Genesis 29
1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.
2 And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.
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.
3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.
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.
4 And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
6 He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.
7 And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”
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.
8 They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”
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.
9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.
10 When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.
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.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
12 And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.
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.
13 And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,
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.
14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
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.
15 he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
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?
16 In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
18 And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
19 Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
20 Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
21 And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
24 giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
25 And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
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?
26 Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
27 Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”
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.
28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
29 To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
30 And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.
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.
31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
32 Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”
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.
33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.
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.
34 And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.
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.
35 A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.
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.
