29:1
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב רַגְלָ֑יו
Then Jacob set out resolutely,
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אַ֥רְצָה בְנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃
And he proceeded
to the land of the sons of the East.
29:2
וַיַּ֞רְא וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְאֵ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה
…And he looked, and behold, a well in the field!
וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֞ם
and look,— there!
שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עֶדְרֵי־צֹאן֙ רֹבְצִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יהָ
three herds of small livestock lying near it,
כִּ֚י מִן־הַבְּאֵ֣ר הַהִ֔וא יַשְׁק֖וּ הָעֲדָרִ֑ים
Because from that well they would water the herds,
וְהָאֶ֥בֶן גְּדֹלָ֖ה עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵֽר׃
But the great stone was over the mouth of the well;
29:3
וְנֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁ֣מָּה כָל־הָעֲדָרִ֗ים
Now all the herds would be gathered there,
וְגָלֲל֤וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר
and then they would roll the stone
away from the mouth of the well,
וְהִשְׁק֖וּ אֶת־הַצֹּ֑אן
And would water the flocks;
וְהֵשִׁ֧יבוּ אֶת־הָאֶ֛בֶן עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִמְקֹמָֽהּ׃
Then they would return the stone
to its place over the mouth of the well.
29:4
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יַעֲקֹ֔ב אַחַ֖י מֵאַ֣יִן אַתֶּ֑ם
Now Jacob said to them:
“My brothers, where are you from?”
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵחָרָ֖ן אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃
And they said: “We are from Haran.”
29:5
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־נָח֑וֹר
And he said to them:
“Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?”
וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ׃
Then they said, “We know.”
29:6
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָהֶ֖ם הֲשָׁל֣וֹם ל֑וֹ
And he said to them:
“Are things well for him?”
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ שָׁל֔וֹם
And they said “Well”,
וְהִנֵּה֙ רָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ
“Now look, Rachel (Ewe) his daughter
בָּאָ֖ה עִם־הַצֹּֽאן׃
is coming with the flock!”
29:7
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵ֥ן עוֹד֙ הַיּ֣וֹם גָּד֔וֹל
And he said,
“Look, the day is still high,—
לֹא־עֵ֖ת הֵאָסֵ֣ף הַמִּקְנֶ֑ה
not a usual time for livestock to be gathered;
הַשְׁק֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן וּלְכ֥וּ רְעֽוּ׃
Water the flocks, and go pasture them.”
29:8
וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ לֹ֣א נוּכַל֒
And they said, “We can’t,
עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֲדָרִ֔ים
until when all the livestock shall have been gathered,
וְגָֽלֲלוּ֙ אֶת־הָאֶ֔בֶן מֵעַ֖ל פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֑ר
and they have rolled the stone
away from the mouth of the well:
וְהִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ הַצֹּֽאן׃
Then we water the flocks;
29:9
עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֑ם
While yet speaking with them,
וְרָחֵ֣ל ׀ בָּ֗אָה עִם־הַצֹּאן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔יהָ
Then Rachel had come in
together with the flock that belonged to her father,
כִּ֥י רֹעָ֖ה הִֽוא׃
for she was a shepherdess.
29:10
וַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ רָאָ֨ה יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־רָחֵ֗ל
And it happened, after Jacob had seen Rachel,
בַּת־לָבָן֙ אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֔וֹ
The daughter of Laban, the brother of his mother,
וְאֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ
and the flock of Laban, the brother of his mother,
וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יַעֲקֹ֗ב
That Jacob stepped forward,
וַיָּ֤גֶל אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר
and he rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well,
וַיַּ֕שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֥י אִמּֽוֹ׃
And he watered the flock of Laban,
the brother of his mother.
