Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.
Then Jacob lifted up his feet, —and went his way towards the land of the sons of the East.
2 And there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone.
And he looked, and lo! a well, in the field and lo! there, three flocks of sheep, lying down near it, for out of that well, do they water the flocks, but, the stone, is great, on the mouth of the well:
3 And all the flocks would come together there, and when the stone had been rolled away, they would give the sheep water, and put the stone back again in its place on the mouth of the water-hole.
so they gather together thither all the flocks, and roll away the stone from off the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, —and put back the stone upon the mouth of the well, to its place.
4 Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
And Jacob said to them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said: From haran, are we.
5 And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
And he said to them, Know ye Laban, son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6 And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.
And he said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, Well, but lo! Rachel his daughter, coming in with the sheep.
7 Then Jacob said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together: get water for the sheep and go and give them their food.
And he said Lo! the day is yet high, it is not time for gathering together the cattle, —water the sheep, and go feed.
8 And they said, We are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will get water for the sheep.
And they said, We cannot, until that all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll away the stone, from off the mouth of the well, —and then can we water the sheep.
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.
While yet he was speaking with them, Rachel, had come in with the sheep which belonged to her father, for a shepherdess, was she.
10 Then when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of the hole, he got water for Laban's flock.
And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled away the stone from off the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother,
11 And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
And Jacob kissed Rachel, —and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12 And Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give her father news of it.
And when Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son, then ran she, and told her father.
13 And Laban, hearing news of Jacob, his sister's son, came running, and took Jacob in his arms, and kissing him, made him come into his house. And Jacob gave him news of everything.
And it came to pass when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fondly kissed him, and brought him into his house, —when he recounted to Laban all these things.
14 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.
And Laban said to him, Surely, my bone and my flesh, art thou. So he abode with him a month of days.
15 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?
Then said Laban to Jacob, Is it because my brother, thou art, that thou shouldst serve me for naught? Come tell me! What shall be thy wages?
16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Now, Laban, had two daughters, —the name of the elder, Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel,
17 And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
But, the eyes of Leah were weak, —whereas, Rachel, was comely in form and comely in countenance.
18 And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
So Jacob loved Rachel, —and he said, I will serve thee seven years, for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
And Laban said, Better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man, —Abide with me!
20 And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
So Jacob served for Rachel—seven years, —and they became, in his eyes, as single days, for his love to her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, —that I may go in unto her.
22 And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet,
23 And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her in unto him, —and he went in unto her.
24 And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
And Laban gave her Zilpah, his handmaid, unto Leah his daughter. as handmaid.
25 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 it came to pass in the morning, that lo! it was Leah, —and he said unto Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Was it not, for Rachel, I served with thee? Wherefore then hast thou deceived me?
26 And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
And Laban said, It must not be done so in our place, —to give the later-born before the firstborn.
27 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.
Fulfil the week of this one, —then must we give thee, the other one also, for the service wherewith thou shalt serve with me, yet seven years more.
28 And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week of this one, —and he gave him Rachel his daughter—to him to wife.
29 And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, —to be hers as a handmaid.
30 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.
So he went in, unto Rachel also, and loved, Rachel also, more than Leah, —and he served with him, yet seven years more.
31 Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, —whereas, Rachel, was barren.
32 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.
So Leah conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, —for she said, Because, Yahweh hath looked upon my humiliation, For, now, will my husband love me.
33 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 conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called his name Simeon.
34 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 conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now—this time, will my husband be bound unto me, For I have borne him three sons, —For this cause, called she his name Levi.
35 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.
And she conceived again and bare a son, and said This time, will I praise Yahweh, For which cause, she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing.
