The Genesis
Chapter
29
1 So Jacob [resumed his journey] eastward toward the land of Laban… to the son of BathuEl the Syrian and the brother of RebecKa (the mother of Jacob and Esau).
2 {Look!} [Jacob] spied a well in the plains where there were three flocks of sheep resting. It was a well that they used to water the flocks, and there was a large stone covering it. 3 For after all the flocks had gathered there, they used to roll the stone away from the mouth of the well to water the flocks, then push it back over the mouth of the well to cover it again.
4 So Jacob asked: 'Brothers, where are you from?' And they replied: 'We're from Haran.'
5 Then he asked: 'Do you know Laban, the son of NaHor?' And they answered: 'We do!'
6 And he asked: 'Is he doing well?' Then they replied: 'He is well. Look, here comes his daughter RachEl with his sheep!'
7 And Jacob said: 'It's still mid-day… it isn't time for the flocks to be gathered yet. So, why not just water the flocks, then take them back out to graze?'
8 But they said: 'We can't do that until all the shepherds arrive. They will roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and then we will water the flocks.'
9 Well, while he was still speaking to them, {Look!} Laban's daughter RachEl arrived with her father's sheep, because she was in charge of grazing them. 10 And when Jacob saw RachEl (the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother) and the sheep of his mother's brother, Laban; Jacob went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered Laban's sheep.
11 Then Jacob kissed RachEl and shouted loudly, as he [started to] cry… 12 for he explained to RachEl that he was a close relative of her father, and that he was the son of RebecKa. So she ran and told her father what he said. 13 And when Laban heard the name of Jacob (his sister's son), he ran to meet him… he hugged and kissed him, then led him to his house. There [Jacob] told Laban everything [that had happened]. 14 And Laban said: 'Why, you are my own flesh and bones!' And thereafter, [Jacob] stayed with [Laban] for a full month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob: 'Surely you aren't going to serve me for nothing; why, you're my brother! Tell me how I can reward you!'
16 Now, Laban had two daughters. The name of the eldest was LeAh, and the younger was called RachEl. 17 LeAh had weak eyes, but RachEl was beautiful and had a very pretty face. 18 And because Jacob loved RachEl, he replied: 'I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter, RachEl.'
19 And Laban said to him: 'It's better for me to give her to you than to some other man. So, come and live with me.'
20 Well, Jacob served [Laban] seven years for RachEl, but to him it seemed like just a few days, because he loved her so much. 21 Then Jacob told Laban: 'Now, give me my woman, because I've served my time.'
22 So Laban assembled all the people and prepared a wedding banquet. 23 Then that evening, he took his daughter LeAh and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob [had sex] with her. 24 Laban also gave his servant ZelPha to his daughter LeAh, to be her handmaid.
25 Well, it was [the next] morning before [Jacob realized] that it was LeAh. So Jacob [went to] Laban and asked: 'What have you done to me? Didn't I serve you for RachEl? Why have you deceived me?'
26 And Laban answered: 'In our country, it isn't proper to give the younger before the eldest. 27 Serve me for seven [more years] and I'll give her to you also, in return for your labor of seven more years.'
28 So, that's what Jacob did… he served for seven [more years]. Then Laban also gave his daughter RachEl to be his woman. 29 And Laban gave his servant BalLa to be his daughter's handmaid.
30 Thereafter, [Jacob had sex with] RachEl, and he loved RachEl more than LeAh… that's why [he had been willing] to serve him for seven more years.
31 And when Jehovah God saw that LeAh wasn't attractive [to Jacob], He opened her womb. However, RachEl was sterile. 32 So LeAh got pregnant and bore a son to Jacob, whom she named ReuBen (See, a Son!). For she said, 'Jehovah has seen my humiliation and given me a son, so that my man will now love me.'
33 Then she got pregnant again and bore a second son to Jacob. [This time] she said: 'Because Jehovah has heard that I'm hated, He has also given me this one.' So she named him SimeOn (He Has Heard).
34 Then she got pregnant a third time and bore a son, and said: 'Now my man will stay with me, because I've born three sons to him.' So she named him Levi (He Is Mine).
35 Thereafter she got pregnant again and bore a [fourth] son. And she said: 'I give thanks to Jehovah once more.' So, she named him Judah (Praised). And after that, she stopped having children.
2 {Look!} [Jacob] spied a well in the plains where there were three flocks of sheep resting. It was a well that they used to water the flocks, and there was a large stone covering it. 3 For after all the flocks had gathered there, they used to roll the stone away from the mouth of the well to water the flocks, then push it back over the mouth of the well to cover it again.
