Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
And Jacob lifts up his feet, and goes toward the land of the sons of the east;
2 He looked, and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large.
and he looks, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, there [are] three droves of a flock crouching by it, for they water the droves from that well, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.
3 There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.
(When all the droves have been gathered there, and they have rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, and have watered the flock, then they have turned back the stone on the mouth of the well to its place.)
4 Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
And Jacob says to them, “My brothers, where [are] you from?” And they say, “We [are] from Haran.”
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”
6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
And he says to them, “Does he have peace?” And they say, “Peace; and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the flock.”
7 He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
And he says, “Behold, the day [is] still great, [it is] not time for the livestock to be gathered; water the flock, and go, delight yourselves.”
8 They said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we will water the sheep.”
And they say, “We are not able, until all the droves be gathered together, and they have rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and we have watered the flock.”
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel has come with the flock which her father has, for she [is] shepherdess;
10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
and it comes to pass, when Jacob has seen Rachel, daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the flock of his mother’s brother Laban, that Jacob comes near and rolls the stone from off the mouth of the well, and waters the flock of his mother’s brother Laban.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Jacob kisses Rachel, and lifts up his voice, and weeps,
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
and Jacob declares to Rachel that he [is] her father’s brother, and that he [is] Rebekah’s son, and she runs and declares [it] to her father.
13 When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
And it comes to pass, when Laban hears the report of his sister’s son Jacob, that he runs to meet him, and embraces him, and kisses him, and brings him into his house; and he recounts to Laban all these things,
14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
and Laban says to him, “You [are] surely my bone and my flesh”; and he dwells with him a month of days.
15 Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
And Laban says to Jacob, “Is it because you [are] my brother that you have served me for nothing? Declare to me what your hire [is].”
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
And Laban has two daughters, the name of the older [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel has been beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
And Jacob loves Rachel and says, “I serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter”:
19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
and Laban says, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man; dwell with me”;
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
and Jacob serves for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
And Jacob says to Laban, “Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in to her”;
22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.
23 In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
And it comes to pass in the evening, that he takes his daughter Leah, and brings her to him, and he goes in to her;
24 Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
and Laban gives his maidservant Zilpah to her, to his daughter Leah, [for] a maidservant.
25 In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did not I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
And it comes to pass in the morning, that behold, it [is] Leah; and he says to Laban, “What [is] this you have done to me? Have I not served with you for Rachel? And why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
And Laban says, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me for seven more years.”
fulfill the period of seven [for] this one, and we also give to you this one, for the service which you serve with me yet seven other years.”
28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
And Jacob does so, and fulfills the period of seven [for] this one, and he gives his daughter Rachel to him for a wife for him;
29 Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
and Laban gives his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel for a maidservant for her.
30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.
And he also goes in to Rachel, and he also loves Rachel more than Leah; and he serves with him yet seven other years.
31 The LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
And YHWH sees that Leah [is] the hated one, and He opens her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
32 Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because the LORD has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
and Leah conceives, and bears a son, and calls his name Reuben, for she said, “Because YHWH has looked on my affliction; because now does my husband love me.”
33 She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
And she conceives again, and bears a son, and says, “Because YHWH has heard that I [am] the hated one, He also gives to me even this [one]”; and she calls his name Simeon.
34 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
And she conceives again and bears a son, and says, “Now [is] the time, my husband is joined to me, because I have born to him three sons,” therefore has [one] called his name Levi.
35 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
And she conceives again and bears a son, and this time says, “I praise YHWH”; therefore has she called his name Judah; and she ceases from bearing.
