Genesis 29
1 Then Iaakob lift vp his feete and came into the East countrey.
Jacob continued on the road [MTY], and he arrived at the land that was east of Canaan.
2 And as he looked about, behold there was a well in the field, and lo, three flocks of sheepe lay thereby (for at that well were the flockes watered) and there was a great stone vpon the welles mouth.
There he [was surprised to] see a well in a field, and three flocks of sheep were lying near the well. It was the well from which shepherds habitually got water for their sheep. There was a large stone covering the top of the well.
3 And thither were all the flockes gathered, and they rolled the stone from the welles mouth, and watered the sheepe, and put the stone againe vpon the welles mouth in his place.
When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would work together to roll the stone away from the top of the well and get water for the sheep. When they finished doing that, they would put the stone back in its place over the top of the well.
4 And Iaakob sayde vnto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they answered, We are of Haran.
[On that day], Jacob asked the shepherds who were sitting there, “Where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
5 Then he sayd vnto them, Know ye Laban the sonne of Nahor? Who said, We know him.
He asked them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” They replied, “Yes, we know him.”
6 Againe he sayd vnto them, Is he in good health? And they answered, He is in good health, and beholde, his daughter Rahel commeth with the sheepe.
Jacob asked them, “Is Laban well?” They replied, “Yes, he is well. Look! Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep!”
7 Then he sayd, Lo, it is yet hie day, neither is it time that the cattell shoulde be gathered together: water ye the sheepe and go feede them.
Jacob said, “Hey! The sun is still high in the sky. It is not time for the flocks to be gathered for nighttime. Give the sheep some water and then take them back to (graze/eat grass) in the pastures!”
8 But they sayde, We may not vntill all the flocks be brought together, and till men rolle the stone from the welles mouth, that we may water the sheepe.
They replied, “No, we cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered here and the stone is removed from the top of the well. After that, we will give water to the sheep.”
9 While he talked with them, Rahel also came with her fathers sheepe, for she kept them.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep. She was the one who took care of her father’s sheep.
10 And assoone as Iaakob saw Rahel ye daughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheepe of Laban his mothers brother, then came Iaakob neere, and rolled the stone from the welles mouth, and watered ye flocke of Laban his mothers brother.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, who was his mother’s brother, [Jacob was so excited that] he went over and [by himself] rolled away the stone that covered the top of the well, and he got water for his uncle’s sheep.
11 And Iaakob kissed Rahel, and lift vp his voyce and wept.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel [on the cheek], and he cried loudly [because he was so happy].
12 (For Iaakob tolde Rahel, that he was her fathers brother, and that he was Rebekahs sonne) then she ranne and tolde her father.
Jacob told Rachel that he was one of her father’s relatives, the son of her aunt Rebekah. So she ran and told that to her father.
13 And when Laban heard tell of Iaakob his sisters sonne, he ranne to meete him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house: and he tolde Laban all these things.
As soon as Laban heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, was there, he ran to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him [on the cheek]. Then he brought him to his home, and Jacob told him all that had happened to him.
14 To whome Laban sayd, Well, thou art my bone and my flesh. and he abode with him the space of a moneth.
Then Laban said to him, “Truly, you are part of my family!” After Jacob had stayed there and worked for Laban for a month,
15 For Laban sayde vnto Iaakob, Though thou be my brother, shouldest thou therfore serue me for nought? tell me, what shalbe thy wages?
Laban said to him “(You should not work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine!/Why should you work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine?) [RHQ] Tell me how much you want me to pay you.”
16 Now Laban had two daughters, the elder called Leah, and the yonger called Rahel.
Well, Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.
17 And Leah was tender eyed, but Rahel was beautifull and faire.
Leah had pretty eyes, but Rachel had a very attractive figure and was beautiful.
18 And Iaakob loued Rahel, and sayde, I will serue thee seuen yeeres for Rahel thy yonger daughter.
Jacob (was in love with/wanted very much to be married to) Rachel, and he said, “I will work for you for seven years. That will be my payment for your letting me marry your younger daughter, Rachel.”