29:11
וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל
And Jacob gave Rachel a kiss,
וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃
Then he lifted up his voice, and he wept;
29:12
וַיַּגֵּ֨ד יַעֲקֹ֜ב לְרָחֵ֗ל
And Jacob told Rachel
כִּ֣י אֲחִ֤י אָבִ֙יהָ֙ ה֔וּא
That “A relative of her father” he is,
וְכִ֥י בֶן־רִבְקָ֖ה ה֑וּא
and that “A son of Rebecca” he is;
וַתָּ֖רָץ וַתַּגֵּ֥ד לְאָבִֽיהָ׃
Then she ran, and she told her father.
29:13
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ לָבָ֜ן
Now it happened when Laban heard
אֶת־שֵׁ֣מַע ׀ יַעֲקֹ֣ב בֶּן־אֲחֹת֗וֹ
the news about Jacob the son of his sister,
וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיְחַבֶּק־לוֹ֙ וַיְנַשֶּׁק־ל֔וֹ
That he ran out to meet him
and he embraced him and kissed him,
וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ
then he brought him into his house;
וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר לְלָבָ֔ן
And he recounted to Laban
אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
All those things.
29:14
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לָבָ֔ן
Then Laban said to him,
אַ֛ךְ עַצְמִ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י אָ֑תָּה
You are Absolutely my bone and my flesh!
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עִמּ֖וֹ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים׃ ס
And he remained by him for a month.
29:15
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָבָן֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב
Then Laban said to Jacob:
הֲכִי־אָחִ֣י אַ֔תָּה
“Just because you are my relative,
וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי חִנָּ֑ם
then should you serve me for nothing?
הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מַה־מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃
Propose to me what your hire-reward should be.”
29:16
וּלְלָבָ֖ן שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת
Now Laban had two daughters,
שֵׁ֤ם הַגְּדֹלָה֙ לֵאָ֔ה
The name of the eldest was Leah,
וְשֵׁ֥ם הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה רָחֵֽל׃
and the name of the youngest was Rachel;
29:17
וְעֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכּ֑וֹת
Now the eyes of Leah were weak;
וְרָחֵל֙ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃
But Rachel was of attractive form,
and of beautiful appearance;
29:18
וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־רָחֵ֑ל
And Jacob loved Rachel;
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר
So he said:
אֽ͏ֶעֱבָדְךָ֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים
“I will serve you seven years,
בְּרָחֵ֥ל בִּתְּךָ֖ הַקְּטַנָּֽה׃
In exchange for Rachel your daughter, the younger one;”
29:19
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֗ן
And Laban said:
ט֚וֹב
“It is better,
תִּתִּ֣י אֹתָ֣הּ לָ֔ךְ
My giving her to you,
מִתִּתִּ֥י אֹתָ֖הּ לְאִ֣ישׁ אַחֵ֑ר
Than my giving her to another man.
שְׁבָ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי׃
You can stay right by me!”
29:20
וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד יַעֲקֹ֛ב בְּרָחֵ֖ל שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel;
וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְעֵינָיו֙ כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים
and they were in his eyes like a few days,
בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹתָֽהּ׃
Because of his love for her.
29:21
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֤ב אֶל־לָבָן֙
And Jacob said to Laban
הָבָ֣ה אֶת־אִשְׁתִּ֔י
“Would you give now my wife,
כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י
Because my days are completed;
וְאָב֖וֹאָה אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
So that I can go in, to her.”
29:22
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף לָבָ֛ן אֶת־כָּל־אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַמָּק֖וֹם
And Laban gathered all the men of the place,
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּֽה׃
and he made a banquet,
29:23
וַיְהִ֣י בָעֶ֔רֶב
Now it happened in the evening,
וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־לֵאָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ
That he took Leah his daughter,
וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ אֵלָ֑יו
and brought her in, to him;
וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃
And he went in, to her;
29:24
וַיִּתֵּ֤ן לָבָן֙ לָ֔הּ אֶת־זִלְפָּ֖ה שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ
And Laban gave her Zilpah, his maid-servant,—
לְלֵאָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ שִׁפְחָֽה׃
To Leah his daughter, as maid-servant.
29:25
וַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר
Now in the morning it happened:—
וְהִנֵּה־הִ֖וא לֵאָ֑ה
And behold, she is Leah!
