Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.
Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people 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.
As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there by it. For out of that well they would water the flocks, and the stone over the well's mouth was large.
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.
When all the flocks had gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the well's mouth and water the sheep, and then put the stone again over the well's mouth, back in its place.
4 Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
5 And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
He said to them, “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” 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.
He said to them, “Is he well?” They said, “He is well, and, look there, Rachel his daughter is coming 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.
Jacob said, “See, it is the middle of the day. It is not the time for the flocks to be gathered together. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze.”
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.
They said, “We cannot water them until all the flocks are gathered together. The men will then roll the stone from the well's mouth, and we will 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 Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
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.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob came over, rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother.
11 And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.
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.
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rebekah's son. Then she ran 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.
When Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told 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.
Laban said to him, “You are indeed my bone and my flesh.” Then Jacob stayed with him for about one month.
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 Laban said to Jacob, “Should you serve me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
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 older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
18 And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19 And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay 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 seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him only a few days, for the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days have been completed—so that I may marry 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 feast.
23 And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
In the evening, Laban took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, who slept with her.
24 And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah, to be her servant.
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?
In the morning, behold, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?”
26 And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
Laban said, “It is not our custom to give the younger daughter 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.
Complete the bridal week of this daughter, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”
28 And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
Jacob did so, and completed Leah's week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife also.
29 And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
Laban also gave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to be her servant.
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 Jacob slept with Rachel, too, but he loved Rachel more than Leah. So Jacob served Laban for seven more years.
31 Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
Yahweh saw that Leah was not loved, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was childless.
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.
Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked upon my affliction; surely now my husband will 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.
Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also,” and 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.
Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, “Now this time will my husband be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called 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.
She conceived again and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she called his name Judah; then she stopped having children.
