Genesis 29 Parallel Bible Translations

Genesis 29 ▼
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1 Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country. Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.
2 And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone. As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, 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, 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. The stone over the mouth of the well was large.
3 And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again. 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 over the mouth of the well. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran. Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We’re from Harran,” they replied.
5 And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him. He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?” “Yes, we know him,” they answered.
6 He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock. He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!” Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?” “Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed. He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.” “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 They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well's mouth, that we may water the flocks. 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.” “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she fed the flock. While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherd.
10 And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed. Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud.
12 And he told her that he was her father's brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father. 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. He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
13 Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister's son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey, As soon as Laban heard the news about 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, As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things.
14 He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired, and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month. Then Laban said to him, “You are my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month,
15 He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have. Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?” Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Richel. Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful.
18 And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.” Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Lahan answered: It is better that I give her thee than to another man; stay with me. Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.” 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 for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love. So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.” Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.”
22 And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage. So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.
23 And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him, But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.
24 Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zalpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning was come he saw it was Lia: (Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.) And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.
25 And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me? 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?” When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first. Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.
27 Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.” Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”
28 He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel: Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29 To whom her father gave Bala for her servant. (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.
30 And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years. So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years. Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless.
32 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the LORD has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon. 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. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the LORD heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.
34 And she conceived the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called hi sname Levi. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi. Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
35 The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing. 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. 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. Then she stopped having children.
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