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־לָבָ֗ן
Then he said to Laban:
מַה־זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֔י
Whatever have you done to me!?
הֲלֹ֤א בְרָחֵל֙ עָבַ֣דְתִּי עִמָּ֔ךְ
Didn’t I serve with you for Rachel !?
וְלָ֖מָּה רִמִּיתָֽנִי׃
Then why have you deceived me!?
29:26
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֔ן
Then Laban said:
לֹא־יֵעָשֶׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן בִּמְקוֹמֵ֑נוּ
“It is not done thus, in our locality:
לָתֵ֥ת הַצְּעִירָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַבְּכִירָֽה׃
The giving of the younger, before the firstborn;”
29:27
מַלֵּ֖א שְׁבֻ֣עַ זֹ֑את
Fulfil this week,
וְנִתְּנָ֨ה לְךָ֜ גַּם־אֶת־זֹ֗את
Then I shall give you this one as well,
בַּעֲבֹדָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֣ד עִמָּדִ֔י
In exchange for labour
that you shall serve right by me,—
ע֖וֹד שֶֽׁבַע־שָׁנִ֥ים אֲחֵרֽוֹת׃
yet a further seven years;
29:28
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ יַעֲקֹב֙ כֵּ֔ן
And so Jacob did thus,
וַיְמַלֵּ֖א שְׁבֻ֣עַ זֹ֑את
And he fulfilled this week,
וַיִּתֶּן־ל֛וֹ אֶת־רָחֵ֥ל בִּתּ֖וֹ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃
Then he gave him Rachel his daughter,
to him for a wife.
29:29
וַיִּתֵּ֤ן לָבָן֙ לְרָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ
And then Laban gave to Rachel his daughter,
אֶת־בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ
Bilhah, his maid-servant;
לָ֖הּ לְשִׁפְחָֽה׃
To her for maid-servant.
29:30
וַיָּבֹא֙ גַּ֣ם אֶל־רָחֵ֔ל
And he went in also to Rachel,
וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב גַּֽם־אֶת־רָחֵ֖ל מִלֵּאָ֑ה
But he also loved Rachel more than Leah.
וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ד עִמּ֔וֹ
Then he served with him,—
ע֖וֹד שֶֽׁבַע־שָׁנִ֥ים אֲחֵרֽוֹת׃ ס
still a further seven years.
29:31
וַיַּ֤רְא יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה
Now the LORD could see that Leah was being scorned,
וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָ֑הּ
And He opened her womb.
וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה׃
But Rachel was infertile.
29:32
וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן
And Leah became pregnant and brought forth a son,
וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן
And she named him Reuben (See…A son!);
כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה
Because she had said
כִּֽי־רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּעָנְיִ֔י
“For the LORD has looked on my affliction,
כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃
Because now, my husband should love me!”
29:33
וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒
And she conceived again and bore a son.
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר
And she said:
כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־שְׂנוּאָ֣ה אָנֹ֔כִי
“For the LORD has heard,
because I was being scorned,
וַיִּתֶּן־לִ֖י גַּם־אֶת־זֶ֑ה
And He gave me this one also.”
וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃
And she called him Shimon (a listening).
29:34
וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒
And she became pregnant again and bore a son.
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר
And she said:
עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י
“Now this time my husband will have joined himself to me,
כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים
because I have born him three sons!”
עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ לֵוִֽי׃
Therefore he named him Levi (joined).
29:35
וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן
Then she conceived again, and bore a son;
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה
And she said, “This time I shall praise the LORD!”
עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה
Therefore she named him Judah (Praised).
וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת׃ ס
Then she ceased from bearing.
Website translation into English by E.G. Van Gent
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Dramatized Modern Hebrew Audio Version, Genesis 29
Copyright to Hebrew Audio of Old Testament
℗ 2014 Bible Society in Israel and Hosanna
Distributed by and Available from The Bible Society In Israel
This Hebrew Dramatized Audio was produced with the assistance of
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