Genesis 29
29
1Jacob went quickly on his way,#29:1. “Went quickly on his way”: literally, “lifted up his feet.” and arrived in the land of the eastern people. 2As he looked around he saw a well in a field with three flocks of sheep lying down beside it, waiting to be given water. A large stone covered the top of the well. 3The usual practice was that#29:3. “The usual practice was that”: supplied for clarity. once all the flocks had arrived, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the well and give their sheep water. Then they would put the stone back again.
4Jacob asked them, “My brothers, where are you from?”
“We're from Haran,” they replied.
5“Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?” he asked.
“Yes, we know him,” they replied.
6“How is he?” he asked.
“He's well,” they replied. “Look! In fact here's his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep right now.”
7“Look, there's still plenty of daylight left,” said Jacob. “It's too early to round up the sheep yet. Why not let them drink so they can go back to grazing?”
8“We can't do that until all the flocks have arrived,” they told him. “Then we roll away the stone from the well and let the sheep drink.”
9While he was still talking with them Rachel arrived with the flock she was looking after for her father. 10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, he went over and rolled away the stone from the well so Laban's sheep could drink. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept for joy. 12(He had told her that he was a relative of her father, Rebekah's son.) She ran and told her father what had happened.
13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob he ran out to meet him. He hugged him and kissed him, and took him home. After Jacob had explained everything to Laban, 14Laban told him, “No question about it—you're my own flesh and blood!” Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
15One day Laban said to him, “You're my relative so you shouldn't be working for me for nothing! Tell me, what should I pay you?”
16Laban had two daughters. The older one was Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17Leah had kind#29:17. “Kind”: literally, “soft” or “gentle.” eyes, but Rachel had a shapely figure and beautiful looks. 18Jacob was in love with Rachel so he promised Laban, “I'll do seven years work#29:18. “Seven years work”: in contrast to Abraham's servant Eliezer (chapter 24) Jacob had arrived with no gifts or dowry, so he offers his service as payment in kind. for you for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19“Well it's better for me to give her to you than anyone else,” Laban replied. “So stay here and work for me.” 20Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, but to him they seemed like just a few days because he really loved her.
21Then Jacob said to Laban, “I've completed the time we agreed. Now give me your daughter to be my wife.”
22So Laban organized a wedding banquet#29:22. “A wedding banquet”: the word actually means “a drinking party,” which is probably the only way the deception could have been successful. and invited everyone around to come. 23But once it was dark Laban brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24(Laban also arranged for his servant Zilpah to be Leah's personal maid.)
25When morning came, he saw it was Leah! He went to Laban and asked angrily, “What have you done to me? It was for Rachel that I worked for you! Why have you deceived me?”
26“Here we don't give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn,” Laban replied. 27“Finish this week of wedding celebrations and then I'll give you the other daughter as well, as long as you work another seven years for me.”
28Jacob agreed. He finished the week of wedding celebrations for Leah, and then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as his wife as well. 29(Laban also arranged for his servant Bilhah to be Rachel's personal maid.) 30So Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban another seven years for Rachel.
31When the Lord saw that Leah wasn't loved he helped Leah to have children, but not Rachel. 32Leah became pregnant, and had a son she named Reuben,#29:32. “Reuben”: means “Look, a son!” and also sounds like “he saw my suffering.” for she said, “The Lord saw how much I was suffering and now my husband will love me!”
33Then Leah became pregnant again, and had another son. She said, “The Lord has heard that I'm not loved so he gave me this son.” So she named him Simeon.#29:33. “Simeon”: means “he hears.”
34Leah became pregnant for the third time, and had another son. She said, “Finally my husband will be attached to me because now I've given him three sons.” That's why he was named Levi.#29:34. “Levi”: means “attached” or “joined.”
35Once again Leah became pregnant and had another son. She named him Judah,#29:35. “Judah”: means “praise.” for she said, “Now I can really praise the Lord!” After that she had no more children.
Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Genesis 29
29
1Then Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) 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 there 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 Ya’akov said unto them, My brethren, from what place [be] youf? And they said, Of Haran [mountaineer] [are] we.
5And he said unto them, Know youf Lavan (to be white; white guy) the son of Nokhor (a snort, a snorting; charred, scorched)? 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, Lo, [it is] yet high day, neither [is it] time that the cattle should be gathered together: water youf 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 spoke with them, Rachel (ewe) came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.
10And it came to pass, when Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) saw Rachel (ewe) the daughter of Lavan (to be white; white guy) his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Lavan his mother’s brother, that Ya’akov went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Lavan his mother’s brother.
11And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) kissed Rachel (ewe), and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12And Ya’akov told Rachel that he [was] her father’s brother, and that he [was] Rivkah’s son: and she ran and told her father.
13And it came to pass, when Lavan (to be white; white guy) heard the tidings of Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) 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 Lavan these things.
14And Lavan (to be white; white guy) him, Surely youi [are] my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
15And Lavan said unto Ya’akov, Because youi [are] my brother, should youi therefore serve me for nothing (bad; vain)? tell me, what [shall] youri wages [be]?
16And Lavan had two daughters: the name of the elder [was] Le’ah, and the name of the younger [was] Rachel.
17Le’ah [was] tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
18And Ya’akov loved Rachel; and said, I will serve youi seven years for Rachel youri younger daughter.
19And Lavan said, [It is] better that I give her to youi, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20And Ya’akov served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him [but] a few days, for the love he had to her.
21And Ya’akov said unto Lavan, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22And Lavan gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Le’ah (weary; grieved) his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
24And Lavan (to be white; white guy) gave unto his daughter Le’ah (weary; grieved) Zilpah (a tickling; a sprinkle) his maid [for] an female servant.
25And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it [was] Le’ah: and he said to Lavan, What [is] this youi hast done unto me? did not I serve with youi for Rachel? For what reason then hast youi beguiled me?
26And Lavan said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27Fulfill her week, and we will give youi this also for the service which youi shall serve with me yet seven other years.
28And Ya’akov (he who holds onto the heel of) did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel (ewe) his daughter to wife also.
29And Lavan gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah (troubled; timid) his female servant to be her maid.
30And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel (ewe) more than Le’ah (weary; grieved), and served with him yet seven other years.
31And when the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) saw that Le’ah (weary; grieved) [was] hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel (ewe) [was] barren.
32And Le’ah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Re’uven (behold a son): for she said, Surely the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Because the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has heard that I [was] hated, he has therefore given me this [son] also: and she called his name Shim’on (heard; he who hears; man of hearing).
34And she conceived again, and bore 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 (Levite) [Joined to] (joined).
35And she conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate): therefore she called his name Y’hudah (Let the Powerful One be Praised [Yah]); and left bearing.
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