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| 29 | Genesis |
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| 1 |
JACOB CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY and came to the land of the eastern tribes. | Haran - Jacob arrives at Laban's house. Gn.29.1-14 |
| 2 |
There he saw a well in the open country and three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Over its mouth was a huge stone, | |
| 3 |
and all the herdsmen used to gather there and roll it off the mouth of the well and water the flocks; then they would put it back in its place over the well. | |
| 4 |
Jacob said to them, 'Where are you from, my friends?' 'We are from Harran', they replied. | |
| 5 |
He asked them if they knew Laban the grandson of Nahor. They answered, 'Yes, we do.' | |
| 6 |
'Is he well?' Jacob asked; and they answered, 'Yes, he is well, and here is his daughter Rachel coming with the flock.' | |
| 7 |
Jacob said, 'The sun is still high, and the time for folding the sheep has not yet come. Water the flocks and then go and graze them.' | |
| 8 |
But they replied, 'We cannot, until all the herdsmen have gathered together and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well; then we can water our flocks.' | |
| 9 |
While he was talking to them, Rachel came up with her father's flock, for she was a shepherdess. | |
| 10 |
When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, with Laban's flock, he stepped forward, rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered Laban's sheep. | |
| 11 |
He kissed Rachel, and was moved to tears. | |
| 12 |
He told her that he was her father's kinsman and Rebecca's son; so she ran and told her father. | |
| 13 |
When Laban heard the news of his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him warmly and welcomed him to his home. | |
| 14 |
Jacob told Laban everything, and Laban said, 'Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.' So Jacob stayed with him for a whole month. | |
| 15 |
Laban said to Jacob, 'Why should you work for me for nothing simply because you are my kinsman? Tell me what your wages ought to be.' | JACOB serves Laban for Rachel and Leah. Gn.29.15-30 |
| 16 |
Now Laban had two daughters: the elder was called Leah, and the younger Rachel. | |
| 17 |
Leah was dull-eyed, but Rachel was graceful and beautiful. | |
| 18 |
Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel and he said, 'I will work seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.' | |
| 19 |
Laban replied, 'It is better that I should give her to you than to anyone else; stay with me.' | |
| 20 |
So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like a few days because he loved her. | |
| 21 |
Then Jacob said to Laban, 'I have served my time. Give me my wife so that we may sleep together.' | |
| 22 |
So Laban gathered all the men of the place together and gave a feast. | |
| 23 |
In the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her. | |
| 24 |
At the same time Laban gave his slave-girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah. | |
| 25 |
But when morning came, Jacob saw that it was Leah and said to Laban, 'What have you done to me? Did I not work for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?' | |
| 26 |
Laban answered, 'In our country it is not right to give the younger sister in marriage before the elder. | |
| 27 |
Go through with the seven days' feast for the elder, and the younger shall be given you in return for a further seven years' work.' | |
| 28 |
Jacob agreed, and completed the seven days for Leah. | |
| 29 |
Then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as wife; and he gave his slave-girl Bilhah to serve his daughter Rachel. | |
| 30 |
Jacob slept with Rachel also; he loved her rather than Leah, and he worked for Laban for a further seven years. | |
| 31 |
When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he granted her a child ; but Rachel was childless. | Jacob's children. Gn.29.31-30.24 |
| 32 |
Leah conceived and bore a son; and she called him Reuben , for she said, 'The LORD has seen my humiliation; now my husband will love me.' | |
| 33 |
Again she conceived and bore a son and said, 'The LORD, hearing that I am not loved, has given me this child also'; and she called him Simeon . | |
| 34 |
She conceived again and bore a son ; and she said, 'Now that I have borne him three sons my husband and I will surely be united.' So she called him Levi . | |
| 35 |
Once more she conceived and bore a son; and she said, 'Now I will praise the LORD' ; therefore she named him Judah . Then for a while she bore no more children. | |
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