Genesis 29

Jacob Meets Rachel

1Then Jacob #29:1 Lit lifted up his feetset out on his journey, and went to the land of the #29:1 Lit sonspeople of the east. 2He looked, and #29:2 Lit beholdsaw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3When all the flocks were gathered there, they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.” 5So he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.” 6And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep.” 7Then he said, “Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.” 8But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and wept. 12Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

13So when Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things. 14And Laban said to him, “You certainly are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a month.

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, 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. 17And Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in figure and appearance. 18Now Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.” 20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days because of his love for her.

Laban’s Treachery

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my #29:21 Lit days aretime is completed, that I may have relations with her.” 22So Laban gathered all the people of the place and held a feast. 23Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and Jacob had relations with her. 24Laban also gave his female slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a slave. 25So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this that you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you deceived me?” 26But Laban said, “It is not #29:26 Lit done thus inthe practice in our place to #29:26 Lit givemarry off the younger before the firstborn. 27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me, for another seven years.” 28Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29Laban also gave his female slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. 30So Jacob had relations with Rachel also, and indeed he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with #29:30 Lit himLaban for another seven years.

31Now the Lord saw that Leah was #29:31 Lit hatedunloved, and He opened her womb, but Rachel was unable to have children. 32Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and named him #29:32 I.e., see, a sonReuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has #29:32 Lit looked atseen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.” 33Then she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Because the Lord has #29:33 Heb shama, related to Simeonheard that I am #29:33 Lit hatedunloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon. 34And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become #29:34 Heb lavah, related to Leviattached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi. 35And she conceived again and gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will #29:35 Heb Jadah, related to Judahpraise the Lord.” Therefore she named him #29:35 Heb JehudahJudah. Then she stopped having children.

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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.

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