Bible in Basic English
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.
— Genesis 29:17-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And Leah’s eyes were tender; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored. And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid. And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born. Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Because Jehovah hath looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Because Jehovah hath heard that I am hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, This time will I praise Jehovah: therefore she called his name Judah; and she left off bearing. ”
And Laban said to him, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with him for the space of a month.
Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be?
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.