Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
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.
2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and look, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well's mouth was large.
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.
3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, and water the sheep, and put the stone again on the well's mouth in its place.
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.
4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
And Jacob said to them, Brethren, whence are ye? and they said, We are of Charrhan.
5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
And he said to them, Know ye Laban, the son of Nachor? and they said, We do know [him].
6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep."
And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And behold Rachel his daughter came with the sheep.
7 He said, "Look, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."
And Jacob said, it is yet high day, it is not yet time that the flocks be gathered together; water ye the flocks, and depart and feed them.
8 They said, "We can't, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we water the sheep."
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.
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
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.
10 It happened, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, that Jacob went over and rolled the stone from the well's mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
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.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept loudly.
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.
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.
13 It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister's son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
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.
14 Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." He lived with him for a month.
And Laban said to him, Thou art of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month.
15 Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be?"
And Laban said to Jacob, Surely thou shalt not serve me for nothing, because thou art my brother; tell me what thy reward is to be.
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lea, and the name of the younger, Rachel.
17 Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
And the eyes of Lea were weak. But Rachel was beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair in countenance.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."
And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for thy younger daughter Rachel.
19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."
And Laban said to him, [It is] better that I should give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; dwell with me.
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and it seemed only a few days to him because of his love for her.
And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as a few days, by reason of his loving her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
22 Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast.
23 It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit her.
And it was even, and he took his daughter Lea, and brought her in to Jacob, and Jacob went in to her.
24 Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a servant.
And Laban gave to his daughter Lea, Zelpha his handmaid, as a handmaid for her.
25 It happened in the morning that, look, it was Leah. He said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not work for you to have Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"
And it was morning, and behold it was Lea; and Jacob said to Laban, What is this that thou hast done to me? did I not serve thee for Rachel? and wherefore hast thou deceived me?
26 Laban said, "It is not our custom here to give the younger before the firstborn.
And Laban answered, It is not done thus in our country, to give the younger before the elder.
27 Finish the week of this one, and I will give you the other also in exchange for the work which you are to serve with me for another seven years."
Fulfil then her sevens, and I will give to thee her also in return for thy labour, which thou labourest with me, yet seven other years.
28 Then Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her sevens; and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife.
29 Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, to be her servant.
And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Balla, for a handmaid to her.
30 So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
And he went in to Rachel; and he loved Rachel more than Lea; and he served him seven other years.
31 The LORD saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, but Rachel was barren.
And when the Lord God saw that Lea was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, "Because God has looked at my affliction, and given me a son. For now my husband will love me."
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.
33 She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, "Because God has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also." So she named him Simeon.
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.
34 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, since I have given him three sons." Therefore he was named Levi.
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.
35 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, "This time will I praise God." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
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.
