The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 29 -

And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.

And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.

And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.

And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”

And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”

And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”

They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”

They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.

When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.

And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.

And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.(a)

And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,

he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”

In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.

But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.

And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”

Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”

Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.

And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”

And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.

And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,

giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.

And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”

Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.

Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”

He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.

To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.

And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah

But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.

Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”

And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.

And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.

A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.

Footnotes

(a)29:12 This is one of very many examples where ‘brother’ is used more loosely in Scripture. Jacob was not the brother or Laban, but rather a close male relative, i.e. a brother in the broader sense of the word.(Conte)

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

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.

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.

Jacob said to them, “My relatives, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”

He said to them, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep.”

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.”

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.”

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

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.

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

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

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

Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him for a month.

Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?”

Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and attractive.

Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

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

Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

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

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

In the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He went in to her.

Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his daughter Leah for a servant.

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?”

Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.

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.”

Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.

Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.

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

The LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

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.”

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.

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.

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.