Genesis 29
29
Chapter 29
Jacob and Laban
1Jacob continued on his journey. He came to the land where the people from the east live. 2He saw a well in a field. Three groups of sheep lay near it. Shepherds took water from the well to give to their sheep. There was a large stone that covered the top of the well. 3The shepherds waited until all the sheep were there together. Then they removed the stone from the top of the well. They gave their sheep water to drink, and then they put the stone back on the top of the well.
4Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘My brothers, where are you from?’ The shepherds replied, ‘We are from Haran.’ 5Jacob said, ‘Do you know Laban? He is Nahor's grandson.’ The shepherds replied, ‘Yes, we know him.’ 6Jacob asked them, ‘Is he in good health?’ They replied, ‘Yes, he is. Look. Here comes his daughter now, with their sheep. Her name is Rachel.’ 7Jacob said to them, ‘The sun is still high in the sky. It is not yet the right time to bring all the sheep together. So give them some water now. Then they can go back to the fields and eat more grass.’ 8The shepherds said, ‘We cannot do that. We have to wait until all the sheep are here together. Then we can remove the big stone from the well and we can give water to the sheep.’
9When Jacob was speaking to the shepherds, Rachel arrived there. She brought her father's sheep with her. She was taking care of them.
10Jacob saw Rachel. She was the daughter of his uncle Laban. Jacob saw that she had Laban's sheep with her. So Jacob went to the well and he removed the big stone. Then he gave water to Laban's sheep. 11Then Jacob kissed Rachel. He began to weep loudly. #29:11 Jacob cried because he was happy to find his relatives.
12Jacob told Rachel that he was a relative of her father, Laban. He told her that he was Rebekah's son. So Rachel ran home to tell her father.
13When Laban heard what Rachel said, he went quickly to meet Jacob, his sister's son. He put his arms round Jacob and he kissed him. Laban brought Jacob to his home. Jacob told Laban all his news. 14Then Laban said, ‘Yes, you really are my own relative.’ So Jacob stayed with Laban for a month.
15Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘You should not work for me for nothing because you are my relative. Tell me what I should pay you.’ 16Laban had two daughters. The name of the older daughter was Leah. The name of the younger daughter was Rachel. 17Leah had weak eyes. But Rachel's face and her body were beautiful. 18Jacob loved Rachel. He said to Laban, ‘I will work for you for seven years. In return, I want to marry your younger daughter, Rachel.’ 19Laban said, ‘It is better for you to marry her than another man. Stay here with me.’
20Jacob worked for seven years to have Rachel as his wife. But the years passed very quickly because Jacob loved Rachel very much. Seven years seemed like only a few days to Jacob.
Jacob marries Leah and Rachel
21After seven years, Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. My time to work for you is finished and I want to marry her.’ 22Laban called all the people in that place to come together. He prepared a big meal for them to eat. 23When evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and he gave her to Jacob. Jacob slept that night with her as his wife. 24Laban gave his female servant to Leah to be her servant. Her name was Zilpah.
25When morning came, Jacob saw that he had slept with Leah! He said to Laban, ‘You have done a very bad thing to me! I worked for you to get Rachel as my wife. Why have you deceived me?’ 26Laban replied, ‘In our land, we do not give the younger daughter to a man first. We let the older daughter marry first. 27So finish this week of Leah's marriage. Then we will give you Rachel to marry too. But you must work for another seven years.’ #29:27 Laban had deceived Jacob. A marriage week was the seven days of the feast. Jacob had to sleep with his wife Leah until the end of the week.
28So Jacob did what Laban said. He finished the marriage week with Leah. Then Laban gave Rachel to Jacob to be his wife. 29Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to Rachel to become her servant. 30Jacob also slept with Rachel. He loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. He worked for Laban for seven more years.
31The Lord saw that Jacob did not love Leah. So he let her become pregnant. But Rachel did not give birth to any children. 32Leah became pregnant and she gave birth to a son. She called him Reuben. She said, ‘It is because the Lord has seen how sad I am. My husband will love me now because I have given birth to a son.’
33Leah became pregnant again. She gave birth to another son. She said, ‘The Lord has given me another son because he knows that I am not loved.’ She called this son Simeon.
34Leah became pregnant again. Later, she gave birth to another son. She said, ‘Now I have given my husband three sons, so he will want to stay with me.’ She called this son Levi.
35Leah became pregnant again. She gave birth to another son. She said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ She called this son Judah. Then she stopped giving birth to children.
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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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