Bereshis 29

1Then Ya'akov went on his journey, and came into the eretz of the bnei kedem.

2And he looked, and hinei a be'er in the sadeh, and, hinei, there were shloshah edrei tzon lying by it; for out of that be'er they watered the edarim: and a great even (stone) was upon the mouth of the be'er.

3And to there were all the edarim gathered: and they rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be'er, and watered the tzon, and put the even (stone) again upon the mouth of the be'er in its place.

4And Ya'akov said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, Of Charan are we.

5And he said unto them, Know ye Lavan ben Nachor? And they said, We know him.

6And he said unto them, Is the shalom with him? And they said, Shalom; and, hinei, Rachel his bat cometh with the tzon.

7And he said, Look, the sun is still high, neither is it time that the flock should be gathered together; water ye the tzon, and go and feed them.

8And they said, We cannot, until all the edarim be gathered together, and till they roll the even (stone) from the mouth of the be'er; then we water the tzon.

9And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with the tzon of her av; for she was a ro'ah (shepherdess).

10And it came to pass, when Ya'akov saw Rachel bat Lavan achi immo, and the tzon of Lavan achi immo, that Ya'akov went near, and rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be'er, and watered the tzon of Lavan achi immo.

11And Ya'akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12And Ya'akov told Rachel that he was the relative of her av, and that he was ben Rivkah; and she ran and told her av.

13And it came to pass, when Lavan heard the news of Ya'akov ben achoto, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his bais. And he told Lavan all these things.

14And Lavan said to him, Surely thou art my etzem (bone) and my basar. And he abode with him the space of a chodesh (month).

15And Lavan said unto Ya'akov, Because thou art my relative, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall thy maskoret (wages) be?

16And Lavan had two banot: the shem of the elder was Leah, and the shem of the younger was Rachel.

17Leah had weak eyes; but Rachel was yafeh and lovely in form.

18And Ya'akov loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee sheva shanim for Rachel thy bat haketannah (younger daughter).

19And Lavan said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another ish; abide with me.

20And Ya'akov served sheva shanim for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few yamim, because of the ahavah he had for her.

21And Ya'akov said unto Lavan, Give me my isha, for my yamim are completed, that I may go in unto her.

22And Lavan gathered together all the anshei hamakom, and made a mishteh (feast).

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

24And Lavan gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah shifchato (his maid) for a shifchah.

25And it came to pass, that in the boker, hinei, it was Leah! And he said to Lavan, What is this thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? So why then hast thou deceived me?

26And Lavan said, It must not be so done in our land, to give the younger before the bechirah.

27Finish her shvu'a (week), and we will give thee this also for the avodah (service, work) which thou shalt do for me yet sheva shanim acherot.

28And Ya'akov did so, and fulfilled her shvu'a; and he gave him Rachel his bat to be his isha also.

29And Lavan gave to his bat Rachel Bilhah his shifchah to be her shifchah.

30And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served him yet sheva shanim acherot.

31And when Hashem saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb but Rachel was barren.

32And Leah conceived, and bore a ben, and she called shmo Reuven: for she said, Surely Hashem hath looked upon my misery; now therefore my ish will love me.

33And she conceived again, and bore ben; and said, Because Hashem hath heard I was hated, He hath therefore given me this also; and she called shmo Shim'on.

34And she conceived again, and bore ben; and said, Now this time will my ish yillaveh (become attached) unto me, because I have born him shloshah banim: therefore was shmo called Levi.

35And she conceived again, and bore ben; and she said, Now will odeh (I praise) Hashem; therefore she called shmo Yehudah; and stopped giving birth.

THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE

Learn More About The Orthodox Jewish Bible

Genesis 29

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

1Then Jacob went on his journey and came to #Num. 23:7; Judg. 6:3the land of the people of the east. 2As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, 3and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, #ch. 27:43“We are from Haran.” 5He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” 7He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” 8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9While he was still speaking with them, #Ex. 2:16, 17Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12And Jacob told Rachel that he was #ch. 13:8; 14:14, 16 her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, #[ch. 24:28, 29]and she ran and told her father.

13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, #[See ver. 12 above]he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things, 14and Laban said to him, #ch. 2:23; 37:27; Judg. 9:2; 2 Sam. 5:1; 19:12, 13; 1 Chr. 11:1“Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” 16Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17Leah’s eyes were weak,#29:17 Or soft but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, #ch. 30:26; 31:41; [Hos. 12:12]“I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 20So Jacob #[See ver. 18 above]served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” 22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and #Judg. 14:10; [John 2:1, 2]made a feast. 23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24(Laban gave#29:24 Or had given; also verse 29 #See ch. 30:9-12his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) 25And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?” 26Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27#[Judg. 14:12]Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” 28Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29(Laban gave #See ch. 30:3-7his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban #ver. 20; ch. 31:41for another seven years.

Jacob’s Children

31When the Lord saw that Leah was #Deut. 21:15 hated, #[ch. 30:22]he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,#29:32 Reuben means See, a son for she said, “Because the Lord #ch. 31:42; Ex. 3:7; 4:31; Deut. 26:7has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.#29:33 Simeon sounds like the Hebrew for heard 34Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be #[Num. 18:2, 4]attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.#29:34 Levi sounds like the Hebrew for attached 35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name #Matt. 1:2; [ch. 49:8]Judah.#29:35 Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise Then she ceased bearing.

Learn More About English Standard Version 2016