Jacob Meets Rachel 1 Brenton And Jacob started and went to the land of the east to Laban, the son of Bathuel the Syrian, and the brother of Rebecca, mother of Jacob and Esau. BSB BSB: Jacob resumed his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: He looked and saw a well in the field, and near it lay three flocks of sheep, because the sheep were watered from this well. And a large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: When all the flocks had been gathered there, the shepherds would roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.
4 Brenton And Jacob said to them, Brethren, whence are ye? and they said, We are of Charrhan. BSB BSB: “My brothers,” Jacob asked the shepherds, “where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they answered.
5 Brenton And he said to them, Know ye Laban, the son of Nachor? and they said, We do know him . BSB BSB: “Do you know Laban the grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know him,” they replied.
6 Brenton And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well. And behold Rachel his daughter came with the sheep. BSB BSB: “Is he well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes,” they answered, “and here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.”
7 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: “Look,” said Jacob, “it is still broad daylight; it is not yet time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”
8 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: But they replied, “We cannot, until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”
9 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: While he was still speaking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, with Laban’s sheep, he went up and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep.
11 Brenton And Jacob kissed Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and wept. BSB BSB: Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12 Brenton And he told Rachel that he was the near relative of her father, and the son of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to her father according to these words. BSB BSB: He told Rachel that he was Rebekah’s son, a relative of her father, and she ran and told her father.
13 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him all that had happened.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel 14 Brenton And Laban said to him, Thou art of my bones and of my flesh; and he was with him a full month. BSB BSB: Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
15 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16 Brenton Now Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lea, and the name of the younger, Rachel. BSB BSB: Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 Brenton And the eyes of Lea were weak. But Rachel was beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair in countenance. BSB BSB: Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 Brenton And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve thee seven years for thy younger daughter Rachel. BSB BSB: Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”
20 Brenton And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were before him as a few days, by reason of his loving her. BSB BSB: So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
21 Brenton And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her. BSB BSB: Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her.”
22 Brenton And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a marriage-feast. BSB BSB: So Laban invited all the men of that place and prepared a feast.
23 Brenton And it was even, and he took his daughter Lea, and brought her in to Jacob, and Jacob went in to her. BSB BSB: But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
24 Brenton And Laban gave to his daughter Lea, Zelpha his handmaid, as a handmaid for her. BSB BSB: And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.
25 Brenton And it was morning, and behold it was Lea; 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? BSB BSB: When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26 Brenton And Laban answered, It is not done thus in our country, to give the younger before the elder. BSB BSB: Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older.
27 Brenton Fulfil then her sevens, and I will give to thee her also in return for thy labour, which thou labourest with me, yet seven other years. BSB BSB: Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
28 Brenton And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her sevens; and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife. BSB BSB: And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
29 Brenton And Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid Balla, for a handmaid to her. BSB BSB: Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah 31 Brenton And when the Lord God saw that Lea was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. BSB BSB: When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 Brenton And Lea conceived and bore a son to Jacob; and she called his name, Ruben; saying, Because the Lord has looked on my humiliation, and has given me a son, now then my husband will love me. BSB BSB: And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”
33 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: Again she conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has given me this son as well.” So she named him Simeon.
34 Brenton 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. BSB BSB: Once again Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
35 Brenton 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, Juda; and ceased bearing. BSB BSB: And once more she conceived and gave birth to a son and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” So she named him Judah. Then Leah stopped having children.