Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
And Jacob lifts up his feet, and goes toward the land of the sons of the east;
2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there by it. For out of that well they would water the flocks, and the stone over the well's mouth was large.
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.
3 When all the flocks had gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the well's mouth and water the sheep, and then put the stone again over the well's mouth, back in its place.
(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.)
4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
And Jacob says to them, “My brothers, where [are] you from?” And they say, “We [are] from Haran.”
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”
6 He said to them, “Is he well?” They said, “He is well, and, look there, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.”
And he says to them, “Does he have peace?” And they say, “Peace; and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the flock.”
7 Jacob said, “See, it is the middle of the day. It is not the time for the flocks to be gathered together. You should water the sheep and then go and let them graze.”
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.”
8 They said, “We cannot water them until all the flocks are gathered together. The men will then roll the stone from the well's mouth, and we will water the sheep.”
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.”
9 While Jacob was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was tending them.
He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel has come with the flock which her father has, for she [is] shepherdess;
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother's brother, Jacob came over, rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother.
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.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.
And Jacob kisses Rachel, and lifts up his voice, and weeps,
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rebekah's son. Then she ran and told her father.
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.
13 When Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
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,
14 Laban said to him, “You are indeed my bone and my flesh.” Then Jacob stayed with him for about one month.
and Laban says to him, “You [are] surely my bone and my flesh”; and he dwells with him a month of days.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you serve me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
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].”
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
And Laban has two daughters, the name of the older [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
17 Leah's eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel has been beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.
18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
And Jacob loves Rachel and says, “I serve you 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 says, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man; dwell with me”;
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him only a few days, for the love he had for her.
and Jacob serves for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days have been completed—so that I may marry her!”
And Jacob says to Laban, “Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in to her”;
22 So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.
and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.
23 In the evening, Laban took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob, who slept with her.
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;
24 Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah, to be her servant.
and Laban gives his maidservant Zilpah to her, to his daughter Leah, [for] a maidservant.
25 In the morning, behold, it was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?”
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?”
26 Laban said, “It is not our custom to give the younger daughter before the firstborn.
And Laban says, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
27 Complete the bridal week of this daughter, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”
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.”
28 Jacob did so, and completed Leah's week. Then Laban gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife also.
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;
29 Laban also gave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel, to be her servant.
and Laban gives his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel for a maidservant for her.
30 So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, but he loved Rachel more than Leah. So Jacob served Laban for seven more years.
And he also goes in to Rachel, and he also loves Rachel more than Leah; and he serves with him yet seven other years.
31 Yahweh saw that Leah was not loved, so he opened her womb, but Rachel was childless.
And YHWH sees that Leah [is] the hated one, and He opens her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked upon my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.”
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.”
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved, he has therefore given me this son also,” and she called his name Simeon.
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.
34 Then she conceived again and bore a son. She said, “Now this time will my husband be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
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.
35 She conceived again and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she called his name Judah; then she stopped having children.
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.
