Genesis 29

29 And Jacob lifteth up his feet, and goeth towards the land of the sons of the east;

^2 ^and he looketh, and lo, a well in the field, and lo, there three droves of a flock crouching by it, for from that well they water the droves, and the great stone [is] on the mouth of the well.

^3 (When thither have all the droves been gathered, and they have rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, and have watered the flock, then they have turned back the stone on the mouth of the well to its place.)

^4 ^And Jacob saith to them, My brethren, from whence [are] ye?' and they say, We [are] from Haran.'

^5 ^And he saith to them, Have ye known Laban, son of Nahor?' and they say, We have known.'

^6 ^And he saith to them, Hath he peace?' and they say, Peace; and lo, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.'

^7 ^And he saith, `Lo, the day [is] still great, [it is] not time for the cattle to be gathered; water ye the flock, and go, delight yourselves.'

^8 ^And they say, `We are not able, till that all the droves be gathered together, and they have rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and we have watered the flock.'

^9 ^He is yet speaking with them, and Rachel hath come with the flock which her father hath, for she [is] shepherdess;

^10 ^and it cometh to pass when Jacob hath seen Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob cometh nigh and rolleth the stone from off the mouth of the well, and watereth the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

^11 ^And Jacob kisseth Rachel, and lifteth up his voice, and weepeth,

^12 ^and Jacob declareth to Rachel that he [is] her father's brother, and that he [is] Rebekah's son, and she runneth and declareth to her father.

^13 ^And it cometh to pass, when Laban heareth the report of Jacob his sister's son, that he runneth to meet him, and embraceth him, and kisseth him, and bringeth him in unto his house; and he recounteth to Laban all these things,

^14 ^and Laban saith to him, `Only my bone and my flesh [art] thou;' and he dwelleth with him a month of days.

^15 ^And Laban saith to Jacob, `Is it because thou [art] my brother that thou hast served me for nought? declare to me what [is] thy hire.'

^16 ^And Laban hath two daughters, the name of the elder [is] Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel,

^17 ^and the eyes of Leah [are] tender, and Rachel hath been fair of form and fair of appearance.

^18 ^And Jacob loveth Rachel, and saith, `I serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter:'

^19 ^and Laban saith, `It is better for me to give her to thee than to give her to another man; dwell with me;'

^20 ^and Jacob serveth for Rachel seven years; and they are in his eyes as some days, because of his loving her.

^21 ^And Jacob saith unto Laban, `Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in unto her;'

^22 ^and Laban gathereth all the men of the place, and maketh a banquet.

^23 ^And it cometh to pass in the evening, that he taketh Leah, his daughter, and bringeth her in unto him, and he goeth in unto her;

^24 ^and Laban giveth to her Zilpah, his maid-servant, to Leah his daughter, a maid-servant.

^25 ^And it cometh to pass in the morning, that lo, it [is] Leah; and he saith unto Laban, `What [is] this thou hast done to me? for Rachel have I not served with thee? and why hast thou deceived me?'

^26 ^And Laban saith, `It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the first-born;

^27 ^fulfil the week of this one, and we give to thee also this one, for the service which thou dost serve with me yet seven other years.'

^28 ^And Jacob doth so, and fulfilleth the week of this one, and he giveth to him Rachel his daughter, to him for a wife;

^29 ^and Laban giveth to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maid-servant, for a maid-servant to her.

^30 ^And he goeth in also unto Rachel, and he also loveth Rachel more than Leah; and he serveth with him yet seven other years.

^31 ^And Jehovah seeth that Leah [is] the hated one, and He openeth her womb, and Rachel [is] barren;

^32 ^and Leah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Reuben, for she said, `Because Jehovah hath looked on mine affliction; because now doth my husband love me.'

^33 ^And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, `Because Jehovah hath heard that I [am] the hated one, He also giveth to me even this [one];' and she calleth his name Simeon.

^34 ^And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, `Now [is] the time, my husband is joined unto me, because I have born to him three sons,' therefore hath [one] called his name Levi.

^35 ^And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith this time, `I praise Jehovah;' therefore hath she called his name Judah; and she ceaseth from bearing.

TLV

29 Then Jacob lifted up his feet and went to the land of the peoples of the east. 2 When he looked, suddenly, there was a well in the field, and there were three herds of sheep resting by it. (For from that well they would water the flocks. The stone on the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the herds gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the flocks, and put the stone back to its place over the mouth of the well.)

4 Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?”

“We’re from Haran,” they said.

5 So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s son?”

They said, “We know.”

6 He said to them, “Is he well?”

“Well,” they said. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the flock.”

7 He said, “Since it’s still the middle of the day, it’s not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the flock and let them go and graze.”

8 But they said, “We can’t, not until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well—then we water the flock.”

9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock that belonged to her father (for she was a shepherdess). 10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel (the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother), Jacob stepped forward and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban, his mother’s brother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 Then Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.

13 Now when Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, hugged and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then he told Laban all these things. 14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my own bone and flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you, my relative, serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?”

