Gen 29 | ABEn | STEP | And Jacob lifting his feet, went into the land of the east to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Syrian, and brother of Rebekah, mother of Jacob and Esau.

‏ Genesis 29

CHAPTER 29 Jacob Meets Rachel and Laban

1 And Jacob lifting his feet, went into the land of the east to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Syrian, and brother of Rebekah, mother of Jacob and Esau. 2 And he saw, and behold, there was a well in the plain. And there were there three flocks of sheep resting near it, for from out of that well they watered the flocks. [⁴stone ¹And ²there was ³a great] upon the mouth of the well. 3 And [⁴came together ⁵there ¹all ²the ³flocks]. And they rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and they watered the sheep, and restored the stone upon the mouth of the well into its place. 4 [³said ¹And ⁴to them ²Jacob], Brethren, from what place are you? And they said, [²from ³Haran ¹We are]. 5 And he said to them, You know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said to them, Is he in health? And they said, He is in health, and behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep. 7 And Jacob said, There is still [²day ¹much], for not yet is the hour [³to come together ¹for the ²herds]; having watered the sheep, sending them forth graze them! 8 And they said, We are not able until the coming together of all the shepherds, for they should roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, and we shall water the sheep. 9 While he was speaking to them, and behold, Rachel the daughter of Laban comes with the sheep of her father. For she grazed the sheep of her father. 10 And it came to pass as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, brother of his mother, and the sheep of Laban, the brother of his mother; and coming forward, Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well. And he watered the sheep of Laban, the brother of his mother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel. And yelling with his voice he wept. 12 And he reported to Rachel that [²a brother ³of her father ¹he is], and that [²a son ³of Rebekah ¹he is]. And she ran to report to her father concerning these words. 13 And it came to pass as Laban heard the name Jacob, the son of his sister, he ran to meet him. And taking hold of him, he kissed him and brought him into his house. And he described to Laban all these matters. 14 And [²said ³to him ¹Laban], From out of my bones, and from out of my flesh are you. And he was with him a month of days. 15 [³said ¹And ²Laban] to Jacob that, For [²brother ¹you are my], you shall not be a slave to me without charge, you tell to me what your wage is?

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

16 And to Laban there were two daughters, the name of the older -- Leah, and the name of the younger -- Rachel. 17 But the eyes of Leah were weak, but Rachel was good to the sight, and beautiful in appearance -- exceedingly. 18 [³loved ¹And ²Jacob] Rachel. And he said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel [³daughter ¹your ²younger]. 19 [³said ¹And ⁴to him ²Laban], Better for me to give her to you, than for me to give her [²man ¹to another]. You live with me! 20 And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as [²days ¹a few], because of his love for her. 21 [³said ¹And ²Jacob] to Laban, Give to me my wife, [⁴are fulfilled ¹for ²the ³days] so as to enter to her! 22 [³brought together ¹And ²Laban] all the men of the place, and he made a wedding. 23 And it became evening. And taking Leah his daughter, he brought her to Jacob, and [²entered ³to ⁴her ¹Jacob]. 24 [³gave ¹And ²Laban] Leah his daughter Zilpah his maidservant. 25 And it happened in the morning, and behold, there was Leah. [³said ¹And ²Jacob] to Laban, What is this you did to me, was it not on account of Rachel I served for you, and why did you mislead me? 26 [³said ¹And ²Laban], It is not so in our place to give the younger before the elder. 27 You complete then these sevenths and I will give to you also this woman for the work of which you will work for me, yet [²seven ³years ¹another]. 28 [³did ¹And ²Jacob] so, and fulfilled these her sevenths. And [²gave ³to him ¹Laban] Rachel his daughter, to him as wife. 29 [³gave ¹And ²Laban ⁷to his daughter ⁴Bilhah ⁵the ⁶maidservant]. 30 And he entered to Rachel. And he loved Rachel rather than Leah. And he served him [²seven ³years ¹another].

Leah Bears Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah

31 [³seeing ¹And ²the lord] that Leah was detested, he opened her womb. But Rachel was sterile. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son to Jacob. And she called his name, Reuben, saying, Because [²saw ³my ¹the lord] the humiliation, and he gave to me a son; now then [²will love ³me ¹my husband]. 33 And [³conceived ¹again ²Leah] and bore [²son ¹a second] to Jacob. And she said, For the lord heard that I am detested, and he gave in addition to me also this one. And she called his name, Simeon. 34 And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, In the present time [³by ⁴me ²will be ¹my husband], for I bore to him three sons. On account of this she called his name, Levi. 35 And conceiving again she bore a son. And she said, Now yet this I will acknowledge to the lord. On account of this she called his name, Judah. And she stopped bearing.