Genesis 29

vayyissa ya'aqov raglayw vayyelekh artsah vene-qedem

Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the Easterners.

vayyar vehinneh ve'er bassadeh vehinneh-sham sheloshah edre-tson rovetsim aleha ki min-habbe'er hahiv yashqu ha'adarim veha'even gedolah al-pi habbe'er

There before his eyes was a well in the open. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for the flocks were watered from that well. The stone on the mouth of the well was large.

vene'esfu-shammah khol-ha'adarim vegalelu et-ha'even me'al pi habbe'er vehishqu et-hatson veheshivu et-ha'even al-pi habbe'er limqomah

When all the flocks were gathered there, the stone would be rolled from the mouth of the well and the sheep watered; then the stone would be put back in its place on the mouth of the well.

vayyomer lahem ya'aqov akhay me'ayin attem vayyomeru mekharan anakhenu

Jacob said to the shepherds, “My friends, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”

vayyomer lahem hayedatem et-lavan ben-nakhor vayyomeru yada'enu

He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “Yes, we do.”

vayyomer lahem hashalom lo vayyomeru shalom vehinneh rakhel bitto ba'ah im-hatson

He continued, “Is he well?” They answered, “Yes, he is; and there is his daughter Rachel, coming with the flock.”

vayyomer hen od hayyom gadol lo-et he'asef hammiqneh hashqu hatson ulekhu re'u

He said, “It is still broad daylight, too early to round up the animals; water the flock and take them to pasture.”

vayyomeru lo nukhal ad asher ye'asefu kol-ha'adarim vegalelu et-ha'even me'al pi habbe'er vehishqinu hatson

But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are rounded up; then the stone is rolled off the mouth of the well and we water the sheep.”

odennu medabber immam verakhel ba'ah im-hatson asher le'aviha ki ro'ah hiv

While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s flock—for she was its shepherd.

vayehi ka'asher ra'ah ya'aqov et-rakhel bat-lavan akhi immo ve'et-tson lavan akhi immo vayyiggash ya'aqov vayyagel et-ha'even me'al pi habbe'er vayyashq et-tson lavan akhi immo

And when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the flock of his uncle Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of his uncle Laban.

vayyishaq ya'aqov lerakhel vayyissa et-qolo vayyevk

Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and broke into tears.

vayyagged ya'aqov lerakhel ki akhi aviha hu vekhi ven-rivqah hu vattarots vattagged le'aviha

Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

vayehi khishmoa lavan et-shema ya'aqov ben-akhoto vayyarots liqrato vayekhabbeq-lo vayenasheq-lo vayevi'ehu el-beto vayesapper lelavan et kol-haddevarim ha'elleh

On hearing the news of his sister’s son Jacob, Laban ran to greet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and took him into his house. He told Laban all that had happened,

vayyomer lo lavan akh atsmi uvesari attah vayyeshev immo khodesh yamim

and Laban said to him, “You are truly my bone and flesh.” When he had stayed with him a month’s time,

vayyomer lavan leya'aqov hakhi-akhi attah va'avadtani khinnam haggidah li mah-mmaskurtekha

Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are a kinsman, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”

ulelavan shete vanot shem haggedolah le'ah veshem haqqetannah rakhel

Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

ve'ene le'ah rakkot verakhel hayetah yefat-to'ar vifat mareh

Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

vayye'ehav ya'aqov et-rakhel vayyomer e'evodkha sheva shanim berakhel bittekha haqqetannah

Jacob loved Rachel; so he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

vayyomer lavan tov titti otah lakh mittitti otah le'ish akher shevah immadi

Laban said, “Better that I give her to you than that I should give her to an outsider. Stay with me.”

vayya'avod ya'aqov berakhel sheva shanim vayyihyu ve'enayw keyamim akhadim be'ahavato otah

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.

vayyomer ya'aqov el-lavan havah et-ishti ki male'u yamay ve'avo'ah eleha

Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is fulfilled, that I may cohabit with her.”

vayye'esof lavan et-kol-anshe hammaqom vayya'as mishteh

And Laban gathered all the people of the place and made a feast.

vayehi va'erev vayyiqqakh et-le'ah vitto vayyave otah elayw vayyavo eleha

When evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and he cohabited with her.—

vayyitten lavan lah et-zilpah shifkhato lele'ah vitto shifkhah

Laban had given his maidservant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.—

vayehi vabboqer vehinneh-hiv le'ah vayyomer el-lavan mah-zzot asita li halo verakhel avadti immakh velammah rimmitani

When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I was in your service for Rachel! Why did you deceive me?”

vayyomer lavan lo-ye'aseh khen bimqomenu latet hatse'irah lifne habbekhirah

Laban said, “It is not the practice in our place to marry off the younger before the older.

malle shevua zot venittenah lekha gam-et-zot ba'avodah asher ta'avod immadi od sheva-shanim akherot

Wait until the bridal week of this one is over and we will give you that one too, provided you serve me another seven years.”

vayya'as ya'aqov ken vayemalle shevua zot vayyitten-lo et-rakhel bitto lo le'isha

Jacob did so; he waited out the bridal week of the one, and then he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife.—

vayyitten lavan lerakhel bitto et-bilhah shifkhato lah leshifkhah

Laban had given his maidservant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.—

vayyavo gam el-rakhel vayye'ehav gam-et-rakhel mille'ah vayya'avod immo od sheva-shanim akherot

And Jacob cohabited with Rachel also; indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served him another seven years.

vayyar Adonai ki-senu'ah le'ah vayyiftakh et-rakhmah verakhel aqarah

Seeing that Leah was unloved, GOD opened her womb; but Rachel was infertile.

vattahar le'ah vatteled ben vattiqra shemo re'uven ki amerah ki-ra'ah Adonai be'onyi ki attah ye'ehavani ishi

Leah conceived and bore a son, and named him Reuben; for she declared, “It means: ‘GOD has seen my affliction’; it also means: ‘Now my husband will love me.’”

vattahar od vatteled ben vattomer ki-shama Adonai ki-senu'ah anokhi vayyitten-li gam-et-zeh vattiqra shemo shimon

She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This is because GOD heard that I was unloved and has given me this one also”; so she named him Simeon.

vattahar od vatteled ben vattomer attah happa'am yillaveh ishi elay ki-yaladti lo sheloshah vanim al-ken qara-shemo levi

Again she conceived and bore a son and declared, “This time my husband will become attached to me, for I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.

vattahar od vatteled ben vattomer happa'am odeh et-Adonai al-ken qare'ah shemo yehudah vatta'amod milledet

She conceived again and bore a son, and declared, “This time I will praise GOD.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.