The Holy Bible · Genesis

Genesis 29

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1Then Jacob rose up and journeyed into the land of the East, to Laban the son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

2And he looked, and behold, a well was in the plain, and there were three flocks of sheep resting by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a great stone was over the mouth of the well.

3And all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and then put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

4And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”

5Then he said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”

6He asked, “Is he well?” They said, “He is well.” And behold, Rachel his daughter was coming with the sheep.

7He said, “There is still much of the day left; it is not time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them out to pasture.”

8But they said, “We cannot, until all the shepherds are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel, Laban’s daughter, came with her father’s sheep, for she tended her father’s sheep.

10When Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob approached, rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother.

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept aloud.

12Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman and Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

13And it came to pass, when Laban heard the name of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him into his house. And he related to Laban all these words.

14And Laban said to him, “You are of my bones and of my flesh.” And he stayed with him a full month.

15Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, you shall not serve me for nothing. Tell me what your wages should be.”

16Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17Leah’s eyes were weak, while Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.

18And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man; stay with me.”

20Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days because he loved her.

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

22So Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a wedding feast.

23And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and Jacob went in to her.

24And Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her slave woman.

25And it came to pass in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this that you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you defrauded me?”

26And Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the older.”

27“Complete this one’s week, and I will give you the other also, in exchange for another seven years of service.”

28And Jacob did so; he fulfilled her week, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

29And Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her slave woman.

30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah; and he served with him another seven years.

31The Lord saw that Leah was unloved and opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

32And Leah conceived and bore a son to Jacob, and she called his name Reuben, saying, “Because the Lord saw my humiliation; now therefore my husband will love me.”

33And she conceived again and bore a second son to Jacob, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am unloved, He has given me this one also.” So she called his name Simeon.

34She conceived again and bore a son, saying, “Now my husband will be on my side, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.

35And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, “Now this time I will give thanks to the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah; and she ceased bearing.

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Read this chapter with the Hebrew and Greek compared →

Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · working draft awaiting specialist review.