Old Testament

New Testament

Genesis 29:22-35 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

22. And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.

23. And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,

24. giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.

25. And he said to his father-in-law, "What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?"

26. Laban responded, "It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.

27. Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years."

28. He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.

29. To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.

30. And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.

31. But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.

32. Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: "The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me."

33. And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, "Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me." And she called his name Simeon.

34. And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: "Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons." And because of this, she called his name Levi.

35. A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, "Only now will I confess to the Lord." And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.

Read complete chapter Genesis 29