Genesis 29
1 And Jacob lifts up his feet, and goes toward the land of the sons of the east;
Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
4 And Jacob says to them, “My brothers, where [are] you from?” And they say, “We [are] from Haran.”
And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
5 And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”
And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
6 And he says to them, “Does he have peace?” And they say, “Peace; and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the flock.”
He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
9 He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel has come with the flock which her father has, for she [is] shepherdess;
They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed the flock.
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.
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.
11 And Jacob kisses Rachel, and lifts up his voice, and weeps,
And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept.
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.
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.
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,
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,
14 and Laban says to him, “You [are] surely my bone and my flesh”; and he dwells with him a month of days.
He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
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].”
He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
16 And Laban has two daughters, the name of the older [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.
17 and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel has been beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.
But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
18 And Jacob loves Rachel and says, “I serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter”:
And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
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 answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay 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: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
21 And Jacob says to Laban, “Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in to her”;
And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.
And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
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;
And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
24 and Laban gives his maidservant Zilpah to her, to his daughter Leah, [for] a maidservant.
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:
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?”
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?
26 And Laban says, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
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.”
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.
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;
He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
29 and Laban gives his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel for a maidservant for her.
To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.
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.
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.
31 And YHWH sees that Leah [is] the hated one, and He opens her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained 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 she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
