Genesis 29
Christian Standard Bible
Jacob Meets Rachel
29 Jacob resumed his journey[a] and went to the eastern country.[b](A) 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. But a large stone covered the opening of the well. 3 The shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep when all the flocks[c] were gathered there. Then they would return the stone to its place over 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, Nahor’s grandson?” 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,[d] 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.[e] 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.”[f](B)
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 tender 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.”(C)
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, “Since my time is complete, give me my wife, so I can sleep with[g] her.” 22 So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored 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 have you 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 our country 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.(D)
Jacob’s Sons
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was neglected,(E) he opened her womb;(F) but Rachel was unable to conceive.(G) 32 Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben,[h] for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction;(H) surely my husband will love me now.”
33 She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “The Lord heard that I am neglected and has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.[i]
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.[j]
35 And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him Judah.[k](I) Then Leah stopped having children.
Footnotes
- 29:1 Lit Jacob picked up his feet
- 29:1 Lit the land of the children of the east
- 29:3 Sam, some LXX mss read flocks and the shepherds
- 29:10 Lit with the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother
- 29:11 Lit and he lifted his voice and wept
- 29:14 Lit my bone and my flesh
- 29:21 Lit can go to
- 29:32 = See, a Son; in Hb, the name Reuben sounds like “has seen my affliction.”
- 29:33 In Hb, the name Simeon sounds like “has heard.”
- 29:34 In Hb, the name Levi sounds like “attached to.”
- 29:35 In Hb, the name Judah sounds like “praise.”
Genesis 29
King James Version
29 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
1 Moseboken 29
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Jakob möter Rakel
29 Jakob reste vidare och kom slutligen till Österlandet[a]. 2 Han fick syn på en brunn på fältet och tre fårhjordar som låg nära brunnen där de brukade vattnas. Men en tung sten täckte brunnen. 3 Seden var att stenen inte togs bort förrän alla hjordar fanns på plats. Efter det att man vattnat dem rullades stenen tillbaka över brunnens öppning.
4 Jakob frågade herdarna: ”Mina bröder, var kommer ni ifrån?” ”Från Harran”, svarade de. 5 ”Känner ni någon som heter Laban, Nachors sonson?” De svarade: ”Visst gör vi det.” 6 ”Hur mår han?” ”Han har det bra. Där kommer hans dotter Rakel med fåren.”
7 ”Solen står ju fortfarande högt på himlen. Det är väl ännu inte tid att samla ihop flocken?” frågade Jakob. ”Varför inte vattna fåren och låta dem gå ut på bete igen?” 8 ”Vi kan inte göra det”, svarade de, ”förrän alla hjordarna är samlade och stenen bortrullad. Då vattnar vi fåren.”
9 Medan Jakob fortfarande talade, kom Rakel med sin fars får, för hon tjänstgjorde också som herde. 10 När Jakob fick se sin morbror Labans dotter Rakel komma med Labans får, gick han fram till brunnen och rullade bort stenen och gav sin morbror Labans fårhjord vatten. 11 Sedan kysste Jakob Rakel och brast i gråt. 12 Han förklarade att han var nära släkt med hennes far och son till Rebecka. Hon sprang genast och berättade det för sin far. 13 Så snart Laban hörde om sin systerson Jakobs ankomst, skyndade han sig ut för att möta honom och han omfamnade och kysste honom och tog honom med sig hem. Sedan berättade Jakob sin historia för Laban.
14 ”Du är verkligen av samma kött och blod som jag”, sa Laban.
Rakel och Lea
När Jakob hade varit där ungefär en månad, 15 sa Laban en dag till honom: ”Även om du är min släkting, ska du inte arbeta för mig utan betalning. Hur mycket vill du ha?”
16 Laban hade två döttrar, Lea, som den äldre hette, och hennes yngre syster Rakel. 17 Lea hade milda[b] ögon, men Rakel var välväxt och skön. 18 Jakob älskade Rakel. Därför sa han: ”Om du ger mig din yngsta dotter Rakel till hustru, så ska jag arbeta för dig i sju år.” 19 Laban svarade: ”Jag ger henne hellre till dig än till någon annan. Stanna du här.”
20 Alltså arbetade Jakob de följande sju åren för att få Rakel. Tiden kändes lika kort som några dagar, för han älskade henne så. 21 Sedan sa Jakob till Laban: ”Ge mig nu min hustru, min tid har ju gått, så att jag kan förenas med henne.”
22 Då inbjöd Laban alla i trakten till en fest. 23 På kvällen tog Laban sin dotter Lea och gav henne till Jakob, och han låg med henne. 24 Laban gav Lea en av sina slavinnor som hette Silpa. 25 På morgonen upptäckte Jakob att det var Lea. ”Vad är det du har gjort?” sa Jakob. ”Jag arbetade sju år för Rakel! Varför har du bedragit mig så här?” 26 ”Det är inte vår sed att gifta bort den yngre dottern före den äldre”, svarade Laban. 27 ”Fira nu denna bröllopsvecka, så kan du få Rakel också, om du lovar att arbeta för mig ytterligare sju år.”
28 Jakob gick med på detta och när bröllopsveckan med Lea var över, gav Laban honom sin dotter Rakel till hustru. 29 Laban gav Rakel sin slavinna Bilha som tjänsteflicka. 30 Jakob låg också med Rakel, och han älskade henne mer än Lea. Sedan arbetade han för Laban i ytterligare sju år.
