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Genesis 28:6-30:24
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 28:6-30:24
Holman Christian Standard Bible
6 Esau noticed that Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to get a wife there. When he blessed him, Isaac commanded Jacob, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman.” 7 And Jacob listened to his father and mother and went to Paddan-aram. 8 Esau realized that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,(A) 9 so Esau went to Ishmael and married, in addition to his other wives, Mahalath daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son. She was the sister of Nebaioth.
Jacob at Bethel
10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. 11 He reached a certain place and spent the night there because the sun had set. He took one of the stones from the place, put it there at his head, and lay down in that place. 12 And he dreamed:(B) A stairway was set on the ground with its top reaching heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down on it.(C) 13 Yahweh was standing there beside him,[a] saying, “I am Yahweh,(D) the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your offspring the land that you are now sleeping on. 14 Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth,(E) and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.(F) 15 Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land,(G) for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”(H) 17 He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is none other than the house of God. This is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early in the morning Jacob took the stone that was near his head and set it up as a marker. He poured oil on top of it 19 and named the place Bethel,[b] though previously the city was named Luz.(I) 20 Then Jacob made a vow:(J) “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, if He provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear, 21 and if I return safely to my father’s house,(K) then the Lord will be my God.(L) 22 This stone that I have set up as a marker will be God’s house, and I will give to You a tenth of all that You give me.”(M)
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 Jacob resumed his journey[c] and went to the eastern country.[d](N) 2 He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well. 3 When all the flocks[e] were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep. The stone was then placed back on the well’s opening.
4 Jacob asked the men at the well, “My brothers! Where are you from?”
“We’re from Haran,” they answered.
5 “Do you know Laban grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked them.
They answered, “We know him.”
6 “Is he well?” Jacob asked.
“Yes,” they said, “and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep.”
7 Then Jacob said, “Look, it is still broad daylight. It’s not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze.”
8 But they replied, “We can’t until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep,[f] he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.[g] 12 He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
Jacob Deceived
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.
14 Laban said to him, “Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.”[h](O)
After Jacob had stayed with him a month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative, should you work for me 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 ordinary[i] eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”(P)
19 Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.” 20 So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with[j] her.” 22 So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast. 23 That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. 24 And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban answered, “It is not the custom in this place to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn. 27 Complete this week of wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one in return for working yet another seven years for me.”
28 And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29 And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave. 30 Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.(Q)
Jacob’s Sons
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved,(R) He opened her womb;(S) but Rachel was unable to conceive.(T) 32 Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben,[k] for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction;(U) surely my husband will love me now.”
33 She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “The Lord heard that I am unloved and has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.[l]
34 She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne three sons for him.” Therefore he was named Levi.[m]
35 And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him Judah.[n](V) Then Leah stopped having children.
30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!”(W) she said to Jacob.
2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld children[o] from you?”
3 Then she said, “Here is my slave Bilhah. Go sleep with her, and she’ll bear children for me[p](X) so that through her I too can build a family.” 4 So Rachel gave her slave Bilhah to Jacob as a wife, and he slept with her. 5 Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. 6 Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; yes, He has heard me and given me a son,” and she named him Dan.[q]
7 Rachel’s slave Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Rachel said, “In my wrestlings with God,[r] I have wrestled with my sister and won,” and she named him Naphtali.[s]
9 When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her slave Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[t] and she named him Gad.[u]
12 When Leah’s slave Zilpah bore Jacob a second son, 13 Leah said, “I am happy that the women call me happy,”(Y) so she named him Asher.[v]
14 Reuben went out during the wheat harvest and found some mandrakes in the field.(Z) When he brought them to his mother Leah, Rachel asked, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But Leah replied to her, “Isn’t it enough that you have taken my husband? Now you also want to take my son’s mandrakes?”
“Well,” Rachel said, “you can sleep with him tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.”
16 When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So Jacob slept with her that night.
17 God listened to Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my slave to my husband,” and she named him Issachar.[w]
19 Then Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 “God has given me a good gift,” Leah said. “This time my husband will honor me because I have borne six sons for him,” and she named him Zebulun.[x] 21 Later, Leah bore a daughter and named her Dinah.
22 Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb.(AA) 23 She conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my shame.”(AB) 24 She named him Joseph:[y] “May the Lord add another son to me.”(AC)
Footnotes
- Genesis 28:13 Or there above it
- Genesis 28:19 = House of God
- Genesis 29:1 Lit Jacob picked up his feet
- Genesis 29:1 Lit the land of the children of the east
- Genesis 29:3 Sam, some LXX mss read flocks and the shepherds
- Genesis 29:10 Lit with the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother
- Genesis 29:11 Lit and he lifted his voice and wept
- Genesis 29:14 Lit my bone and my flesh
- Genesis 29:17 Lit tender
- Genesis 29:21 Lit to go to
- Genesis 29:32 = See, a Son; in Hb, the name Reuben sounds like “has seen my affliction.”
- Genesis 29:33 In Hb, the name Simeon sounds like “has heard.”
- Genesis 29:34 In Hb, the name Levi sounds like “attached to.”
- Genesis 29:35 In Hb, the name Judah sounds like “praise.”
- Genesis 30:2 Lit the fruit of the womb
- Genesis 30:3 Lit bear on my knees
- Genesis 30:6 In Hb, the name Dan sounds like “has vindicated,” or “has judged.”
- Genesis 30:8 Or With mighty wrestlings
- Genesis 30:8 In Hb, the name Naphtali sounds like “my wrestling.”
- Genesis 30:11 Alt Hb tradition, LXX, Vg read Good fortune has come
- Genesis 30:11 = Good Fortune
- Genesis 30:13 = Happy
- Genesis 30:18 In Hb, the name Issachar sounds like “reward.”
