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Genesis 29

1Jacob lifted his feet and went to the land of the sons of the east. 2He looked, and there was a well in the field, with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because they watered the flocks from that well. The stone over the well's mouth was large. 3All the flocks would gather there; they would roll the stone from the well's mouth, water the sheep, and return the stone to its place over the well's mouth. 4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.” 5He said to them, “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.” 6He said to them, “Is he well?” They said, “He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.” 7He said, “Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep and go pasture them.” 8They said, “We cannot until all the flocks gather and they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we will water the sheep.”

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, because she was a shepherd. 10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, Jacob came forward, rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep of Laban his mother's brother. 11Jacob kissed Rachel, lifted his voice, and wept. 12Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman and Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father. 13When Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him, embraced and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things. 14Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” He stayed with him a full month.

15Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.” 16Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance. 18Jacob loved Rachel and said, “I will work for you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.” 19Laban said, “It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man. Stay with me.” 20Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days because of his love for her.

21Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, because my time is complete, so that I may go in to her.” 22Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23When evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. 24Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave woman. 25When morning came, there she was—Leah! Jacob said to Laban, “What have you done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?” 26Laban said, “It is not done that way in our place, giving the younger before the firstborn. 27Complete this one's week, and we will also give you the other for the work you will do for me for another seven years.” 28Jacob did so and completed her week. Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. 29Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave woman. 30Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He worked with Laban for another seven years.

31Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32Leah conceived and bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she said, “Yahweh has seen my affliction. Now my husband will love me.” 33She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Yahweh has heard that I am hated, and he has also given me this one.” She named him Simeon. 34She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons.” That is why he was named Levi. 35She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” That is why she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.

Translation notes 5

29:1–8 — Feet; flocks. “Lifted his feet” preserves the opening bodily expression for setting out. “Brothers” is a friendly address, not a claim that the shepherds are Jacob's siblings. The base text says all the flocks gather; some witnesses instead name the shepherds. The draft retains the repeated flock wording.

29:10–15 — Mother's brother; bone and flesh. The repeated identification of Laban as Jacob's mother's brother is present in Hebrew. “Kinsman” translates “brother” where the actual relationship is nephew and uncle. “My bone and my flesh” expresses shared family, retaining the bodily image.

29:17 — Delicate eyes. The adjective can mean tender or weak, but its application to Leah's eyes is uncertain. Weak eyesight, an unattractive appearance, and attractive softness have all been proposed. The draft does not turn one of those explanations into a diagnosed condition.

29:21–30 — Marriage and the week. “Go in to her” is an idiom for sexual intercourse. The week is the wedding celebration, followed by Rachel's marriage and the additional seven years of work; the text does not put Rachel's marriage at the end of those seven years. Zilpah and Bilhah are given as enslaved women, not hired employees.

29:31–35 — Hated; names. “Hated” stands beside verse 30's comparative love; “less loved” is a substantial contextual interpretation. The draft retains the stronger word and explains the comparison. Reuben echoes seeing and a son, Simeon hearing, Levi being joined, and Judah praise. Verse 34's naming verb is masculine singular without a separately named subject; the passive English leaves that subject unspecified.