"Bedtime Bible Stories"

From the Book of Genesis
Chapter 29-Chapter 32

acob finally reached the city of Haran. Tired and thirsty, he stopped for a drink of water from a well. At the same time, a beautiful young woman had come to the well to water her animals. Even though he was weary, Jacob helped the woman first.

When he asked some shepherds what the beautiful woman's name was, they told him, "She is Rachel, the daughter ofLaban."

Jacob was so surprised and happy. The woman was his own cousin! He had found his mother's family. Rachel was happy too and took Jacob back to meet her father.

Laban was very pleased to meet Jacob. He invited him to live in his house and work for him.

Jacob agreed, but he said, "I have fallen in love with your daughter Rachel. I will agree to work for you for seven years if you will allow me to marry her and make her my wife.

Laban agreed and told Jacob he could marry Rachel if he worked for him for seven years. For the next seven years Jacob worked for Laban. Then came the happy day when Jacob could marry Rachel. But when the wedding was over, Jacob looked beneath the veil his new bride was wearing and discovered it was Leah, Rachel's older sister!

"I've been tricked," cried Jacob to Laban. "Why did you do this terrible thing?"

"It is our custom," Laban explained, "To have the older daughter always marry first. If you promise to work for me for another seven years, I will let you marry Rachel right now too."

So Jacob agreed and married Rachel whom he loved the best. And this was how Jacob became married to two wives at the same time.