4 So Jacob asked: 'Brothers, where are you from?' And they replied: 'We're from Haran.'
5 Then he asked: 'Do you know Laban, the son of NaHor?' And they answered: 'We do!'
6 And he asked: 'Is he doing well?' Then they replied: 'He is well. Look, here comes his daughter RachEl with his sheep!'
7 And Jacob said: 'It's still mid-day… it isn't time for the flocks to be gathered yet. So, why not just water the flocks, then take them back out to graze?'
8 But they said: 'We can't do that until all the shepherds arrive. They will roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and then we will water the flocks.'
9 Well, while he was still speaking to them, {Look!} Laban's daughter RachEl arrived with her father's sheep, because she was in charge of grazing them. 10 And when Jacob saw RachEl (the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother) and the sheep of his mother's brother, Laban; Jacob went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered Laban's sheep.
11 Then Jacob kissed RachEl and shouted loudly, as he [started to] cry… 12 for he explained to RachEl that he was a close relative of her father, and that he was the son of RebecKa. So she ran and told her father what he said. 13 And when Laban heard the name of Jacob (his sister's son), he ran to meet him… he hugged and kissed him, then led him to his house. There [Jacob] told Laban everything [that had happened]. 14 And Laban said: 'Why, you are my own flesh and bones!' And thereafter, [Jacob] stayed with [Laban] for a full month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob: 'Surely you aren't going to serve me for nothing; why, you're my brother! Tell me how I can reward you!'
16 Now, Laban had two daughters. The name of the eldest was LeAh, and the younger was called RachEl. 17 LeAh had weak eyes, but RachEl was beautiful and had a very pretty face. 18 And because Jacob loved RachEl, he replied: 'I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter, RachEl.'
19 And Laban said to him: 'It's better for me to give her to you than to some other man. So, come and live with me.'
20 Well, Jacob served [Laban] seven years for RachEl, but to him it seemed like just a few days, because he loved her so much. 21 Then Jacob told Laban: 'Now, give me my woman, because I've served my time.'
22 So Laban assembled all the people and prepared a wedding banquet. 23 Then that evening, he took his daughter LeAh and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob [had sex] with her. 24 Laban also gave his servant ZelPha to his daughter LeAh, to be her handmaid.
25 Well, it was [the next] morning before [Jacob realized] that it was LeAh. So Jacob [went to] Laban and asked: 'What have you done to me? Didn't I serve you for RachEl? Why have you deceived me?'
26 And Laban answered: 'In our country, it isn't proper to give the younger before the eldest. 27 Serve me for seven [more years] and I'll give her to you also, in return for your labor of seven more years.'
28 So, that's what Jacob did… he served for seven [more years]. Then Laban also gave his daughter RachEl to be his woman. 29 And Laban gave his servant BalLa to be his daughter's handmaid.
30 Thereafter, [Jacob had sex with] RachEl, and he loved RachEl more than LeAh… that's why [he had been willing] to serve him for seven more years.
31 And when Jehovah God saw that LeAh wasn't attractive [to Jacob], He opened her womb. However, RachEl was sterile. 32 So LeAh got pregnant and bore a son to Jacob, whom she named ReuBen (See, a Son!). For she said, 'Jehovah has seen my humiliation and given me a son, so that my man will now love me.'
33 Then she got pregnant again and bore a second son to Jacob. [This time] she said: 'Because Jehovah has heard that I'm hated, He has also given me this one.' So she named him SimeOn (He Has Heard).
34 Then she got pregnant a third time and bore a son, and said: 'Now my man will stay with me, because I've born three sons to him.' So she named him Levi (He Is Mine).
35 Thereafter she got pregnant again and bore a [fourth] son. And she said: 'I give thanks to Jehovah once more.' So, she named him Judah (Praised). And after that, she stopped having children.
2001translation.com
How to comment with Disqus?
The first way to comment is to register in Disqus. If you have no account, click on the Disqus logo and follow the instructions.
You can comment as a guest: check “I’d rather post as a guest” and follow the instructions.
You can sign with your Google, Twitter or Facebook account.
At the moment, comments are not moderate, however, please respect common sense rules and current laws. (Note that moderation may come a posteriori)
The first way to comment is to register in Disqus. If you have no account, click on the Disqus logo and follow the instructions.
You can comment as a guest: check “I’d rather post as a guest” and follow the instructions.
You can sign with your Google, Twitter or Facebook account.
At the moment, comments are not moderate, however, please respect common sense rules and current laws. (Note that moderation may come a posteriori)
Please check this page to read our privacy policy and our use of cookies
This website may use cookies to give you the very best experience. If you continue to visit it, you consent to this - but if you want, you can change your settings in the preferences of your web browser at any time.