Genesis 29

Jacob Meets Rachel

1So Jacob went on his journey #Gen. 25:6; Num. 23:7; Judg. 6:3, 33; Hos. 12:12and came to the land of the people of the East. 2And he looked, and saw a #Gen. 24:10, 11; Ex. 2:15, 16well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth. 3Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.

4And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?”

And they said, “We are from #Gen. 11:31; 28:10Haran.”

5Then he said to them, “Do you know #Gen. 24:24, 29; 28:2Laban the son of Nahor?”

And they said, “We know him.”

6So he said to them, #Gen. 43:27“Is he well?”

And they said, “He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel #Gen. 24:11; Ex. 2:16, 17is coming with the sheep.”

7Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”

9Now while he was still speaking with them, #Ex. 2:16Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 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 #Ex. 2:17rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11Then Jacob #Gen. 33:4; 45:14, 15kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was #Gen. 13:8; 14:14, 16; 28:5her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. #Gen. 24:28So she ran and told her father.

13Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that #Gen. 24:29–31; Luke 15:20he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. 14And Laban said to him, #Gen. 2:23; 37:27; Judg. 9:2; 2 Sam. 5:1; 19:12, 13“Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, #Gen. 30:28; 31:41what should your wages be?” 16Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was #Gen. 12:11, 14; 26:7beautiful of form and appearance.

18Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, #Gen. 31:41; 2 Sam. 3:14; Hos. 12:12“I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”

19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20So Jacob #Gen. 30:26; Hos. 12:12served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may #Judg. 15:1go in to her.” 22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and #Judg. 14:10; John 2:1, 2made a feast. 23Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24And Laban gave his maid #Gen. 30:9, 10Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. 25So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you #Gen. 27:35; 31:7; 1 Sam. 28:12deceived me?”

26And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27#Gen. 31:41; Judg. 14:2Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”

28Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. 29And Laban gave his maid #Gen. 30:3–5Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. 30Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also #Gen. 29:17–20; Deut. 21:15–17loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban #Gen. 30:26; 31:41; Hos. 12:12still another seven years.

The Children of Jacob

31When the Lord #Ps. 127:3saw that Leah was unloved, He #Gen. 30:1opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely #Gen. 16:11; 31:42; Ex. 3:7; 4:31; Deut. 26:7; Ps. 25:18looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.” 33Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon. 34She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. 35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name #Gen. 49:8; Matt. 1:2Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 29

1And Ya‛aqoḇ moved on and came to the land of the people of the East.

2And he looked and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large stone was on the well’s mouth.

3And all the flocks would be gathered there, then they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.

4So Ya‛aqoḇ said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Ḥaran.”

5And he said to them, “Do you know Laḇan son of Naḥor?” And they said, “We know him.”

6So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “Well. And see, his daughter Raḥĕl is coming with the sheep.”

7And he said, “See, it is still high day, not the time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”

8But they said, “We are not allowed until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, then we shall water the sheep.”

9While he was still speaking with them, Raḥĕl came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

10And it came to be, when Ya‛aqoḇ saw Raḥĕl the daughter of Laḇan his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laḇan his mother’s brother, that Ya‛aqoḇ went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laḇan his mother’s brother.

11And Ya‛aqoḇ kissed Raḥĕl, and lifted up his voice and wept.

12And when Ya‛aqoḇ told Raḥĕl that he was her father’s relative and that he was Riḇqah’s son, she ran and told her father.

13And it came to be, when Laḇan heard the report about Ya‛aqoḇ his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laḇan all these matters.

14And Laḇan said to him, “You are indeed my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a new moon.

15Then Laḇan said to Ya‛aqoḇ, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for naught? Let me know, what should your wages be?”

16And Laḇan had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lĕ’ah, and the name of the younger was Raḥĕl.

17And Lĕ’ah’s eyes were weak, but Raḥĕl was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.

18And Ya‛aqoḇ loved Raḥĕl, so he said, “Let me serve you seven years for Raḥĕl your younger daughter.”

19And Laḇan said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”

20So Ya‛aqoḇ served seven years for Raḥĕl, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

21Then Ya‛aqoḇ said to Laḇan, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, and let me go in to her.”

22And Laḇan gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.

23And it came to be in the evening, that he took Lĕ’ah his daughter and brought her to Ya‛aqoḇ. And he went in to her.

24And Laḇan gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Lĕ’ah as a female servant.

25And in the morning it came to be, that see, it was Lĕ’ah. So he said to Laḇan, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Raḥĕl that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?”

26And Laḇan said, “It is not done this way in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.

27Complete the week of this one, then we give you this one too, for the service which you shall serve with me still another seven years.

28And Ya‛aqoḇ did so and completed her week. Then he gave him his daughter Raḥĕl too, as wife.

29And Laḇan gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Raḥĕl as a female servant.

30And he also went in to Raḥĕl, and he also loved Raḥĕl more than Lĕ’ah. And he served with Laḇan still another seven years.

31And יהוה saw that Lĕ’ah was unloved, and He opened her womb, but Raḥĕl was barren.

32And Lĕ’ah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Re’uḇĕn, for she said, “For יהוה has looked on my affliction, because now my husband is going to love me.”

33And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because יהוה has heard that I am unloved, He gave me this son too.” And she called his name Shim‛on.

34And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband is joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So his name was called Lĕwi.

35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I praise יהוה.” So she called his name Yehuḏah. And she ceased bearing.

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