Chapter 29

¹ And Jacob started and went to the land of the east to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Syrian, and the brother of Rebekah, mother of Jacob and Esau. ² And he looks, and behold! a well in the plain; and there were there three flocks of sheep resting at it, for out of that well they watered the flocks, but there was a great stone at the mouth of the well. ³ And there were all the flocks gathered, and they used to roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the flocks, and set the stone again in its place on the mouth of the well. ⁴ And Jacob said to them, Brethren, whence are ye? and they said, We are of Haran. ⁵ And he said to them, Know ye Laban, the son of Nahor? and they said, We do know [him]. ⁶ And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And behold Rachel his daughter came with the sheep. ⁷ And Jacob said, It is yet high day, it is not yet time that the flocks be gathered together; water ye the flocks, and depart and feed them. ⁸ And they said, We shall not be able, until all the shepherds be gathered together, and they shall roll away the stone from the mouth of the well, then we will water the flocks. ⁹ While he was yet speaking to them, behold, Rachel the daughter of Laban came with her father’s sheep, for she fed the sheep of her father. 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 came and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother. ¹¹ And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept. ¹² And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebekah; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words. ¹³ And it came to pass when Laban heard the name of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and embraced and kissed him, and brought him into his house; and he told Laban all these sayings. ¹⁴ And Laban said to him, Thou art of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month.

ΚΑΙ ἐξάρας Ἰακὼβ τοὺς πόδας ἐπορεύθη εἰς γῆν ἀνατολῶν πρὸς Λάβαν τὸν υἱὸν Βαθουὴλ τοῦ Σύρου, ἀδελφὸν δὲ Ρεβέκκας μητρὸς Ἰακὼβ καὶ Ἡσαῦ. καὶ ὁρᾷ καὶ ἰδοὺ φρέαρ ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ, ἦσαν δὲ ἐκεῖ τρία ποίμνια προβάτων ἀναπαυόμενα ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ φρέατος ἐκείνου ἐπότιζον τὰ ποίμνια, λίθος δὲ ἦν μέγας ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι τοῦ φρέατος, καὶ συνήγοντο ἐκεῖ πάντα τὰ ποίμνια καὶ ἀπεκύλιον τὸν λίθον ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ φρέατος καὶ ἐπότιζον τὰ πρόβατα καὶ ἀποκαθίστων τὸν λίθον ἐπὶ τὸ στόμα τοῦ φρέατος εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς Ἰακώβ· ἀδελφοί, πόθεν ἐστὲ ὑμεῖς; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· ἐκ Χαρρὰν ἐσμέν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς· γινώσκετε Λάβαν τὸν υἱὸν Ναχώρ; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· γινώσκομεν. εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς· ὑγιαίνει; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· ὑγιαίνει. καὶ ἰδοὺ Ραχὴλ ἡ θυγάτηρ αὐτοῦ ἤρχετο μετὰ τῶν προβάτων. καὶ εἶπεν Ἰακώβ· ἔτι ἐστὶν ἡμέρα πολλή, οὔπω ὥρα συναχθῆναι τὰ κτήνη· ποτίσαντες τὰ πρόβατα ἀπελθόντες βόσκετε. οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· οὐ δυνησόμεθα ἕως τοῦ συναχθῆναι πάντας τοὺς ποιμένας, καὶ ἀποκυλίσουσι τὸν λίθον ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ φρέατος, καὶ ποτιοῦμεν τὰ πρόβατα. ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος αὐτοῖς καὶ ἰδοὺ Ραχὴλ ἡ θυγάτηρ Λάβαν ἤρχετο μετὰ τῶν προβάτων τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς· αὐτὴ γὰρ ἔβοσκε τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς. ἐγένετο δέ, ὡς εἶδεν Ἰακὼβ τὴν Ραχὴλ τὴν θυγατέρα Λάβαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα Λάβαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ προσελθὼν Ἰακὼβ ἀπεκύλισε τὸν λίθον ἀπὸ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ φρέατος καὶ ἐπότιζε τὰ πρόβατα Λάβαν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐφίλησεν Ἰακὼβ τὴν Ραχήλ· καὶ βοήσας τῇ φωνῇ αὐτοῦ ἔκλαυσε. καὶ ἀπήγγειλε τῇ Ραχήλ, ὅτι ἀδελφὸς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῆς ἐστι καὶ ὅτι υἱὸς Ρεβέκκας ἐστί, καὶ δραμοῦσα ἀπήγγειλε τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῆς κατὰ τά ρήματα ταῦτα. ἐγένετο δέ, ὡς ἤκουσε Λάβαν τὸ ὄνομα Ἰακὼβ τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτοῦ, ἔδραμεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ καὶ περιλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἐφίλησε καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. καὶ διηγήσατο τῷ Λάβαν πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Λάβαν· ἐκ τῶν ὀστῶν μου καὶ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός μου εἶ σύ. καὶ ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ μῆνα ἡμερῶν.