Jakobs söner
31 Eftersom Herren såg att Lea inte var älskad, lät han henne få barn medan Rakel inte kunde få några. 32 Lea blev alltså med barn och födde en son som hon gav namnet Ruben[c], för hon sa: ”Herren har sett mitt lidande, och nu kommer min make att älska mig.” 33 Hon blev snart med barn igen och födde en son till. Då sa hon: ”Herren hörde att jag inte fick någon kärlek, och han gav mig ytterligare en son.” Hon gav honom namnet Simon.[d] 34 Åter blev hon med barn och födde en son. Nu sa hon: ”Nu kommer väl ändå min man att hålla sig till mig, eftersom jag har gett honom tre söner.” Därför gav hon denne son namnet Levi.[e] 35 Än en gång blev hon med barn och födde en son. Hon sa: ”Nu vill jag prisa Herren!” Hon gav honom namnet Juda.[f] Sedan fick hon inga fler barn.
Footnotes
- 29:1 Kan kanske också tolkas som kadmonéernas land, om det hebreiska ordet för öster tänks syfta på befolkningen i det geografiska området i öst.
- 29:17 Kan också översättas utan glans.
- 29:32 Ruben betyder Se, en son!, men det liknar hebreiskans Han har sett mitt lidande.
- 29:33 Simon kommer från det hebreiska verbet för höra, han har hört.
- 29:34 Levi kommer från hebreiskans hålla sig till.
- 29:35 Juda kommer från hebreiskans prisa eller tacka.
Genesis 29
Expanded Bible
Jacob Arrives in Northwestern Mesopotamia
29 Then Jacob ·continued his journey [L lifted his feet] and came to the land of the people of the East [C the area of the Arameans on the northern Euphrates]. 2 He looked and saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying nearby, because they drank water from this well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 When all the flocks would gather there, ·the shepherds [L they] would roll the stone away from the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place.
4 Jacob said to the shepherds there, “My brothers, where are you from?”
They answered, “We are from Haran [11:31].”
5 Then Jacob asked, “Do you know Laban, ·grandson [descendant] of Nahor?”
They answered, “We know him.”
6 Then Jacob asked, “How is he?”
They answered, “He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming now with his sheep.”
7 Jacob said, “But look, it is still ·the middle of the day [broad daylight]. It is not time for the sheep to be gathered for the night, so give them water and let them go back into the pasture.”
8 But they said, “We cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered. Then we will roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep.”
9 While ·Jacob [L he] was talking with ·the shepherds [L them], Rachel came with her father’s sheep, because ·it was her job to care for the sheep [L she was a shepherdess]. 10 When Jacob saw Laban’s daughter Rachel and Laban’s sheep, he went to the well and rolled the stone from its mouth and watered Laban’s sheep. Now Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and [L lifted his voice and] cried. 12 He told her that he was from her father’s family and that he was the son of Rebekah. So Rachel ran home and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him. Laban hugged him and kissed him and brought him to his house, where Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.
14 Then Laban said, “You are my own ·flesh and blood [L bone and flesh].”
Jacob Is Tricked
Jacob stayed there a month. 15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “You are my relative, but ·it is not right for you to work for me without pay [L should you serve me for nothing?]. What ·would you like me to pay you [will your wages be]?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters. The older was Leah, and the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had ·weak eyes [frail/tender eyes; C likely means unattractive], but Rachel was very beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he said to Laban, “·Let me marry your younger daughter Rachel. If you will, I will work seven years for you [L I will work for seven years for your younger daughter Rachel].”
19 Laban said, “It would be better for ·her to marry you [L me to give her to you] than someone else, so stay here with me.” 20 So Jacob worked for Laban seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like just a few days to him because he loved Rachel very much.
21 After seven years Jacob said to Laban, “Give me ·Rachel [L my woman/wife] so that I may ·marry [L go to] her. ·The time I promised to work for you is over [L My days are fulfilled].”
22 So Laban gave a ·feast [banquet] for all the people there. 23 That evening he brought his daughter Leah to Jacob, and ·they had sexual relations [L he (Jacob) went into her]. 24 (Laban gave his slave girl Zilpah to his daughter to be her ·servant [L slave girl].) 25 In the morning when Jacob saw that ·he had had sexual relations with [L it was] Leah, he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? I worked hard for you so that I could marry Rachel! Why did you ·trick [deceive; defraud] me?”
26 Laban said, “In our ·country [L place] we do not allow the younger daughter to marry before the ·older daughter [L firstborn]. 27 But complete the full week of ·the marriage ceremony with Leah [L this one], and I will give you ·Rachel [L the other one] to marry also. But you must serve me another seven years.”
28 So Jacob did this, and when he had completed the week ·with Leah [L of this one], Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 (Laban gave his slave girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her ·servant [L slave girl].) 30 So Jacob ·had sexual relations with [L went to] Rachel also, and Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Jacob worked for Laban for another seven years.
Jacob’s Family Grows
31 When the Lord saw ·that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah [L Leah was unloved/hated], he ·made it possible for Leah to have children [L opened up her womb], but ·not Rachel [L Rachel was barren]. 32 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [C sounds like “seen my troubles” in Hebrew], because she said, “The Lord has seen my ·troubles [distress]. Surely now my husband will love me.”
33 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon [C sounds like “has heard” in Hebrew] and said, “The Lord has heard that I am ·not loved [or hated], so he has given me this son.”
34 Leah ·became pregnant [conceived] again and gave birth to another son. She named him Levi [C sounds like “be close to” in Hebrew] and said, “Now, surely my husband will ·be close [bind/attach himself] to me, because I have given him three sons.”
35 Then Leah gave birth to another son. She named him Judah [C sounds like “praise” in Hebrew], because she said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Then Leah stopped having children.
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