Genesis 29
1 Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.
2 As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top of the well.
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 The usual practice was that once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back 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 Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
5 “Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
6 “How is he?” he asked. “He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
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 “Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
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 “We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
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 While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink.
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 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
12 (He had told her that he was the son of Laban's brother and Rebekah.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
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 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban,
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 Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
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 One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
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 Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
19 “Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
20 Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
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 Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
22 So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
23 But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
24 (Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
25 When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! 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 “Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
27 “Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
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 Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
29 (Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
30 So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
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 The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
32 Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and 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 Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him 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 Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named 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 Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
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.