19 Then Laban answered, It is better that I giue her thee, then that I should giue her to another man: abide with me.
Laban replied, “It is better for me to let you marry her than for her to marry some other man!”
20 And Iaakob serued seuen yeres for Rahel, and they seemed vnto him but a few dayes, because he loued her.
So Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to get Rachel, but to him it seemed like it was only a few days, because he loved her so much.
21 Then Iaakob sayde to Laban, Giue me my wife, that I may goe in to her: for my terme is ended.
After the seven years were ended, Jacob said to Laban, “Let me marry Rachel now, because the time we agreed upon for me to work for you is ended, and I want to marry her. [EUP]”
22 Wherefore Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
So Laban gathered together all the people who lived in that area and made a feast.
23 But whe the euening was come, he tooke Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in vnto her.
But that evening, instead of taking Rachel to Jacob, Laban took his older daughter, Leah, to him. But because it was already dark, he could not see that it was Leah and not Rachel, and he had sex [EUP] with her.
24 And Laban gaue his mayde Zilpah to his daughter Leah, to be her seruant.
(Laban had already given his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid/servant.)
25 But when the morning was come, behold, it was Leah. Then sayde he to Laban, Wherefore hast thou done thus to mee? did not I serue thee for Rahel? wherfore then hast thou beguiled me?
The next morning, Jacob was shocked to see that it was Leah who was with him! So he went to Laban [and told him] very angrily, “(What you have done to me is disgusting!/What is this that you have done to me?) [RHQ] I worked for you to get Rachel, did I not? So why did you deceive me?”
26 And Laban answered, It is not the maner of this place, to giue the yonger before the elder.
Laban replied, “In this land, it is not our custom to give a younger daughter to be married before we let someone marry our firstborn daughter.
27 Fulfill seuen yeeres for her, and we wil also giue thee this for the seruice, which thou shalt serue me yet seuen yeeres more.
After we finish this week of celebration, we will let you marry the younger one also. But in return, you must pay for Rachel by working for me for another seven years.”
28 Then Iaakob did so, and fulfilled her seuen yeeres, so he gaue him Rahel his daughter to be his wife.
So that is what Jacob did. After the week of celebration was ended, Laban gave him his daughter, Rachel, to be his wife.
29 Laban also gaue to Rahel his daughter Bilhah his mayde to be her seruant.
Laban gave his slave girl, Bilhah, to Rachel to be her maid/servant.
30 So entred he in to Rahel also, and loued also Rahel more then Leah, and serued him yet seuen yeeres more.
Jacob had sex [EUP] with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was despised, he made her fruitful: but Rahel was barren.
When Yahweh saw that Jacob did not love Leah [very much], he enabled her to become pregnant. But Rachel was not able to become pregnant.
32 And Leah conceiued and bare a sonne, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Because the Lord hath looked vpon my tribulation, now therefore mine husband will loue me.
Leah gave birth to a son, whom she named Reuben, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘Look, a son]!’ She said, “Yahweh has seen that I was miserable, and because of that he has given me a son. Now, surely my husband will love me for giving birth to a son for him.”
33 And she conceiued againe and bare a sonne, and sayde, Because the Lord heard that I was hated, he hath therefore giuen me this sonne also, and she called his name Simeon.
Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Because Yahweh has heard that my husband doesn’t love me, he has given me this son, too.” So she named him Simeon, [which means ‘someone who hears’].
34 And she conceiued againe and bare a sonne, and said, Now at this time wil my husband keepe mee company, because I haue borne him three sonnes: therefore was his name called Leui.
Later she became pregnant again, and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now, finally, my husband will hold me close to him.” So she named him Levi, [which means ‘hold close’].
35 Moreouer shee conceiued againe and bare a sonne, saying, Nowe will I prayse the Lord: therefore shee called his name Iudah, and left bearing.
Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “(This time/Now) I will praise Yahweh.” So she called his name Judah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘praise’]. After that, she did not give birth to any more children [for several years].
