BERESHITH (GENESIS) 29

Gen 29:1 And Ya‛aqoḇ moved on and came to the land of the people of the
East.
Gen 29:2 And he looked and saw a well in the field, and saw three flocks of
sheep lying by it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, and a large
stone was on the well’s mouth.
Gen 29:3 And all the flocks would be gathered there, then they would roll
the stone from the well’s mouth and water the sheep, and put the stone back in
its place on the well’s mouth.
Gen 29:4 So Ya‛aqoḇ said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?”
And they said, “We are from Ḥaran.”
Gen 29:5 And he said to them, “Do you know Laḇan son of Naḥor?” And
they said, “We know him.”
Gen 29:6 So he said to them, “Is he well?” And they said, “Well. And see,
his daughter Raḥĕl is coming with the sheep.”
Gen 29:7 And he said, “See, it is still high day, not the time for the livestock
to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
Gen 29:8 But they said, “We are not allowed until all the flocks are gathered
together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, then we shall
water the sheep.”
Gen 29:9 While he was still speaking with them, Raḥĕl came with her
father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
Gen 29:10 And it came to be, when Ya‛aqoḇ saw Raḥĕl the daughter of
Laḇan his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laḇan his mother’s brother, that
Ya‛aqoḇ went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered
the flock of Laḇan his mother’s brother.
Gen 29:11 And Ya‛aqoḇ kissed Raḥĕl, and lifted up his voice and wept.
Gen 29:12 And when Ya‛aqoḇ told Raḥĕl that he was her father’s relative
and that he was Riḇqah’s son, she ran and told her father.
Gen 29:13 And it came to be, when Laḇan heard the report about Ya‛aqoḇ
his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him,
and brought him to his house. Then he told Laḇan all these matters.
Gen 29:14 And Laḇan said to him, “You are indeed my bone and my flesh.”
And he stayed with him for a month.
Gen 29:15 Then Laḇan said to Ya‛aqoḇ, “Because you are my relative,
should you therefore serve me for naught? Let me know, what should your
wages be?”
Gen 29:16 And Laḇan had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lĕ’ah,
and the name of the younger was Raḥĕl.
Gen 29:17 And Lĕ’ah’s eyes were weak, but Raḥĕl was lovely of form and
appearance.
Gen 29:18 And Ya‛aqoḇ loved Raḥĕl, so he said, “Let me serve you seven
years for Raḥĕl your younger daughter.”
Gen 29:19 And Laḇan said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I
should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
Gen 29:20 So Ya‛aqoḇ served seven years for Raḥĕl, and they seemed to
him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
Gen 29:21 Then Ya‛aqoḇ said to Laḇan, “Give me my wife, for my days are
completed, and let me go in to her.”
Gen 29:22 And Laḇan gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
Gen 29:23 And it came to be in the evening, that he took Lĕ’ah his daughter
and brought her to Ya‛aqoḇ. And he went in to her.
Gen 29:24 And Laḇan gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Lĕ’ah
as a female servant.
Gen 29:25 And in the morning it came to be, that see, it was Lĕ’ah. So he
said to Laḇan, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Raḥĕl that I
served you? Why then have you deceived me?”
Gen 29:26 And Laḇan said, “It is not done this way in our place, to give the
younger before the first-born.
Gen 29:27 “Complete the week of this one, then we give you this one too,
for the service which you shall serve with me still another seven years.”
Gen 29:28 And Ya‛aqoḇ did so and completed her week. Then he gave him
his daughter Raḥĕl too, as wife.
Gen 29:29 And Laḇan gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Raḥĕl
as a female servant.
Gen 29:30 And he also went in to Raḥĕl, and he also loved Raḥĕl more than
Lĕ’ah. And he served with Laḇan still another seven years.
Gen 29:31 And יהוה saw that Lĕ’ah was unloved, and He opened her womb,
but Raḥĕl was barren.
Gen 29:32 And Lĕ’ah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name
Re’uḇĕn, for she said, “For יהוה has looked on my affliction, because now my
husband is going to love me.”
Gen 29:33 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because יהוה
has heard that I am unloved, He gave me this son too.” And she called his
name Shim‛on.
Gen 29:34 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this
time my husband is joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So
his name was called Lĕwi.
Gen 29:35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I praise
.יהוה” So she called his name Yehuḏah. And she ceased bearing.