Genesis 29

NEW JERUSALEM	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Continuing his journey, Jacob reached the Land of the Easterners.	1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 And there, out in the open, he saw a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it; this wel was usedfor watering the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the wel was a large one,	2 As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and lo, three flocks of sheep lying beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large,
3 and only when al the flocks had collected there, did they rol the stone off the mouth of the wel andwater the sheep; then they would replace the stone over the mouth of the wel .	3 and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place upon the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob said to the shepherds, 'Friends, where are you from?' They replied, 'We are from Haran.'	4 Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
5 He asked them, 'Do you know Laban son of Nahor?' They replied, 'We do.'	5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."
6 Then he asked them, 'Is he wel ?' 'He is,' they replied, 'and here comes his daughter Rachel with theflock.'	6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!"
7 Then he said, 'But it is stil broad daylight, not the time to round up the animals. Why don't you waterthe sheep and take them back to graze?'	7 He said, "Behold, it is still high day, it is not time for the animals to be gathered together; water the sheep, and go, pasture them."
8 To which, they replied, 'We can't, until al the shepherds have assembled to rol the stone off themouth of the well; then we can water the sheep.'	8 But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."
9 He was stil talking to them, when Rachel arrived with her father's flock, for she was a shepherdess.	9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, his uncle Laban's daughter, with his uncle Laban's flock, he went upand, rolling the stone off the mouth of the wel , watered his uncle Laban's sheep.	10 Now when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11 Jacob then kissed Rachel and burst into tears.	11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud.
12 He told Rachel he was her father's kinsman and Rebekah's son, and she ran to tel her father.	12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.
13 As soon as he heard her speak of his sister's son Jacob, Laban ran to greet him, embraced him,kissed him and took him to his house. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened,	13 When Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,
14 and Laban said to him, 'You are indeed my bone and flesh!' After Jacob had been staying with himfor a month,	14 and Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh!" And he stayed with him a month.
15 Laban said to Jacob, 'Just because you are my kinsman, why should you work for me for nothing?Tel me what wages you want.'	15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"
16 Now Laban had two daughters, the elder named Leah, and the younger Rachel.	16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful,	17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and lovely.
18 and Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel. So his answer was, 'I shal work for you for seven years inexchange for your younger daughter Rachel.'	18 Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."
19 Laban replied, 'It is better for me to give her to you than to a stranger; stay with me.'	19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me."
20 So Jacob worked for seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days because heloved her so much.	20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, 'Give me my wife, for my time is up and I should like to go to her.'	21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed."
22 Laban gathered al the people of the place together, and gave a banquet.	22 So Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23 But when night came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he slept with her.	23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.
24 (Laban gave his slave-girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.)	24 (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.)
25 When morning came, it was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, 'What have you done to me? Did I notwork for you for Rachel? Why then have you tricked me?'	25 And in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"
26 Laban replied, 'It is not the custom in our place to marry off the younger before the elder.	26 Laban said, "It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born.
27 Finish this marriage week and I shal give you the other one too in return for your working for me foranother seven years.'	27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years."
28 Jacob agreed and, when he had finished the week, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.	28 Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife.
29 (Laban gave his slave-girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.)	29 (Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.)
30 So Jacob slept with Rachel too, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked for Laban foranother seven years.	30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
31 When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, while Rachel remained barren.	31 When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son whom she named Reuben, meaning 'Yahweh has seen mymisery'; and she said, 'Now my husband will love me.'	32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; surely now my husband will love me."
33 Conceiving again, she gave birth to a son and said, 'Yahweh heard that I was unloved, and so hehas given me this one too'; and she named him Simeon.	33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also"; and she called his name Simeon.
34 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and said, 'This time my husband wil become attachedto me, because I have borne him three sons.' Accordingly, she named him Levi.	34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and 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 Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and said, 'Now I shal praise Yahweh!' Accordingly, shenamed him Judah. Then she had no more children.	35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the LORD"; therefore she called his name Judah; then she ceased bearing.