Genesis 29
1 And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people 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.
He looked and saw a well in the field, and look, 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.
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.
Now all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, and water the sheep, and put the stone again on the well's mouth in its place.
4 And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
5 And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
6 He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is 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.”
He said, "Look, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."
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.”
They said, "We can't, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we water the sheep."
9 They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending 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.
It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went over and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept loudly.
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.
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.
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,
It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister's son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
14 he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." He lived with him for 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.”
Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be?"
16 In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
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.
Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
18 And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you 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.”
Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay 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.
Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and it seemed only a few days to him because of his love for her.
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.”
Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
22 And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
23 And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit 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.
Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a servant.
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?”
It happened in the morning that, look, it was Leah. He said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you to have Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"
26 Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
Laban said, "It is not our custom here to give the younger before the firstborn.
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.”
Finish the week of this one, and I will give you the other also in exchange for the work which you are to serve with me for another seven years."
28 He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
Then Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29 To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, to be her servant.
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.
So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
31 But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
Jehovah saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, but Rachel was barren.
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.”
Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, "Because God has looked at my affliction, and given me a son. For now my husband will love 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.
She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, "Because God has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also." So she named him 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.
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, since I have given him three sons." Therefore 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.
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "This time will I praise God." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
