Genesis 29
29
Genesis 29
1¶ Then Jacob walked on and came into the land of the people of the east.
2And he looked and saw a well in the field, and, behold, 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 all the flocks gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth and water the sheep and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in its place.
4And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.
5And he said unto them, Do you know 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, comes with the sheep.
7And he said, behold, it is yet high day; neither is it time that the livestock should be gathered together; water the sheep and go and feed them.
8And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and until they roll the stone from the well’s mouth, that we may water the sheep.
9¶ And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was the pastor.
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 of her father’s brethren, 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.
15¶ And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art of my brethren, should thou therefore serve me for nothing? 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.
22So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a banquet.
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 a 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? Why 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 the other also for another seven years of service which thou shalt serve with me.
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 another seven years.
31¶ And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32And Leah conceived and gave birth to 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.
33And she conceived again and gave birth to a son; and said, Because the Lord has heard that I was hated, he has therefore given me this son also; and she called his name Simeon.
34And she conceived again and gave birth to a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me because I have born him three sons; therefore his name was called Levi.
35And she conceived again and gave birth a son; and she said, Now I will praise the Lord; therefore she called his name Judah and stopped bearing children.
The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International
Genesis 29
29
Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home
1Jacob continued on his way and went towards the land of the East. 2Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying round it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. 3Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.
4Jacob asked the shepherds, “My friends, where are you from?”
“From Haran,” they answered.
5He asked, “Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?”
“Yes, we do,” they answered.
6“Is he well?” he asked.
“He is well,” they answered. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with his flock.”
7Jacob said, “Since it is still broad daylight and not yet time to bring the flocks in, why don't you water them and take them back to pasture?”
8They answered, “We can't do that until all the flocks are here and the stone has been rolled back; then we will water the flocks.”
9While Jacob was still talking to them, Rachel arrived with the flock. 10When Jacob saw Rachel with his uncle Laban's flock, he went to the well, rolled the stone back, and watered the sheep. 11Then he kissed her and began to cry for joy. 12He told her, “I am your father's relative, the son of Rebecca.”
She ran to tell her father; 13and when he heard the news about his nephew Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him into the house. When Jacob told Laban everything that had happened, 14Laban said, “Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood.” Jacob stayed there a whole month.
Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel and Leah
15Laban said to Jacob, “You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?” 16Laban had two daughters; the elder was named Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17Leah had lovely#29.17 lovely; or weak. eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel.”
19Laban answered, “I would rather give her to you than to anyone else; stay here with me.” 20Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.
21Then Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up; let me marry your daughter.” 22So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone. 23But that night, instead of Rachel, he took Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had intercourse with her. 24(Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) 25Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, “Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?”
26Laban answered, “It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the elder. 27Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years.”
28Jacob agreed, and when the week of marriage celebrations was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29(Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.) 30Jacob had intercourse with Rachel also, and he loved her more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban another seven years.
The Children Born to Jacob
31When the LORD saw that Leah was loved less than Rachel, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless. 32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, “The LORD has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me”; so she named him Reuben.#29.32 Reuben: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “see, a son” and “has seen my trouble”. 33She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “The LORD has given me this son also, because he heard that I was not loved”; so she named him Simeon.#29.33 Simeon: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “hear”. 34Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons”; so she named him Levi.#29.34 Levi: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “bound”. 35Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “This time I will praise the LORD”; so she named him Judah.#29.35 Judah: This name sounds like the Hebrew for “praise”. Then she stopped having children.
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.