010 Leah and Rachel - A Bible Story for Children

Genesis 29-31

Jacob continued on his journey to Haran. One day he met some shepherds. "Where are you from?" he asked.

"We are men of Haran," they answered.

"Do you know Laban?" asked Jacob.

"We do," said the men. "His daughter Rachel is coming now, to water the flocks."

Jacob was happy to see his cousin Rachel, and greeted her with a kiss. When he told her who he was, she ran to tell her father, and soon Laban came to greet his nephew and invite him to stay in his home.

Now Laban also had an older daughter, Leah. Leah was plain, but Rachel was a beautiful girl, slender and graceful. And Jacob loved her.

After Jacob had lived with his uncle a month, helping him run the household, Laban said to Jacob, "Even though you are part of our family, you should be paid for your work. What can I give you?"

So Jacob answered, "I shall work for your for seven years if I may marry your daughter Rachel."

"I would rather she married you than any other man," Laban said. "Stay here and work for me."

Jacob worked hard for his uncle, but the years seemed like days to him because of his love for Rachel. When the seven years were over, Laban held a great feast to celebrate the wedding.

After sunset, Laban brought his daughter to Jacob's tent. Joyfully, Jacob embraced his new wife in the darkness of their wedding night. It was not until morning, when the sun came up, that he realized the woman sleeping next to him was Leah, not Rachel.

"What have you done to me?" Jacob asked Laban. "For seven years I have served you so I could marry Rachel. Why did you trick me?"

"In our country it is the custom that the oldest daughter must marry first," said Laban. "But if you work for me another seven years, you can also marry Rachel."

Jacob, who loved Rachel more than Leah, agreed. And so, for the next seven years, Jacob lived with his two wives, working for Laban. Seeing that Leah was unloved by Jacob, God blessed her with many fine children. But Rachel had no children until she and Jacob had been married a long time.

Now Jacob worked for Laban for twenty years and became a wealthy man, and because of Jacob's hard work, Laban became rich, too. But Laban's sons were jealous of Jacob, and Laban was not as pleased with him as he once was.

And so the Lord said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your birth, and I shall help you."

Knowing that his uncle would not willingly let him go but that God would help him, Jacob gathered his family and all he had, and fled from Haran without telling Laban. But three days later Laban learned that Jacob and family were gone, and set out after them. Riding quickly, he soon reached the place where Jacob had pitched his tents.

"Why did you run away?" Laban asked. "You left like thieves, not even letting me kiss my own children good-bye."

"I was afraid you would take your daughters away from me," Jacob answered. "For twenty years I have worked for you, and turned over to you the fruits of my labor. But even now, if God were not with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed."

And Laban answered, "These are my children and grandchildren, and all these flocks are mine. But what can I do about that now? Come, let there be peace between us, and we will each return to our homes."

So Jacob and Laban finally made peace and broke bread together. Early the next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren good-bye and blessed them. Then he departed for Haran, and Jacob set out for his home in Canaan.

Category: Children's Bible Stories