1 Mose 29
1 Da hub Jakob seine Füße auf und ging in das Land, das gegen Morgen liegt,
Jacob continued on the road [MTY], and he arrived at the land that was east of Canaan.
2 und sah sich um, und siehe, da war ein Brunnen auf dem Felde; und siehe, drei Herden Schafe lagen dabei, denn von dem Brunnen pflegten sie die Herden zu tränken, und lag ein großer Stein vor dem Loch des Brunnens.
There he [was surprised to] see a well in a field, and three flocks of sheep were lying near the well. It was the well from which shepherds habitually got water for their sheep. There was a large stone covering the top of the well.
3 Und sie pflegten die Herden alle daselbst zu versammeln und den Stein von dem Brunnenloch zu wälzen und die Schafe zu tränken, und taten alsdann den Stein wieder vor das Loch an seine Stätte.
When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would work together to roll the stone away from the top of the well and get water for the sheep. When they finished doing that, they would put the stone back in its place over the top of the well.
4 Und Jakob sprach zu ihnen: Lieben Brüder, wo seid ihr her? Sie antworteten: Wir sind von Haran.
[On that day], Jacob asked the shepherds who were sitting there, “Where are you from?” They replied, “We are from Haran.”
5 Er sprach zu ihnen: Kennet ihr auch Laban, den Sohn Nahors? Sie antworteten: Wir kennen ihn wohl.
He asked them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” They replied, “Yes, we know him.”
6 Er sprach: Gehet es ihm auch wohl? Sie antworteten: Es gehet ihm wohl; und siehe, da kommt seine Tochter Rahel mit den Schafen.
Jacob asked them, “Is Laban well?” They replied, “Yes, he is well. Look! Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep!”
7 Er sprach: Es ist noch hoch Tag und ist noch nicht Zeit, das Vieh einzutreiben; tränket die Schafe und gehet hin und weidet sie.
Jacob said, “Hey! The sun is still high in the sky. It is not time for the flocks to be gathered for nighttime. Give the sheep some water and then take them back to (graze/eat grass) in the pastures!”
8 Sie antworteten: Wir können nicht, bis daß alle Herden zusammengebracht werden, und wir den Stein von des Brunnens Loch wälzen und also die Schafe tränken.
They replied, “No, we cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered here and the stone is removed from the top of the well. After that, we will give water to the sheep.”
9 Als er noch mit ihnen redete, kam Rahel mit den Schafen ihres Vaters, denn sie hütete der Schafe.
While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep. She was the one who took care of her father’s sheep.
10 Da aber Jakob sah Rahel, die Tochter Labans, seiner Mutter Bruders, und die Schafe Labans, seiner Mutter Bruders, trat er hinzu und wälzte den Stein von dem Loch des Brunnens und tränkte die Schafe Labans, seiner Mutter Bruders.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, who was his mother’s brother, [Jacob was so excited that] he went over and [by himself] rolled away the stone that covered the top of the well, and he got water for his uncle’s sheep.
11 Und küssete Rahel und weinete laut
Then Jacob kissed Rachel [on the cheek], and he cried loudly [because he was so happy].
12 und sagte ihr an, daß er ihres Vaters Bruder wäre und Rebekkas Sohn. Da lief sie und sagte es ihrem Vater an.
Jacob told Rachel that he was one of her father’s relatives, the son of her aunt Rebekah. So she ran and told that to her father.
13 Da aber Laban hörete von Jakob, seiner Schwester Sohn, lief er ihm entgegen und herzete und küssete ihn und führete ihn in sein Haus. Da erzählete er dem Laban alle diese Sache.
As soon as Laban heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, was there, he ran to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him [on the cheek]. Then he brought him to his home, and Jacob told him all that had happened to him.
14 Da sprach Laban zu ihm: Wohlan, du bist mein Bein und Fleisch. Und da er nun einen Mond lang bei ihm gewesen war,
Then Laban said to him, “Truly, you are part of my family!” After Jacob had stayed there and worked for Laban for a month,
15 sprach Laban zu Jakob: Wiewohl du mein Bruder bist, solltest du mir darum umsonst dienen? Sage an, was soll dein Lohn sein?
Laban said to him “(You should not work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine!/Why should you work for me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine?) [RHQ] Tell me how much you want me to pay you.”
16 Laban aber hatte zwo Töchter: die älteste hieß Lea, und die jüngste hieß Rahel.
Well, Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.
17 Aber Lea hatte ein blödes Gesicht; Rahel war hübsch und schön.
Leah had pretty eyes, but Rachel had a very attractive figure and was beautiful.
18 Und Jakob gewann die Rahel lieb und sprach: Ich will dir sieben Jahre um Rahel, deine jüngste Tochter, dienen.
Jacob (was in love with/wanted very much to be married to) Rachel, and he said, “I will work for you for seven years. That will be my payment for your letting me marry your younger daughter, Rachel.”
