Genesis 29
1 And Jacob started and went to the land of the east to Laban, the son of Bathuel the Syrian, and the brother of Rebecca, mother of Jacob and Esau.
And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
2 And he looks, and behold! a well in the plain; and there were there three flocks of sheep resting at it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, but there was a great stone at the mouth of the well.
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.
3 And there were all the flocks gathered, and they used to roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the flocks, and set the stone again in its place on the mouth of the well.
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.
4 And Jacob said to them, Brethren, whence are you? and they said, We are of Charrhan.
And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
5 And he said to them, Know you Laban, the son of Nachor? and they said, We do know [him].
And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6 And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And behold Rachel his daughter came with the sheep.
He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
7 And Jacob said, it is yet high day, it is not yet time that the flocks be gathered together; water you the flocks, and depart and feed them.
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.”
8 And they said, We shall not be able, until all the shepherds be gathered together, and they shall roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, then we will water the flocks.
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.”
9 While he was yet speaking to them, behold, Rachel the daughter of Laban came with her father's sheep, for she fed the sheep of her father.
They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
10 And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob came and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother.
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.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
12 And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words.
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.
13 And it came to pass when Laban heard the name of Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him, and brought him into his house; and he told Laban all these sayings.
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,
14 And Laban said to him, You are of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month.
he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
15 And Laban said to Jacob, Surely you shall not serve me for nothing, because you are my brother; tell me what your reward is to be.
he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
16 Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lea, and the name of the younger, Rachel.
In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
17 And the eyes of Lea were weak. But Rachel was beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair in countenance.
But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.
And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 And Laban said to him, [It is] better that I should give her to you, than that I should give her to another man; dwell with me.
Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”
20 And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as a few days, by reason of his loving her.
Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.
21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
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.”
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast.
And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
23 And it was even, and he took his daughter Lea, and brought her in to Jacob, and Jacob went in to her.
And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
24 And Laban gave to his daughter Lea, Zelpha his handmaid, as a handmaid for her.
giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.
25 And it was morning, and behold it was Lea; and Jacob said to Laban, What is this that you have done to me? did I not serve you for Rachel? and therefore have you deceived me?
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?”
26 And Laban answered, It is not done thus in our country, to give the younger before the elder.
Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
27 Fulfil then her sevens, and I will give to you her also in return for your labor, which you labor with me, yet seven other years.
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.”
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her sevens; and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife.
He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
29 And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Balla, for a handmaid to her.
To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
30 And he went in to Rachel; and he loved Rachel more than Lea; and he served him seven other years.
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.
31 And when the Lord God saw that Lea was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32 And Lea conceived and bore a son to Jacob; and she called his name, Ruben; saying, Because the Lord has looked on my humiliation, and has given me a son, now then my husband will love me.
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.”
33 And she conceived again, and bore a second son to Jacob; and she said, Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given to me this one also; and she called his name, Simeon.
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.
34 And she conceived yet again, and bore a son, and said, In the present time my husband will be with me, for I have born him three sons; therefore she called his name, Levi.
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.
35 And having conceived yet again, she bore a son, and said, Now yet again this time will I give thanks to the Lord; therefore she called his name, Juda; and ceased bearing.
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.
