29:1 Jacob continued his journey
entering
the region
of
the people of the East.
29:2 There he saw a spring in a field
with
three flocks of sheep lying near it
as
the birds watered from that spring.
The
stone over wellspring was large.
29:3 Where the flocks gathered
they
would roll away the stone
from
the wellspring to water the sheep.
Then
they returned the stone
to
cover the wellspring.
29:4 Jacob asked them:
My
brothers where are you from?
They
replied:
We
are from
29:5 Then he asked them:
Do
you know Laban
the
follower of Nahor?
They
replied:
Yes
we do know him.
29:6 Then he asked them:
Is
he well?
They
replied:
Yes
he is.
Here
comes Rachel
his
daughter with the sheep.
29:7 Then he said:
I
see the sun is still high.
It’s
not time for gathering the herds.
Go
water and feed your sheep.
29:8 They replied:
We
can't until all the herds gather
and
the wellspring stone is rolled away.
Then
we will water the sheep.
29:9 While he spoke with them
Rachel
came with her father’s sheep.
For
it was her who cared for them.
29:10 When Jacob saw Rachel
daughter
of his uncle Laban
and
Laban's shepherd
he
rolled the stone away
from
the wellspring
and
watered his uncle's sheep.
29:11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel
and
cried loudly.
29:12 Then Jacob told Rachel
that
he was her father’s kin
and
was a son of Rebekah.
Then
she ran and told her father.
29:13 When Laban heard about Jacob
his
sister's son
he
went to meet him.
He
embraced and kissed him
and
brought him to his household.
Jacob
told him all these things.
29:14 Then Laban said to him:
Surely
you are my kin and essence.
Jacob
remained with him for a month.
29:15 Then Laban said to him:
Just
because you are my kin
should
you work for me for nothing?
Tell
me what your wages shall be.
29:16 Now Laban had two daughters.
The
older one was named Leah
and
the younger one was Rachel.
29:17 Leah had tender eyes
but
Rachel was beautiful and attractive.
29:18 Jacob loved Rachel and said:
I
will work for you seven years
for
your younger daughter Rachel.
29:19 Laban replied:
It's
better I give her to you
than
to another man.
Stay
here with me.
29:20 For Rachel Jacob worked for seven years.
But
they seemed like only a few days
because
of his love for her.
29:21 Jacob then told Laban:
I
have fulfilled my time.
Please
give me my wife
so
that I can be with her.
29:22 So Laban gathered the people
in
the area and held a banquet.
29:23 Once evening arrived
he
brought his daughter Leah
over
to Jacob
and
they came together.
29:24 Then Laban gave his daughter Leah
his
housemaid Zilpah as her attendant.
29:25 Once morning arrived
it
was Leah that was there.
So
Jacob said to Laban:
What
have you done to me?
I
worked for you for Rachel yes?
Why
have you tricked me?
29:26 So Laban replied:
It
is not done in our land
to
give a younger daughter to marry
before
giving the older one.
29:27 Finish this daughter's bridal week
then
we will give you the other one
in
exchange for another seven years of work.
29:28 That’s what Jacob did.
He
completed the week with Leah
and
later Laban gave him
his
daughter Rachel to marry.
29:29 Laban gave his housemaid Bilhah
to
his daughter Rachel as her attendant.
29:30 Jacob came together with Rachel
and
loved Rachel more than Leah.
And
he worked another seven years.
29:31 Yahweh knew Leah was not favored.
So
He made her fertile
while
Rachel remained childless.
29:32 Thus Leah gave birth to a son.
She
named him Reuben saying:
Surely
Yahweh saw my pain.
Now
my husband will care for me.
29:33 Then she conceived again
giving
birth to a son saying:
Because
Yahweh knew
that
I was not favored
He
gave me this one too.
So
she named him Simeon (heard).
29:34 Yet again she conceived
giving
birth to a son saying:
Now
finally my husband will be with me
for
I brought forth three sons.
So
he was named Levi (joined).
29:35 Then she conceived again
giving
birth to a son, saying:
This
time I will praise Yahweh.
So
she named him Judah (praised)
and
had no more children.
