¹⁵ Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative^(A) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages^(B) should be.”

¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,^(C) and the name of the younger was Rachel.^{(D) 17} Leah had weak^[a] eyes, but Rachel^(E) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.^{(F) 18} Jacob was in love with Rachel^(G) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(H)

¹⁹ Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,^(I) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.^(J)

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.^(K)”

²² So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.^{(L) 23} But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah^(M) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave his servant Zilpah^(N) to his daughter as her attendant.^(O)

²⁵ When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?^(P) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?^(Q)”

²⁶ Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.^{(R) 27} Finish this daughter’s bridal week;^(S) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.^(T)”

²⁸ And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.^{(U) 29} Laban gave his servant Bilhah^(V) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.^{(W) 30} Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.^(X) And he worked for Laban another seven years.^(Y)

²⁸ He added, “Name your wages,^(A) and I will pay them.”

²⁹ Jacob said to him, “You know how I have worked for you^(B) and how your livestock has fared under my care.^{(C) 30} The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been.^(D) But now, when may I do something for my own household?^(E)”

³¹ “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: ³² Let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-colored lamb and every spotted or speckled goat.^(F) They will be my wages.^{(G) 33} And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-colored,^(H) will be considered stolen.^(I)”

³⁴ “Agreed,” said Laban. “Let it be as you have said.”

⁷ yet your father has cheated^(A) me by changing my wages^(B) ten times.^(C) However, God has not allowed him to harm me.^(D)

⁴¹ It was like this for the twenty years^(A) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters^(B) and six years for your flocks,^(C) and you changed my wages^(D) ten times.^(E)