1Then Jacob hurried on, finally arriving in the land of the east. 2He saw a well in the distance. Three flocks of sheep and goats lay in an open field beside it, waiting to be watered. But a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well.

3It was the custom there to wait for all the flocks to arrive before removing the stone and watering the animals. Afterward the stone would be placed back over the mouth of the well. 4Jacob went over to the shepherds and asked, “Where are you from, my friends?”

“We are from Haran,” they answered.

5“Do you know a man there named Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” he asked.

“Yes, we do,” they replied.

6“Is he doing well?” Jacob asked.

“Yes, he’s well,” they answered. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock now.”

7Jacob said, “Look, it’s still broad daylight—too early to round up the animals. Why don’t you water the sheep and goats so they can get back out to pasture?”

8“We can’t water the animals until all the flocks have arrived,” they replied. “Then the shepherds move the stone from the mouth of the well, and we water all the sheep and goats.”

9Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherd. 10And because Rachel was his cousin—the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother—and because the sheep and goats belonged to his uncle Laban, Jacob went over to the well and moved the stone from its mouth and watered his uncle’s flock. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept aloud. 12He explained to Rachel that he was her cousin on her father’s side—the son of her aunt Rebekah. So Rachel quickly ran and told her father, Laban.

13As soon as Laban heard that his nephew Jacob had arrived, he ran out to meet him. He embraced and kissed him and brought him home. When Jacob had told him his story, 14Laban exclaimed, “You really are my own flesh and blood!”

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

After Jacob had stayed with Laban for about a month, 15Laban said to him, “You shouldn’t work for me without pay just because we are relatives. Tell me how much your wages should be.”

16Now Laban had two daughters. The older daughter was named Leah, and the younger one was Rachel. 17There was no sparkle in Leah’s eyes,#29:17 Or Leah had dull eyes, or Leah had soft eyes. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a lovely face. 18Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he told her father, “I’ll work for you for seven years if you’ll give me Rachel, your younger daughter, as my wife.”

19“Agreed!” Laban replied. “I’d rather give her to you than to anyone else. Stay and work with me.” 20So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.

21Finally, the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my agreement,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her.”

22So Laban invited everyone in the neighborhood and prepared a wedding feast. 23But that night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24(Laban had given Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid.)

25But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?”

26“It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied. 27“But wait until the bridal week is over; then we’ll give you Rachel, too—provided you promise to work another seven years for me.”

28So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too. 29(Laban gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, to be her maid.) 30So Jacob slept with Rachel, too, and he loved her much more than Leah. He then stayed and worked for Laban the additional seven years.

Jacob’s Many Children

31When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. 32So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben,#29:32 Reuben means “Look, a son!” It also sounds like the Hebrew for “He has seen my misery.” for she said, “The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me.”

33She soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon,#29:33 Simeon probably means “one who hears.” for she said, “The Lord heard that I was unloved and has given me another son.”

34Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. He was named Levi,#29:34 Levi sounds like a Hebrew term that means “being attached” or “feeling affection for.” for she said, “Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!”

35Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah,#29:35 Judah is related to the Hebrew term for “praise.” for she said, “Now I will praise the Lord!” And then she stopped having children.

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Genesis 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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Genesis 29

Genesis 29