¹⁵ And Laban said to Jacob, Surely thou shalt not serve me for nothing, because thou art my brother; tell me what thy reward is to be. ¹⁶ Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger, Rachel. ¹⁷ And the eyes of Leah were weak. But Rachel was beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair in countenance. ¹⁸ And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for thy younger daughter Rachel. ¹⁹ And Laban said to him, [It is] better that I should give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; dwell with me. ²⁰ And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as a few days, by reason of his loving her. ²¹ And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her. ²² And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage feast. ²³ And it was even, and he took his daughter Leah, and brought her in to Jacob, and Jacob went in to her. ²⁴ And Laban gave to his daughter Leah, Zilpah his handmaid, as a handmaid for her. ²⁵ And it was morning, and behold it was Leah; and Jacob said to Laban, What is this that thou hast done to me? did I not serve thee for Rachel? and wherefore hast thou deceived me? ²⁶ And Laban answered, It is not done thus in our country, to give the younger before the elder. ²⁷ Fulfill then her sevens, and I will give to thee her also in return for thy labor, which thou laborest with me, yet seven other years. ²⁸ And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her sevens; and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife. ²⁹ And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Bilhah, for a handmaid to her. ³⁰ And he went in to Rachel; and he loved Rachel more than Leah; and he served him seven other years.