16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “Let me serve you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”

19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than I give her to another man! Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, yet in his eyes it was like a few days, because of his love for her.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are completed, so I may go to her.” 22 So Laban gathered all the men of the place and he prepared a feast. 23 When it was evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him, and he went to her. 24 Laban also gave her Zilpah his female servant to his daughter Leah as a female servant.

25 So when it was morning, behold there she was, Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you’ve done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked with you? So why have you deceived me?”

26 But Laban said, “It’s not done so in our place—to give the younger before the first-born. 27 Complete the bridal week for this one. Then we’ll also give you this other—for work that you’ll do with me—another seven years more.”

28 So Jacob did; he also completed this one’s bridal week. Then he gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban also gave his daughter Rachel his female servant Bilhah, to be a servant for her.

30 Jacob also went to Rachel and indeed loved Rachel more than Leah. So he served with him for yet another seven years.

Rivalry Continues With Wives

31 Now Adonai saw that Leah was unloved, so he opened her womb; but Rachel was unable to conceive. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son and named him Reuben because she said, “For Adonai has seen my affliction. Surely now my husband will love me.” 33 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and said, “For Adonai heard that I am hated, so He’s given me this one also,” and she named him Simeon. 34 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will join himself to me because I’ve given birth to three sons for him.” For this reason he was named Levi. 35 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I praise Adonai.” For this reason she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

OJB

29 Then Ya’akov went on his journey, and came into the eretz of the bnei kedem.

2 And he looked, and hinei a be’er in the sadeh, and, hinei, there were shloshah edrei tzon lying by it; for out of that be’er they watered the edarim: and a great even (stone) was upon the mouth of the be’er.

3 And to there were all the edarim gathered: and they rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er, and watered the tzon, and put the even (stone) again upon the mouth of the be’er in its place.

4 And Ya’akov said unto them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, Of Charan are we.

5 And he said unto them, Know ye Lavan ben Nachor? And they said, We know him.

6 And he said unto them, Is the shalom with him? And they said, Shalom; and, hinei, Rachel his bat cometh with the tzon.

7 And he said, Look, the sun is still high, neither is it time that the flock should be gathered together; water ye the tzon, and go and feed them.

8 And they said, We cannot, until all the edarim be gathered together, and till they roll the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er; then we water the tzon.

9 And while he yet spoke with them, Rachel came with the tzon of her av; for she was a ro’ah (shepherdess).

10 And it came to pass, when Ya’akov saw Rachel bat Lavan achi immo, and the tzon of Lavan achi immo, that Ya’akov went near, and rolled the even (stone) from the mouth of the be’er, and watered the tzon of Lavan achi immo.

11 And Ya’akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

12 And Ya’akov told Rachel that he was the relative of her av, and that he was ben Rivkah; and she ran and told her av.

13 And it came to pass, when Lavan heard the news of Ya’akov ben achoto, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his bais. And he told Lavan all these things.

14 And Lavan said to him, Surely thou art my etzem (bone) and my basar. And he abode with him the space of a chodesh (month).

15 And Lavan said unto Ya’akov, Because thou art my relative, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall thy maskoret (wages) be?

16 And Lavan had two banot: the shem of the elder was Leah, and the shem of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah had weak eyes; but Rachel was yafeh and lovely in form.

18 And Ya’akov loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee sheva shanim for Rachel thy bat haketannah (younger daughter).

19 And Lavan said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another ish; abide with me.

20 And Ya’akov served sheva shanim for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few yamim, because of the ahavah he had for her.

21 And Ya’akov said unto Lavan, Give me my isha, for my yamim are completed, that I may go in unto her.

22 And Lavan gathered together all the anshei hamakom, and made a mishteh (feast).

23 And it came to pass in the erev, that he took Leah his bat, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

24 And Lavan gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah shifchato (his maid) for a shifchah.

25 And it came to pass, that in the boker, hinei, it was Leah! And he said to Lavan, What is this thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? So why then hast thou deceived me?

26 And Lavan said, It must not be so done in our land, to give the younger before the bechirah.

27 Finish her shvu’a (week), and we will give thee this also for the avodah (service, work) which thou shalt do for me yet sheva shanim acherot.

28 And Ya’akov did so, and fulfilled her shvu’a; and he gave him Rachel his bat to be his isha also.

29 And Lavan gave to his bat Rachel Bilhah his shifchah to be her shifchah.

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served him yet sheva shanim acherot.

31 And when Hashem saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bore a ben, and she called shmo Reuven: for she said, Surely Hashem hath looked upon my misery; now therefore my ish will love me.

33 And she conceived again, and bore ben; and said, Because Hashem hath heard I was hated, He hath therefore given me this also; and she called shmo Shimon.

34 And she conceived again, and bore ben; and said, Now this time will my ish yillaveh (become attached) unto me, because I have born him shloshah banim: therefore was shmo called Levi.

35 And she conceived again, and bore ben; and she said, Now will odeh (I praise) Hashem; therefore she called shmo Yehudah; and stopped giving birth.