Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
Then Jacob lifted up his feet, —and went his way towards the land of the sons of the East.
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 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:
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.
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.
4 Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
And Jacob said to them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said: From haran, are we.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
And he said to them, Know ye Laban, son of Nahor? And they said, We 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 it well with him? And they said, Well, but lo! Rachel his daughter, coming in 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 he said Lo! the day is yet high, it is not time for gathering together the cattle, —water the sheep, and go feed.
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 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.
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
While yet he was speaking with them, Rachel, had come in with the sheep which belonged to her father, for a shepherdess, was she.
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 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,
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Jacob kissed Rachel, —and lifted up his 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 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.
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 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.
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, Surely, my bone and my flesh, art thou. So he abode with him a month of days.
15 Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
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?
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, Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel,
17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
But, the eyes of Leah were weak, —whereas, Rachel, was comely in form and comely in countenance.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
So Jacob loved Rachel, —and he said, I will serve thee seven years, for Rachel thy 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, Better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man, —Abide with me!
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
So Jacob served for Rachel—seven years, —and they became, in his eyes, as single days, for his love to her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, —that I may go in unto her.
22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet,
23 In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
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.
24 Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
And Laban gave her Zilpah, his handmaid, unto Leah his daughter. as handmaid.
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 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?
26 Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
And Laban said, It must not be done so in our place, —to give the later-born before the firstborn.
27 Fulfill 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 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.
28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week of this one, —and he gave him Rachel his daughter—to him to wife.
29 Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid, —to be hers as a handmaid.
30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.
So he went in, unto Rachel also, and loved, Rachel also, more than Leah, —and he served with him, yet seven years more.
31 Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
And, when Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, he granted her to bear children, —whereas, Rachel, was barren.
32 Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
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.
33 She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
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.
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 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.
35 She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
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.
