Genesis 29

¹Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.

²And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.

³And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.

⁴And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.

⁵And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban, the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.

⁶He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold, Rachel, his daughter, cometh with his flock.

⁷And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.

⁸They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well's mouth, that we may water the flocks.

⁹They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she fed the flock.

¹⁰And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.

¹¹And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice wept.

¹²And he told her that he was her father's brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.

¹³Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister's son was come, ran forth to meet him: and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,

¹⁴He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,

¹⁵He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.

¹⁶Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia; and the younger was called Rachel.

¹⁷But Lia was blear-eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.

¹⁸And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter.

¹⁹Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.

²⁰So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.

²¹And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

²²And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.

²³And at night he brought in Lia, his daughter, to him,

²⁴Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom, when morning was come he saw it was Lia.

²⁵And he said to his father-in-law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?

²⁶Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.

²⁷Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.

²⁸He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:

²⁹To whom her father gave Bala, for her servant.

³⁰And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.

³¹And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.

³²And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.

³³And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon.

³⁴And she conceived the third time, and bore another son, and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called his name Levi.

³⁵The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: Now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.

Genesis 29

¹Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

²And 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.

³And 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.

⁴And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

⁵And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

⁶And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

⁷And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

⁸And 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.

⁹And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.

¹⁰And 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.

¹¹And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

¹²And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.

¹³And 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.

¹⁴And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

¹⁵And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

¹⁶And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

¹⁷Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

¹⁸And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

¹⁹And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

²⁰And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

²¹And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

²²And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

²³And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

²⁴And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.

²⁵And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

²⁶And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

²⁷Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

²⁸And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

²⁹And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

³⁰And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

³¹And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

³²And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

³³And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

³⁴And 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.

³⁵And 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.