Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Beginning (Genesis) 29


 1Then Heel-Grabber (Jacob) went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
 2There he looked, and saw a well in the field, and there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was on the well's mouth.
 3When all the flocks gathered, they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and then replaced the stone on the well's mouth in its place.
 4Heel-Grabber (Jacob) said to them, “My brethren, who are you?” And they said, “We are of Mountaineer (Haran).”
 5He said to them, “Do you know White (Laban) the son of Snorting (Nahor)?” They replied, " We know him.”
 6He asked them, “Is he well?” They answered, “He is well. Here comes Ewe (Rachel) his daughter with the sheep.”
 7He said, “It is almost noon, a long time before everyone else will bring their flocks in. Go ahead and water these sheep, and go and feed them.”
 8But they said, “We can't, until all the flocks are gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.”
 9As he was speaking, Ewe (Rachel) came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
 10When Heel-Grabber (Jacob) saw Ewe (Rachel) the daughter of White (Laban) his mother's brother, and the sheep of White (Laban) his mother's brother, he went over and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of White (Laban) his mother's brother.
 11Then Heel-Grabber (Jacob) kissed Ewe (Rachel), and lifted up his voice, and wept.
 12Heel-Grabber (Jacob) told Ewe (Rachel) that he was her father's kin, and that he was Secured's (Rebekah) son. She ran and told her father.
 13When White (Laban) heard the news of Heel-Grabber (Jacob) his sister's son, the ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. He then told White (Laban) all these things.
 14White (Laban) said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” So he stayed with him for about a month.
15Then White (Laban) said to Heel-Grabber (Jacob), “Because you are my brother, you shouldn't work for nothing. Tell me, what should your wages be?”
 16White (Laban) had two daughters: the name of the elder was Weary (Leah), and the name of the younger was Ewe (Rachel).
 17Weary (Leah) was tender eyed; but Ewe (Rachel) was beautiful and well favored.
 18Heel-Grabber (Jacob) loved Ewe (Rachel), so he said, I will serve seven years for Ewe (Rachel) your younger daughter.
 19White (Laban) agreed, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man: stay with me.”
 20Heel-Grabber (Jacob) served seven years for Ewe (Rachel); and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
 21Then Heel-Grabber (Jacob) said to White (Laban), “Give me my wife. My days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
 22So White (Laban) gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
 23That evening, he took Weary (Leah), his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her.
 24White (Laban) gave his daughter Weary (Leah) A Trickling (Zilpah), his maid, for a handmaid.
 25In the morning, Heel-Grabber (Jacob) realized it was Weary (Leah). He said to White (Laban), “What have you done to me? Did not I serve you for Ewe (Rachel)? Why have You tricked me?”
 26White (Laban) answered, “It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
 27Fulfil her week, and we will give you this also if you will serve me another seven years.”
 28Heel-Grabber (Jacob) agreed, and fulfilled her week. Then he gave him Ewe (Rachel) his daughter to wife also.
 29White (Laban) gave Troubled (Bilhah), his handmaid, to Ewe (Rachel) his daughter to be her maid.
 30Then he went in also to Ewe (Rachel), and he loved Ewe (Rachel) more than Weary (Leah), and served with him another seven years.
 31When I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) saw that Weary (Leah) was hated, he opened her womb: but Ewe (Rachel) was barren.
 32Weary (Leah) conceived, and bore a son. She called his name Behold a Son (Reuben): for she said, “Surely I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) has looked on my affliction; so now my husband will love me.”
 33She conceived again, and bore a son; and said, “Because I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) has heard I was hated, He has given me this son also” and she called his name Heard (Simeon).
 34Then she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, “Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have born him three sons” Therefore was his name called Joined To (Levi).
 35She conceived again, and bore a son: and she said, “Now will I praise I AM (the LORD, Yehovah)” Therefore she called his name Praised (Judah) and stopped bearing.