Genesis 29

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BBE WEB

Jacob comes to the well of Haran

Jacob Keeping Laban's Flocks (or Jacob Tends Laban's Flocks and Meets Rachel) (Genesis 29:1-20)
Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children of the East.		 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
And there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone. He looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was large.
And all the flocks would come together there, and when the stone had been rolled away, they would give the sheep water, and put the stone back again in its place on the mouth of the water-hole. There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well’s mouth in its place.
Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran. Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have. He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep. He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
Then Jacob said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together: get water for the sheep and go and give them their food. He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
And they said, We are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will get water for the sheep. They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we water the sheep.”

His interview with Rachel, Laban gives welcome to him

While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them. While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
Then when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of the hole, he got water for Laban's flock. It happened, 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.
And weeping for joy, Jacob gave Rachel a kiss. Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
And Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give her father news of it. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
And Laban, hearing news of Jacob, his sister's son, came running, and took Jacob in his arms, and kissing him, made him come into his house. And Jacob gave him news of everything. It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.
And Laban said to him, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with him for the space of a month. Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” He lived with him for a month.

Jacob's agreement for Rachel, Laban's deceit

Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be? Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
And Leah's eyes were clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter. Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me. Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time. Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended. Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast. Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her. It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. He went in to her.
And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman. Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid.
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me? It happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older. Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years. Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years.”
And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife. Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman. Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid.
Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years. He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Leah's sons

Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children. Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me. Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction. For now my husband will love me.”
Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon. She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi. She conceived again, and bore a son. Said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore was his name called Levi.
And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time. She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time will I praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
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