Genesis 29

1Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.

2And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.

3And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.

4And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.

5And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.

6He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.

7And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again. First give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.

8They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well's mouth, that we may water the flocks.

9They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she fed the flock.

10And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.

11And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept.

12And he told her that he was her father's brother, and the son of Rebecca. But she went in haste and told her father.

13Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister's son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,

14He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,

15He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.

16Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.

17But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.

18And Jacob being in love with her said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19Lahan answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.

20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.

21And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.

23And at night he brought in Lia, his daughter, to him,

24Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zalpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom, when morning was come he saw it was Lia:

25And he said to his father-in-law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? Why hast thou deceived me?

26Laban answered: It is not the custom in this plac, to give the younger in marriage first.

27Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.

28He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel.

29To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.

30And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.

31And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.

32And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction, now my husband will love me.

33And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me. And she called his name Simeon.

34And she conceived the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons. And therefore she called his name Levi.

35The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: Now will I praise the Lord. And for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.

An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

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Genesis 29

CHAPTER 29

1Therefore Jacob passed forth, and came into the east land;

2and he saw a pit or well in the field, and three flocks of sheep resting beside it, for why sheep were watered thereof, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.

3And the custom was that when all the sheep were gathered together, they should turn away the stone, and when the flocks were watered, they should put it again on the mouth of the pit.

4And Jacob said to the shepherds, Brethren, of whence be ye? Which answered, Of Haran.

5And he asked them and said, Whether ye know Laban, the son of Nahor? They said, We know him.

6Jacob said, Is he whole? They said, He is in good state; and lo! Rachel, his daughter, cometh with his flock.

7And Jacob said, Yet much of the day is to come, and it is not time that the flocks be led again to the folds; soothly give ye drink to the sheep, and so lead ye them again to meat or feeding.

8Which answered, We may not till all the sheep be gathered together, and till we remove the stone from the mouth of the pit, to water the flocks.

9Yet they spake, and lo! Rachel came with the sheep of her father.

10And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be the daughter of his mother’s brother, and the sheep to be of Laban his uncle, he removed the stone with which the pit was closed; and when the flock was watered,

11he kissed her, and he wept with voice raised.

12And Jacob showed to her that he was the brother of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she hasted, and told to her father.

13And when he had heard, that Jacob, the son of his sister, came, he ran to meet him, and he embraced Jacob, and kissed him, and led him into his house. Forsooth when the causes of the journey were heard,

14Laban answered, Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after that the days of a month were filled,

15Laban said to Jacob, Whether for thou art my brother, thou shalt serve me freely? say thou what meed thou shalt take.

16Forsooth Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, soothly the younger was called Rachel;

17but Leah was bleary-eyed, and Rachel was of fair face, and lovely in sight.

18And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I shall serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19Laban answered, It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; dwell thou with me.

20Therefore Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and the days seemed few to him for the greatness of his love.

21And at last he said to Laban, Give thou my wife to me, for the time is fulfilled that I enter [in] to her.

22And when many companies of friends were called to the feast, he made [the] weddings,

23and in the eventide Laban brought in to him Leah his daughter,

24and gave an handmaid, Zilpah by name, to his daughter.

25And when Jacob had entered [in] to her by custom, when the morrow-tide was made, he saw Leah, and he said to his wife’s father, What is it that thou wouldest do? whether I served not thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?

26Laban answered, It is not custom in our place that we give first the younger daughter to weddings;

27fulfill thou the week of days of this wedding, and I shall give to thee also this Rachel, for the work in which thou shalt serve me by other seven years.

28Jacob assented to the covenant, and when the week was passed, he wedded Rachel,

29to whom her father had given Bilhah an handmaid.

30And at the last Jacob used the weddings desired, and set the love of the latter wife before the first; and Jacob served Laban seven other years.

31Forsooth the Lord saw that Jacob despised Leah, that is, loved her less than Rachel, and he opened Leah’s womb, while her sister dwelled barren.

32And Leah childed a son conceived, and she called his name Reuben, and said, The Lord hath seen my meek-ness; now mine husband shall love me.

33And again she conceived, and childed a son, and said, For the Lord saw that I was despised, he gave also this son to me; and she called his name Simeon.

34And she conceived the third time, and childed another son, and she said also, Now mine husband shall be coupled to me, for I have childed three sons to him; and therefore she called his name Levi.

35The fourth time she conceived, and childed a son, and said, Now I shall acknowledge to the Lord; and therefore she called his name Judah; and ceased to child.

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