Narrator
Most High
Messiah
Genesis (Bere'shiyth) 29
1 Yaaqov (Jacob) continued his journey and came to the land of the people of the east. 2 He looked and saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep were lying beside it, because the flocks drank from that well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well. 3 All the flocks would gather there, and the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, then put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well. 4 Yaaqov said to them, "My brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Charan (Haran)." 5 He said to them, "Do you know Lavan (Laban) the son of Nachor (Nahor)?" They said, "We know him." 6 He said to them, "Is he well?" They said, "He is well, and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep." 7 He said, "Look, it is still the middle of the day. It is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep and go, pasture them." 8 They said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep." 9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was a shepherdess. 10 When Yaaqov saw Rachel the daughter of Lavan his mother's brother, and the sheep of Lavan his mother's brother, Yaaqov went near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Lavan his mother's brother. 11 Then Yaaqov kissed Rachel and wept aloud. 12 Yaaqov told Rachel that he was her father's relative, and that he was Rivqah's (Rebecca's) son. She ran and told her father. 13 When Lavan heard the news about Yaaqov his sister's son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Yaaqov told Lavan all these things. 14 Lavan said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him a full month. 15 Lavan said to Yaaqov, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?" 16 Now Lavan had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance. 18 Yaaqov loved Rachel and said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." 19 Lavan said, "It is better that I give her to you than I should give her to any other man. Stay with me." 20 So Yaaqov served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Yaaqov said to Lavan, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her." 22 So Lavan gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast. 23 But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Yaaqov, and he went in to her. 24 Lavan gave his female servant Zilpah (Zilpah) to his daughter Leah to be her servant. 25 And in the morning, look, it was Leah! And Yaaqov said to Lavan, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?" 26 Lavan said, "It is not the custom in our place to give the younger before the firstborn." 27 "Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years." 28 Yaaqov did so and completed her week. Then Lavan gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. 29 Lavan gave his female servant Bilhah (Bilhah) to his daughter Rachel to be her servant. 30 So Yaaqov went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Lavan for another seven years. 31 When Yahuah (Yah) saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32 Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuven (Reuben), for she said, "Because Yahuah (Yah) has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me." 33 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because Yahuah (Yah) has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also." And she called his name Shimeon (Simeon). 34 Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Leviy (Levi). 35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise Yahuah (Yah)." Therefore she called his name Yahudah (Judah). Then she ceased bearing.