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said.
24 She named him Joseph, and said, “May the LORD add to me another son.” -
Genesis 30:1-8
/RSS FeedGenesis 30:1-8
1 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob.
2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
3 Then she said, “Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her, that she may bear children for me, so that through her I too can build a family.”
4 So Rachel gave Jacob her servant Bilhah as a wife, and he slept with her,
5 and Bilhah conceived and bore him a son.
6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; He has heard my plea and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.
7 And Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son.
8 Then Rachel said, “In my great struggles, I have wrestled with my sister and won.” So she named him Naphtali. -
Genesis 29:14-30
/RSS FeedGenesis 29:14-30
14 Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. -
Genesis 29:1-13
/RSS FeedGenesis 29:1-13
1 Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3 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.
4 “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 “Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8 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.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 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.
11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 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.
