Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob lifted up his feet, —and went his way towards the land of the sons of the East.
Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
2 And he looked, and lo! a well, in the field and lo! there, three flocks of sheep, lying down near it, for out of that well, do they water the flocks, but, the stone, is great, 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 so they gather together thither all the flocks, and roll away the stone from off the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, —and put back the stone upon 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 said to them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said: From haran, are we.
And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
5 And he said to them, Know ye Laban, son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
6 And he said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, Well, but lo! Rachel his daughter, coming in with the sheep.
He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.
7 And he said Lo! the day is yet high, it is not time for gathering together the cattle, —water the sheep, and go feed.
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 said, We cannot, until that all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll away the stone, from off the mouth of the well, —and then can we water the sheep.
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 While yet he was speaking with them, Rachel, had come in with the sheep which belonged to her father, for a shepherdess, was she.
They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed the flock.
10 And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled away the stone from off the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother,
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 kissed Rachel, —and lifted up his voice, and wept.
And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept.
12 And when Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son, then ran she, and told 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 came to pass when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fondly kissed him, and brought him into his house, —when he recounted 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 said to him, Surely, my bone and my flesh, art thou. So he abode 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 Then said Laban to Jacob, Is it because my brother, thou art, that thou shouldst serve me for naught? Come tell me! What shall be thy wages?
He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
16 Now, Laban, had two daughters, —the name of the elder, 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 But, the eyes of Leah were weak, —whereas, Rachel, was comely in form and comely in countenance.
But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
18 So Jacob loved Rachel, —and he said, I will serve thee seven years, for Rachel thy younger daughter.
And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 And Laban said, Better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man, —Abide with me!
Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.
20 So Jacob served for Rachel—seven years, —and they became, in his eyes, as single days, for his love to her.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
21 Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, —that I may go in unto her.
And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet,
And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her in unto him, —and he went in unto her.
And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,
24 And Laban gave her Zilpah, his handmaid, unto Leah his daughter. as handmaid.
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 came to pass in the morning, that lo! it was Leah, —and he said unto Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Was it not, for Rachel, I served with thee? Wherefore then hast thou 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 said, It must not be done so in our place, —to give the later-born before the firstborn.
Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
27 Fulfil the week of this one, —then must we give thee, the other one also, for the service wherewith thou shalt serve with me, yet seven years more.
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 did so, and fulfilled the week of this one, —and he gave him Rachel his daughter—to him to wife.
He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, —to be hers as a handmaid.
To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.
30 So he went in, unto Rachel also, and loved, Rachel also, more than Leah, —and he served with him, yet seven years more.
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, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, —whereas, Rachel, was barren.
And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32 So Leah conceived, and bare a son, and called his name Reuben, —for she said, Because, Yahweh hath looked upon my humiliation, For, now, will 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 conceived again, and bare a son, and said. Because Yahweh heard that, I, was hated, he gave me, this one also. So she called 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 conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now—this time, will my husband be bound unto me, For I have borne him three sons, —For this cause, called she 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 conceived again and bare a son, and said This time, will I praise Yahweh, For which cause, she called his name Judah. And she left off 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.
