Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
Jacob went quickly on his way, and arrived in the land of the eastern people.
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.
As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top 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.
The usual practice was that once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back again.
4 Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We're from Haran,” they replied.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked. “Yes, we know him,” they replied.
6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
“How is he?” he asked. “He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
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.”
“Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
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.”
“We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for 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.
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
(He had told her that he was the son of Laban's brother and Rebekah.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
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.
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban,
14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a 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?”
One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel.
17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
Leah had kind eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work for you 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.”
“Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.”
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
So Laban organized a wedding banquet and invited everyone around to come.
23 In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
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?”
When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
“Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied.
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.”
“Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well.
29 Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
(Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.)
30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.
So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
31 Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
The Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel.
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.”
Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben, for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and now my husband will 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.
Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him 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.
Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named 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.
Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah, for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
