Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children 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 saw 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 There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back 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 relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
And Jacob said to them, Brethren, whence are you? and they said, We are of Charrhan.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
And he said to them, Know you 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, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
And Jacob said, it is yet high day, it is not yet time that the flocks be gathered together; water you 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 will 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 kept 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 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, 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 lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, 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 When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, 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.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
And Laban said to him, You are of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month.
15 Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
And Laban said to Jacob, Surely you shall not serve me for nothing, because you are my brother; tell me what your reward is to be.
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder 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’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
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 you seven years for your 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 you, than that I should give her to another man; dwell with me.
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had 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 days are fulfilled, that I may 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 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast.
23 In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to 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 servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
And Laban gave to his daughter Lea, Zelpha his handmaid, as a handmaid for her.
25 In the morning, behold, it was Leah! He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for 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 you have done to me? did I not serve you for Rachel? and therefore have you deceived me?
26 Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, 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 Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me for seven more years.”
Fulfil then her sevens, and I will give to you her also in return for your labor, which you labor with me, yet seven other years.
28 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 Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Balla, for a handmaid to her.
30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more 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 hated, and he opened her womb, 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 the LORD has looked at my affliction; 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 the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” 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 be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called 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 I will praise the LORD.” 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.
