Genesis 29
1 And Jacob lifteth up his feet, and goeth towards the land of the sons of the east;
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 and he looketh, and lo, a well in the field, and lo, there three droves of a flock crouching by it, for from that well they water the droves, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3 (When thither have all the droves been gathered, 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.)
When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 And Jacob saith to them, 'My brethren, from whence [are] ye?' and they say, 'We [are] from Haran.'
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 And he saith to them, 'Have ye known Laban, son of Nahor?' and they say, 'We have known.'
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 And he saith to them, 'Hath he peace?' and they say, 'Peace; and lo, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.'
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 And he saith, 'Lo, the day [is] still great, [it is] not time for the cattle to be gathered; water ye the flock, and go, delight yourselves.'
“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8 And they say, 'We are not able, till that 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.'
But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel hath come with the flock which her father hath, for she [is] shepherdess;
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 and it cometh to pass when Jacob hath seen Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob cometh nigh and rolleth the stone from off the mouth of the well, and watereth the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
11 And Jacob kisseth Rachel, and lifteth up his voice, and weepeth,
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 and Jacob declareth to Rachel that he [is] her father's brother, and that he [is] Rebekah's son, and she runneth and declareth to her father.
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 And it cometh to pass, when Laban heareth the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he runneth to meet him, and embraceth him, and kisseth him, and bringeth him in unto his house; and he recounteth to Laban all these things,
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
14 and Laban saith to him, 'Only my bone and my flesh [art] thou;' and he dwelleth with him a month of days.
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 And Laban saith to Jacob, 'Is it because thou [art] my brother that thou hast served me for nought? declare to me what [is] thy hire.'
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 And Laban hath two daughters, the name of the elder [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel hath been fair of form and fair of appearance.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 And Jacob loveth Rachel, and saith, 'I serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter:'
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 and Laban saith, 'It is better for me to give her to thee than to give her to another man; dwell with me;'
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 and Jacob serveth for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 And Jacob saith unto Laban, 'Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in unto her;'
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 and Laban gathereth all the men of the place, and maketh a banquet.
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 And it cometh to pass in the evening, that he taketh Leah, his daughter, and bringeth her in unto him, and he goeth in unto her;
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 and Laban giveth to her Zilpah, his maid-servant, to Leah his daughter, a maid-servant.
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 And it cometh to pass in the morning, that lo, it [is] Leah; and he saith unto Laban, 'What [is] this thou hast done to me? for Rachel have I not served with thee? and why hast thou deceived me?'
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26 And Laban saith, 'It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the first-born;
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 fulfil the week of this one, and we give to thee also this one, for the service which thou dost serve with me yet seven other years.'
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 And Jacob doth so, and fulfilleth the week of this one, and he giveth to him Rachel his daughter, to him for a wife;
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 and Laban giveth to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maid-servant, for a maid-servant to her.
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30 And he goeth in also unto Rachel, and he also loveth Rachel more than Leah; and he serveth with him yet seven other years.
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 And Jehovah seeth that Leah [is] the hated one, and He openeth her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 and Leah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Reuben, for she said, 'Because Jehovah hath looked on mine affliction; because now doth my husband love me.'
And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, 'Because Jehovah hath heard that I [am] the hated one, He also giveth to me even this [one];' and she calleth his name Simeon.
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.
34 And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, 'Now [is] the time, my husband is joined unto me, because I have born to him three sons,' therefore hath [one] called his name Levi.
Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
35 And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith this time, 'I praise Jehovah;' therefore hath she called his name Judah; and she ceaseth from bearing.
And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.
