The Word Am I

The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 29 -

1
Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2
He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3
When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4
“My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6
“Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7
“Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8
But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9
While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10
As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
11
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12
He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13
When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

14
Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16
Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17
Leah had weak eyes,(a) but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18
Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21
Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22
So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23
But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24
And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25
When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26
Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28
And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29
Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
30
Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah

31
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32
And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben,(b) for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33
Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.(c)
34
Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.(d)
35
And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah.(e) Then Leah stopped having children.

Footnotes

(a)29:17 Or had delicate eyes
(b)29:32 Reuben means Look, a son and also sounds like the Hebrew for He has seen my misery.
(c)29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
(d)29:34 Levi sounds like the Hebrew for being attached to or feeling affection for.
(e)29:35 Judah sounds like the Hebrew for praise.
1
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.
2
He looked, and saw a well in the field, and saw 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.
3
There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.
4
Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
5
He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6
He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
7
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.”
8
They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we will water the sheep.”
9
While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she kept them.
10
When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11
Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
13
When Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

14
Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.
15
Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”
16
Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17
Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.
18
Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19
Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20
Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
21
Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
22
Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23
In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.
24
Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.
25
In the morning, 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?”
26
Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27
Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me for seven more years.”
28
Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29
Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
30
He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him seven more years.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah

31
The LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32
Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because the LORD has looked at my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
33
She conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also.” She named him Simeon.
34
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.
35
She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
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