Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.
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 there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone.
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 all the flocks would come together there, and when the stone had been rolled away, they would give the sheep water, and put the stone back again in its place on the mouth of the water-hole.
4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
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 here is Rachel his daughter coming 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."
Then Jacob said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together: get water for the sheep and go and give them their food.
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 are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will get water for the sheep.
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.
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.
Then when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of the hole, he got water for Laban's flock.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept loudly.
And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss.
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 Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give her father news of it.
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 Laban, hearing news of Jacob, his sister's son, came running, and took Jacob in his arms, and kissing him, made him come into his house. And Jacob gave him news of everything.
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, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with him for the space of a 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?"
Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment 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 older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah looked rather plain, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
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, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here 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 did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
21 Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, so that I may sleep with her."
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
22 Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and gave a feast.
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
23 It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he slept wit her.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
24 Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a servant.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
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 in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
26 Laban said, "It is not our custom here to give the younger before the firstborn.
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
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."
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
28 Then Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
29 Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his female servant, to be her servant.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
30 So he slept with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked with him another seven years.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
31 YHWH saw that Leah was unloved, so he made her fertile, but Rachel was barren.
Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
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 Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for 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.
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the 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 was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named 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 she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.