- Genesis 30:20 In Hb, the name Zebulun sounds like “honored.”
- Genesis 30:24 = He Adds
Genesis 28:6-30:24
New International Version
Genesis 28:6-30:24
New International Version
6 Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,”(A) 7 and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and had gone to Paddan Aram. 8 Esau then realized how displeasing the Canaanite women(B) were to his father Isaac;(C) 9 so he went to Ishmael(D) and married Mahalath, the sister of Nebaioth(E) and daughter of Ishmael son of Abraham, in addition to the wives he already had.(F)
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
10 Jacob left Beersheba(G) and set out for Harran.(H) 11 When he reached a certain place,(I) he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head(J) and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream(K) in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.(L) 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord,(M) and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.(N) I will give you and your descendants the land(O) on which you are lying.(P) 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you(Q) will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.(R) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b](S) 15 I am with you(T) and will watch over you(U) wherever you go,(V) and I will bring you back to this land.(W) I will not leave you(X) until I have done what I have promised you.(Y)”(Z)
16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep,(AA) he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place!(AB) This is none other than the house of God;(AC) this is the gate of heaven.”
18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head(AD) and set it up as a pillar(AE) and poured oil on top of it.(AF) 19 He called that place Bethel,[c](AG) though the city used to be called Luz.(AH)
20 Then Jacob made a vow,(AI) saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me(AJ) on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear(AK) 21 so that I return safely(AL) to my father’s household,(AM) then the Lord[d] will be my God(AN) 22 and[e] this stone that I have set up as a pillar(AO) will be God’s house,(AP) and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.(AQ)”
Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram
29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.(AR) 2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.(AS) The stone(AT) over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone(AU) away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.(AV) Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”(AW)
“We’re from Harran,(AX)” they replied.
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”(AY)
“Yes, we know him,” they answered.
6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”
“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel(AZ) with the sheep.(BA)”
7 “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8 “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone(BB) has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water(BC) the sheep.”
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,(BD) for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel(BE) daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone(BF) away from the mouth of the well and watered(BG) his uncle’s sheep.(BH) 11 Then Jacob kissed(BI) Rachel and began to weep aloud.(BJ) 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative(BK) of her father and a son of Rebekah.(BL) So she ran and told her father.(BM)
13 As soon as Laban(BN) heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him(BO) and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.”(BP)
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative(BQ) of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages(BR) should be.”
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah,(BS) and the name of the younger was Rachel.(BT) 17 Leah had weak[f] eyes, but Rachel(BU) had a lovely figure and was beautiful.(BV) 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel(BW) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”(BX)
19 Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,(BY) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.(BZ)
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.(CA)”
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.(CB) 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah(CC) and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah(CD) to his daughter as her attendant.(CE)
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me?(CF) I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?(CG)”
26 Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.(CH) 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week;(CI) then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.(CJ)”
28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.(CK) 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah(CL) to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.(CM) 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah.(CN) And he worked for Laban another seven years.(CO)
Jacob’s Children
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved,(CP) he enabled her to conceive,(CQ) but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.(CR) She named him Reuben,[g](CS) for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery.(CT) Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved,(CU) he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.[h](CV)
34 Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me,(CW) because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.[i](CX)
35 She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah.[j](CY) Then she stopped having children.(CZ)
30 When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children,(DA) she became jealous of her sister.(DB) So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”
2 Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God,(DC) who has kept you from having children?”(DD)
3 Then she said, “Here is Bilhah,(DE) my servant.(DF) Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.”(DG)
4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife.(DH) Jacob slept with her,(DI) 5 and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me;(DJ) he has listened to my plea and given me a son.”(DK) Because of this she named him Dan.[k](DL)
7 Rachel’s servant Bilhah(DM) conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8 Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.”(DN) So she named him Naphtali.[l](DO)
9 When Leah(DP) saw that she had stopped having children,(DQ) she took her servant Zilpah(DR) and gave her to Jacob as a wife.(DS) 10 Leah’s servant Zilpah(DT) bore Jacob a son. 11 Then Leah said, “What good fortune!”[m] So she named him Gad.[n](DU)
12 Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13 Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me(DV) happy.”(DW) So she named him Asher.[o](DX)
14 During wheat harvest,(DY) Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants,(DZ) which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.”
15 But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough(EA) that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?”
“Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.”(EB)
16 So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.”(EC) So he slept with her that night.
17 God listened to Leah,(ED) and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18 Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.”(EE) So she named him Issachar.[p](EF)
19 Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20 Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor,(EG) because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.[q](EH)
21 Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(EI)
22 Then God remembered Rachel;(EJ) he listened to her(EK) and enabled her to conceive.(EL) 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son(EM) and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”(EN) 24 She named him Joseph,[r](EO) and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”(EP)
Footnotes
- Genesis 28:13 Or There beside him
- Genesis 28:14 Or will use your name and the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 28:19 Bethel means house of God.
- Genesis 28:21 Or Since God … father’s household, the Lord
- Genesis 28:22 Or household, and the Lord will be my God, 22 then
- Genesis 29:17 Or delicate
- Genesis 29:32 Reuben sounds like the Hebrew for he has seen my misery; the name means see, a son.
- Genesis 29:33 Simeon probably means one who hears.
- Genesis 29:34 Levi sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for attached.
- Genesis 29:35 Judah sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for praise.
- Genesis 30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
- Genesis 30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
- Genesis 30:11 Or “A troop is coming!”
- Genesis 30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
- Genesis 30:13 Asher means happy.
- Genesis 30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
- Genesis 30:20 Zebulun probably means honor.
- Genesis 30:24 Joseph means may he add.
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