Εἶπε δὲ Λάβαν τῷ Ἰακώβ· ὅτι γὰρ ἀδελφός μου εἶ, οὐ δουλεύσεις μοι δωρεάν· ἀπάγγειλόν μοι, τίς ὁ μισθός σου ἐστί; τῷ δὲ Λάβαν ἦσαν δύο θυγατέρες, ὄνομα τῇ μείζονι Λεία, καὶ ὄνομα τῇ νεωτέρᾳ Ραχήλ. οἱ δὲ ὀφθαλμοὶ Λείας ἀσθενεῖς, Ραχὴλ δὲ ἦν καλὴ τῷ εἴδει καὶ ὡραία τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα. ἠγάπησε δὲ Ἰακὼβ τὴν Ραχὴλ καὶ εἶπε· δουλεύσω σοι ἑπτὰ ἔτη περὶ Ραχὴλ τῆς θυγατρός σου τῆς νεωτέρας. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ Λάβαν· βέλτιον δοῦναί με αὐτήν σοι, ἢ δοῦναί με αὐτὴν ἀνδρὶ ἑτέρῳ· οἴκησον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ. καὶ ἐδούλευσεν Ἰακὼβ περὶ Ραχὴλ ἑπτὰ ἔτη, καὶ ἦσαν ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ὡς ἡμέραι ὀλίγαι, παρὰ τὸ ἀγαπᾷν αὐτὸν αὐτήν. εἶπε δὲ Ἰακὼβ τῷ Λάβαν· δός μοι τὴν γυναῖκά μου, πεπλήρωνται γὰρ αἱ ἡμέραι, ὅπως εἰσέλθω πρὸς αὐτήν. συνήγαγε δὲ Λάβαν πάντας τοὺς ἄνδρας τοῦ τόπου καὶ ἐποίησε γάμον. καὶ ἐγένετο ἑσπέρα, καὶ λαβὼν Λείαν τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ εἰσήγαγε πρὸς Ἰακὼβ καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὴν Ἰακώβ. ἔδωκε δὲ Λάβαν Λείᾳ τῇ θυγατρὶ αὐτοῦ Ζελφὰν τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτοῦ αὐτῇ παιδίσκην. ἐγένετο δὲ πρωΐ, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦν Λεία. εἶπε δὲ Ἰακὼβ τῷ Λάβαν· τί τοῦτο ἐποίησάς μοι; οὐ περὶ Ραχὴλ ἐδούλευσα παρὰ σοί; καὶ ἱνατί παρελογίσω με; ἀπεκρίθη δὲ Λάβαν· οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτως ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἡμῶν, δοῦναι τὴν νεωτέραν πρὶν ἢ τὴν πρεσβυτέραν· συντέλεσον οὖν τὰ ἕβδομα ταύτης, καὶ δώσω σοι καὶ ταύτην ἀντὶ τῆς ἐργασίας, ἧς ἐργᾷ παρ᾿ ἐμοί, ἔτι ἑπτὰ ἔτη ἕτερα. ἐποίησε δὲ Ἰακὼβ οὕτως καὶ ἀνεπλήρωσε τὰ ἕβδομα ταύτης, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Λάβαν Ραχὴλ τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ αὐτῷ γυναῖκα. ἔδωκε δὲ Λάβαν τῇ θυγατρὶ αὐτοῦ Βαλλὰν τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτοῦ αὐτῇ παιδίσκην. καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς Ραχήλ· ἠγάπησε δὲ Ραχὴλ μᾶλλον ἢ Λείαν· καὶ ἐδούλευσεν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἔτη ἕτερα.

³¹ And when the Lord God saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³² And Leah conceived and bore a son to Jacob; and she called his name, Reuben; saying, Because the Lord has looked on my humiliation, and has given me a son, now then my husband will love me. ³³ And she conceived again, and bore a second son to Jacob; and she said, Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given to me this one also; and she called his name, Simeon. ³⁴ And she conceived yet again, and bore a son, and said, In the present time my husband will be with me, for I have born him three sons; therefore she called his name, Levi. ³⁵ And having conceived yet again, she bore a son, and said, Now yet again this time will I give thanks to the Lord; therefore she called his name, Judah; and ceased bearing.

Ἰδὼν δὲ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὅτι ἐμισεῖτο Λεία, ἤνοιξε τὴν μήτραν αὐτῆς· Ραχὴλ δὲ ἦν στεῖρα· καὶ συνέλαβε Λεία καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν τῷ Ἰακώβ· ἐκάλεσε δὲ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ρουβὴν λέγουσα· διότι εἶδέ μου Κύριος τὴν ταπείνωσιν, καὶ ἔδωκέ μοι υἱόν· νῦν οὖν ἀγαπήσει με ὁ ἀνήρ μου. καὶ συνέλαβε πάλιν καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν δεύτερον τῷ Ἰακὼβ καὶ εἶπεν· ὅτι ἤκουσε Κύριος ὅτι μισοῦμαι, καὶ προσέδωκέ μοι καὶ τοῦτον· ἐκάλεσε δὲ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Συμεών· καὶ συνέλαβεν ἔτι καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν καὶ εἶπεν· ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ πρὸς ἐμοῦ ἔσται ὁ ἀνήρ μου, τέτοκα γὰρ αὐτῷ τρεῖς υἱούς· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Λευεί. καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτι ἔτεκεν υἱὸν καὶ εἶπε· νῦν ἔτι τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαι τῷ Κυρίῳ· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰούδαν. καὶ ἔστη τοῦ τίκτειν.