Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.
When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.
“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8 They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well’s mouth, that we may water the flocks.
But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed the flock.
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.
As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 And he told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister’s son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
14 He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning was come he saw it was Lia:
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.
And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon.
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.
34 And she conceived the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called his name Levi.
Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
35 The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.
And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.
