< Genesis 29 >
1 And Jacob lifts up his feet, and goes toward the land of the sons of the east;
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into 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.
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.
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 there were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in its place.
4 And Jacob says to them, “My brothers, where [are] you from?” And they say, “We [are] from Haran.”
And Jacob said to them, My brethren, from where are ye? And they said, We are from Haran.
5 And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”
And he said to them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And 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.”
And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the 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.”
And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
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.”
And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we 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;
And while he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.
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 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 went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11 And Jacob kisses Rachel, and lifts up his voice, and weeps,
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and 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 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: 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,
And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14 and Laban says to him, “You [are] surely my bone and my flesh”; and he dwells with him a month of days.
And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of 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].”
And Laban said to Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nothing? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
16 And Laban has two daughters, the name of the older [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel has been beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.
Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
18 And Jacob loves Rachel and says, “I serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter”:
And Jacob loved Rachel; and 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”;
And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20 and Jacob serves for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
21 And Jacob says to Laban, “Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in to her”;
And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
22 and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made 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;
And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her.
24 and Laban gives his maidservant Zilpah to her, to his daughter Leah, [for] a maidservant.
And Laban gave to his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
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 it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? did I not serve with thee for Rachel? why then hast thou deceived me?
26 And Laban says, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
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.”
Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other 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;
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter for a wife also.
29 and Laban gives his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel for a maidservant for her.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
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 he went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
31 And YHWH sees that Leah [is] the hated one, and He opens her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, 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 bore a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore 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 she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: 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 again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time will my husband love me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called 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 she conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and stopped bearing.