Genesis 29
1 And Jacob lifts up his feet, and goes toward the land of the sons of the east;
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 and he looks, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, there [are] three droves of a flock crouching by it, for they water the droves from that well, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.
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 (When all the droves have been gathered there, and they have rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, and have watered the flock, then they have turned back the stone on the mouth of the well to its place.)
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 Jacob says to them, “My brothers, where [are] you from?” And they say, “We [are] from Haran.”
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 And he says to them, “Does he have peace?” And they say, “Peace; and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the flock.”
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 And he says, “Behold, the day [is] still great, [it is] not time for the livestock to be gathered; water the flock, and go, delight yourselves.”
“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 And they say, “We are not able, until all the droves be gathered together, and they have rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and we have watered the flock.”
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 He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel has come with the flock which her father has, for she [is] shepherdess;
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 and it comes to pass, when Jacob has seen Rachel, daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the flock of his mother’s brother Laban, that Jacob comes near and rolls the stone from off the mouth of the well, and waters the flock of his mother’s brother Laban.
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 Jacob kisses Rachel, and lifts up his voice, and weeps,
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 and Jacob declares to Rachel that he [is] her father’s brother, and that he [is] Rebekah’s son, and she runs and declares [it] to her father.
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 And it comes to pass, when Laban hears the report of his sister’s son Jacob, that he runs to meet him, and embraces him, and kisses him, and brings him into his house; and he recounts to Laban all these things,
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 and Laban says to him, “You [are] surely my bone and my flesh”; and he dwells with him a month of days.
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 And Laban says to Jacob, “Is it because you [are] my brother that you have served me for nothing? Declare to me what your hire [is].”
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 And Laban has two daughters, the name of the older [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel has been beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 And Jacob loves Rachel and says, “I serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter”:
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 and Laban says, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man; dwell with me”;
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 and Jacob serves for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 And Jacob says to Laban, “Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in to her”;
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 And it comes to pass in the evening, that he takes his daughter Leah, and brings her to him, and he goes in to her;
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 and Laban gives his maidservant Zilpah to her, to his daughter Leah, [for] a maidservant.
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 And it comes to pass in the morning, that behold, it [is] Leah; and he says to Laban, “What [is] this you have done to me? Have I not served with you for Rachel? And why have you 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 And Laban says, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 fulfill the period of seven [for] this one, and we also give to you this one, for the service which you serve with me yet seven other years.”
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 And Jacob does so, and fulfills the period of seven [for] this one, and he gives his daughter Rachel to him for a wife for him;
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 and Laban gives his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel for a maidservant for her.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 And he also goes in to Rachel, and he also loves Rachel more than Leah; and he serves with him yet seven other 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 YHWH sees that Leah [is] the hated one, and He opens her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 and Leah conceives, and bears a son, and calls his name Reuben, for she said, “Because YHWH has looked on my affliction; because now does my husband 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 she conceives again, and bears a son, and says, “Because YHWH has heard that I [am] the hated one, He also gives to me even this [one]”; and she calls 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 conceives again and bears a son, and says, “Now [is] the time, my husband is joined to me, because I have born to him three sons,” therefore has [one] 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 And she conceives again and bears a son, and this time says, “I praise YHWH”; therefore has she called his name Judah; and she ceases from 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.
