< Genesis 29 >

1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
And Jacob lifts up his feet, and goes toward the land of the sons of the east;
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
and he looks, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, there [are] three droves of a flock crouching by it, for they water the droves from that well, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.
3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
(When all the droves have been gathered there, 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.)
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be all of you? And they said, Of Haran are we.
And Jacob says to them, “My brothers, where [are] you from?” And they say, “We [are] from Haran.”
5 And he said unto them, Know all of you Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
And he says to them, “Have you known Laban, son of Nahor?” And they say, “We have known.”
6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep.
And he says to them, “Does he have peace?” And they say, “Peace; and behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the flock.”
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water all of you the sheep, and go and feed them.
And he says, “Behold, the day [is] still great, [it is] not time for the livestock to be gathered; water the flock, and go, delight yourselves.”
8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
And they say, “We are not able, until 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.”
9 And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel has come with the flock which her father has, for she [is] shepherdess;
10 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 went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
and it comes to pass, when Jacob has seen Rachel, daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the flock of his mother’s brother Laban, that Jacob comes near and rolls the stone from off the mouth of the well, and waters the flock of his mother’s brother Laban.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Jacob kisses Rachel, and lifts up his voice, and weeps,
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
and Jacob declares to Rachel that he [is] her father’s brother, and that he [is] Rebekah’s son, and she runs and declares [it] to her father.
13 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 kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
And it comes to pass, when Laban hears the report of his sister’s son Jacob, that he runs to meet him, and embraces him, and kisses him, and brings him into his house; and he recounts to Laban all these things,
14 And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
and Laban says to him, “You [are] surely my bone and my flesh”; and he dwells with him a month of days.
15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? tell me, what shall your wages be?
And Laban says to Jacob, “Is it because you [are] my brother that you have served me for nothing? Declare to me what your hire [is].”
16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
And Laban has two daughters, the name of the older [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,
17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel has been beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.
And Jacob loves Rachel and says, “I serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter”:
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
and Laban says, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man; dwell with me”;
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
and Jacob serves for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.
21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
And Jacob says to Laban, “Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in to her”;
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
and Laban gathers all the men of the place, and makes a banquet.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
And it comes to pass in the evening, that he takes his daughter Leah, and brings her to him, and he goes in to her;
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
and Laban gives his maidservant Zilpah to her, to his daughter Leah, [for] a maidservant.
25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this you have done unto me? did not I serve with you for Rachel? wherefore then have you misled me?
And it comes to pass in the morning, that behold, it [is] Leah; and he says to Laban, “What [is] this you have done to me? Have I not served with you for Rachel? And why have you deceived me?”
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
And Laban says, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn;
27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this also for the service which you shall serve with me yet seven other years.
fulfill the period of seven [for] this one, and we also give to you this one, for the service which you serve with me yet seven other years.”
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
And Jacob does so, and fulfills the period of seven [for] this one, and he gives his daughter Rachel to him for a wife for him;
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
and Laban gives his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel for a maidservant for her.
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
And he also goes in to Rachel, and he also loves Rachel more than Leah; and he serves with him yet seven other years.
31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
And YHWH sees that Leah [is] the hated one, and He opens her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;
32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD has looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
and Leah conceives, and bears a son, and calls his name Reuben, for she said, “Because YHWH has looked on my affliction; because now does my husband love me.”
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD has heard I was hated, he has therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
And she conceives again, and bears a son, and says, “Because YHWH has heard that I [am] the hated one, He also gives to me even this [one]”; and she calls his name Simeon.
34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
And she conceives again and bears a son, and says, “Now [is] the time, my husband is joined to me, because I have born to him three sons,” therefore has [one] called his name Levi.
35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
And she conceives again and bears a son, and this time says, “I praise YHWH”; therefore has she called his name Judah; and she ceases from bearing.

< Genesis 29 >