Genesis 29

1Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.

1Then Jacob continued on his journey and finally arrived in the land of the eastern people.

2And he looked, and, behold, a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well’s mouth was great.

2He looked out and saw a well in the open field with three flocks of sheep lying near it, because shepherds used that well to water their flocks. A large stone covered the mouth of the well.

3And thither 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 its place.

3When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well's mouth to water the sheep. Afterward, they would put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

4And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.

4Jacob asked the shepherds, 'My brothers, where are you from?' They answered, 'We are from Haran.'

5And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

5He asked them, 'Do you know Laban, who is Nahor’s grandson?' They replied, 'Yes, we know him.'

6And he said unto them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

6'Is he doing well?' Jacob asked. 'He is doing well,' they said. 'And look, here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.'

7And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.

7Jacob said, 'Look, it is still the middle of the day. It’s too early to bring the animals in for the night. Water the sheep and take them back out to graze.'

8And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.

8But they replied, 'We can't do that until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.'

9While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them.

9While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, because she was a shepherd.

10And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and saw Laban's sheep, he went to the well, rolled the stone away from its mouth, and watered his uncle Laban's flock.

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

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep out loud.

12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.

12Jacob explained to Rachel that he was a relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.

13And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob 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 Laban all these things.

13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him. He hugged him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Then Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.

14And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

14Laban said to him, 'You are truly my own flesh and blood.' And Jacob stayed with him for a whole month.

15And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

15Then Laban said to Jacob, 'Just because you are my relative, you shouldn't work for me for free. Tell me, what should your wages be?'

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

16Now Laban had two daughters. The older one was named Leah, and the younger one was named Rachel.

17And Leah’s eyes were tender; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.

17Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was very beautiful.

18And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

18Jacob loved Rachel, so he said, 'I will work for you for seven years if you let me marry your younger daughter Rachel.'

19And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.

19Laban replied, 'It is better for me to give her to you than to another man. Stay here with me.'

20And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

20So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her so much.

21And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

21Finally, Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife so I can be with her. My time of service is finished.'

22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

22So Laban invited all the people of that place and held a wedding feast.召

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

23But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her.

24And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid.

24Laban also gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.

25And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

25In the morning, Jacob found out it was Leah! He said to Laban, 'What have you done to me? Didn't I work for you to marry Rachel? Why did you trick me?'

26And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.

26Laban answered, 'It isn't our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.'

27Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

27'Finish this wedding week with Leah, and then we will give you the other daughter as well. In return, you must work for me another seven years.'

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

28Jacob agreed and finished the week with Leah. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

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

29Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.

30And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

30Jacob slept with Rachel too, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He stayed and worked for Laban another seven years.

31And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

31When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless.

32And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Because Jehovah hath looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.

32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, saying, 'The LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.'

33And she conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Because Jehovah hath heard that I am hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

33She became pregnant again and gave birth to a second son. She said, 'The LORD heard that I am not loved, so he gave me this son too.' She named him Simeon.

34And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

34She became pregnant a third time and gave birth to a son. She said, 'Now at last my husband will be attached to me, because I have given him three sons.' So he was named Levi.

35And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, This time will I praise Jehovah: therefore she called his name Judah; and she left off bearing.

35She became pregnant once more and gave birth to a son. She said, 'This time I will praise the LORD.' So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children for a while.