19 Laban antwortete: Es ist besser, ich gebe sie dir denn einem andern; bleibe bei mir.
Laban replied, “It is better for me to let you marry her than for her to marry some other man!”
20 Also dienete Jakob um Rahel sieben Jahre, und deuchten ihn, als wären es einzelne Tage, so lieb hatte er sie.
So Jacob worked for Laban for seven years to get Rachel, but to him it seemed like it was only a few days, because he loved her so much.
21 Und Jakob sprach zu Laban: Gib mir nun mein Weib; denn die Zeit ist hie, daß ich beiliege.
After the seven years were ended, Jacob said to Laban, “Let me marry Rachel now, because the time we agreed upon for me to work for you is ended, and I want to marry her. [EUP]”
22 Da lud Laban alle Leute des Orts und machte ein Hochzeitsmahl.
So Laban gathered together all the people who lived in that area and made a feast.
23 Des Abends aber nahm er seine Tochter Lea und brachte sie zu ihm hinein; und er lag bei ihr.
But that evening, instead of taking Rachel to Jacob, Laban took his older daughter, Leah, to him. But because it was already dark, he could not see that it was Leah and not Rachel, and he had sex [EUP] with her.
24 Und Laban gab seiner Tochter Lea seine Magd Silpa zur Magd.
(Laban had already given his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid/servant.)
25 Des Morgens aber siehe, da war es Lea. Und er sprach zu Laban: Warum hast du mir das getan? Habe ich dir nicht um Rahel gedienet? Warum hast du mich denn betrogen?
The next morning, Jacob was shocked to see that it was Leah who was with him! So he went to Laban [and told him] very angrily, “(What you have done to me is disgusting!/What is this that you have done to me?) [RHQ] I worked for you to get Rachel, did I not? So why did you deceive me?”
26 Laban antwortete: Es ist nicht Sitte in unserm Lande, daß man die jüngste ausgebe vor der ältesten.
Laban replied, “In this land, it is not our custom to give a younger daughter to be married before we let someone marry our firstborn daughter.
27 Halte mit dieser die Woche aus, so will ich dir diese auch geben um den Dienst, den du bei mir noch andere sieben Jahre dienen sollst.
After we finish this week of celebration, we will let you marry the younger one also. But in return, you must pay for Rachel by working for me for another seven years.”
28 Jakob tat also und hielt die Woche aus. Da gab ihm Laban Rahel, seine Tochter, zum Weibe.
So that is what Jacob did. After the week of celebration was ended, Laban gave him his daughter, Rachel, to be his wife.
29 Und gab seiner Tochter Rahel seine Magd Bilha zur Magd.
Laban gave his slave girl, Bilhah, to Rachel to be her maid/servant.
30 Also lag er auch bei mit Rahel und hatte Rahel lieber denn Lea; und dienete bei ihm fürder die andern sieben Jahre.
Jacob had sex [EUP] with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
31 Da aber der HERR sah, daß Lea unwert war, machte er sie fruchtbar und Rahel unfruchtbar.
When Yahweh saw that Jacob did not love Leah [very much], he enabled her to become pregnant. But Rachel was not able to become pregnant.
32 Und Lea ward schwanger und gebar einen Sohn; den hieß sie Ruben und sprach: Der HERR hat angesehen mein Elend; nun wird mich mein Mann lieb haben.
Leah gave birth to a son, whom she named Reuben, [which sounds like the Hebrew words that mean ‘Look, a son]!’ She said, “Yahweh has seen that I was miserable, and because of that he has given me a son. Now, surely my husband will love me for giving birth to a son for him.”
33 Und ward abermal schwanger und gebar einen Sohn und sprach: Der HERR hat gehöret, daß ich unwert bin, und hat mir diesen auch gegeben. Und hieß ihn Simeon.
Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “Because Yahweh has heard that my husband doesn’t love me, he has given me this son, too.” So she named him Simeon, [which means ‘someone who hears’].
34 Abermal ward sie schwanger und gebar einen Sohn und sprach: Nun wird sich mein Mann wieder zu mir tun, denn ich habe ihm drei Söhne geboren. Darum hieß sie ihn Levi.
Later she became pregnant again, and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now, finally, my husband will hold me close to him.” So she named him Levi, [which means ‘hold close’].
35 Zum vierten ward sie schwanger und gebar einen Sohn und sprach: Nun will ich dem HERRN danken. Darum hieß sie ihn Juda. Und hörte auf Kinder zu gebären.
Later she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “(This time/Now) I will praise Yahweh.” So she called his name Judah, [which sounds like the Hebrew word that means ‘praise’]. After that, she did not give birth to any more children [for several years].
