Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home
1 As Jacob continued on his way to the east, 2 he looked out in a field and saw a well where shepherds took their sheep for water. Three flocks of sheep were lying around the well, which was covered with a large rock. 3 Shepherds would roll the rock away when all their sheep had gathered there. Then after the sheep had been watered, the shepherds would roll the rock back over the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where are you from?”
“We're from Haran,” they answered.
5 Then he asked, “Do you know Nahor's grandson Laban?”
“Yes we do,” they replied.
6 “How is he?” Jacob asked.
“He's fine,” they answered. “And here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7 Jacob told them, “Look, the sun is still high up in the sky, and it's too early to bring in the rest of the flocks. Water your sheep and take them back to the pasture.”
8 But they replied, “We can't do that until they all get here, and the rock has been rolled away from the well.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with the men, his cousin Rachel came up with her father's sheep. 10 When Jacob saw her and his uncle's sheep, he rolled the rock away and watered the sheep. 11 He then kissed Rachel and started crying because he was so happy. 12 He told her that he was the son of her aunt Rebekah, and she ran and told her father about him.
13 As soon as Laban heard the news, he ran out to meet Jacob. He hugged and kissed him and brought him to his home, where Jacob told him everything that had happened. 14 Laban said, “You are my nephew, and you are like one of my own family.”
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
After Jacob had been there for a month, 15 Laban said to him, “You shouldn't have to work without pay, just because you are a relative of mine. What do you want me to give you?”
16-17 Laban had two daughters. Leah was older than Rachel, but her eyes didn't sparkle, while Rachel was beautiful and had a good figure. 18 Since Jacob was in love with Rachel, he answered, “If you will let me marry Rachel, I'll work seven years for you.”
19 Laban replied, “It's better for me to let you marry Rachel than for someone else to have her. So stay and work for me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban, but the time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!” 22 So Laban gave a big feast and invited all their neighbors. 23 But that evening he brought Leah to Jacob, who married her and spent the night with her. 24 Laban also gave Zilpah to Leah as her servant woman.
25 The next morning Jacob found out that he had married Leah, and he asked Laban, “Why did you do this to me? Didn't I work to get Rachel? Why did you trick me?”
26 Laban replied, “In our country the older daughter must get married first. 27 After you spend this week with Leah, you may also marry Rachel. But you will have to work for me another seven years.”
28-30 At the end of the week of celebration, Laban let Jacob marry Rachel, and he gave her his servant woman Bilhah. Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, but he had to work another seven years for Laban.
31 The Lord knew that Jacob loved Rachel more than he did Leah, and so he gave children to Leah, but not to Rachel. 32 Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben. Then she said, “The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel.” 33 She had a second son and named him Simeon, because she said, “The Lord has heard that my husband doesn't love me.” 34 When Leah's third son was born, she said, “Now my husband will hold me close.” So this son was named Levi. 35 She had one more son and named him Judah, because she said, “I'll praise the Lord!”
1 Un Jēkabs cēlās kājās un devās uz austrumnieku zemi.
2 Un viņš ieraudzīja tīrumā aku, un trīs ganāmpulki bija apmetušies pie tās, jo no šīs akas ganāmpulki tika dzirdināti Bet liels akmens bija uzlikts uz akas cauruma.
3 Kad visi ganāmpulki tur bija sadzīti, tad novēla akmeni no akas cauruma un dzirdīja lopus, un pēc tam atkal lika akmeni savā vietā uz akas cauruma.
4 Jēkabs viņiem jautāja: „Brāļi, no kurienes jūs esat?“ Tie atbildēja: „Mēs esam no Chāranas.“
5 Un Jēkabs tiem jautāja: „Vai jūs pazīstat Nachora dēlu Lābanu?“ Tie sacīja: „Mēs to pazīstam.“
6 Tad viņš sacīja: „Vai viņam klājas labi?“ Tie sacīja: „Viņš ir sveiks, un, lūk, tur nāk viņa meita Rāhele ar lopiem.“
7 Un viņš sacīja: „Vēl taču ir liela diena, un laiks vēl nav pienācis sadzīt lopus: dzirdiniet lopus un ejiet ganīt.“
8 Bet tie sacīja: „Mēs nevaram, līdz tiek sadzīti visi ganāmpulki un akmens tiek novelts no avota cauruma, tad mēs dzirdīsim lopus.“
9 Kamēr viņš vēl ar tiem sarunājās, Rāhele nāca ar sava tēva sīklopiem, kuru gane viņa bija.
10 Un notika, kad Jēkabs ieraudzīja savas mātes brāļa Lābana meitu Rāheli nākam kopā ar viņa mātes brāļa Lābana sīklopiem, Jēkabs nostājās un novēla akmeni no avota un padzirdīja savas mātes brāļa Lābana sīklopus.
11 Un Jēkabs skūpstīja Rāheli, un, savu balsi pacēlis, raudāja.
12 Un Jēkabs izstāstīja Rāhelei, ka viņš ir tās tēva radinieks un ka viņš ir Rebekas dēls; tad viņa tecēja un sacīja to tēvam.
13 Un kad Lābans dzirdēja vēsti par savu māsas dēlu Jēkabu, tad viņš tam skrēja pretī, apkampa to un skūpstīja viņu un ieveda to savā namā. Un viņš izstāstīja ari Lābanam visus šos notikumus.
14 Un Lābans sacīja viņam: „Tiešām, tu esi no maniem kauliem un manas miesas!“ Un viņš pie tā palika apmēram mēnesi.
15 Un Lābans sacīja viņam: „Kaut gan tu esi mans radinieks, bet vai tādēļ tev par velti kalpot? Pasaki man savu algu.“
16 Bet Lābanam bija divi meitas; vecākās vārds bija Lea, un jaunākās Rāhele.
17 Leas acis bija blāvas, bez spožuma, bet Rāhele bija skaista augumā un sejā.
18 Un Jēkabs iemīlēja Rāheli un sacīja: „Es esmu ar mieru par Rāheli kalpot septiņus gadus.“
19 Tad Lābans sacīja: „Labāki es dodu to tev nekā kādam citam; paliec pie manis.“
20 Un Jēkabs kalpoja Rāheles dēļ septiņus gadus, un tie izlikās viņam kā dažas dienas, tik mīļa tā viņam bija.
21 Tad Jēkabs sacīja Lābanam: „Dod man tagad manu sievu, jo mans laiks ir pilns, es gribu pie viņas iet.“
22 Un Lābans sapulcēja visus tās vietas ļaudis un sarīkoja dzīres.
23 Un vakarā viņš paņēma savu meitu Leu un ieveda pie viņa, un Jēkabs gāja pie tās.
24 Un Lābans deva savu kalponi Zilfu savai meitai Leai par kalponi.
25 Un rītā izrādījās, ka tā bija Lea. Un viņš pārmeta Lābanam: „Kāpēc tu man esi tā darījis? Vai es tev neesmu kalpojis Rāheles dēļ? Kāpēc tu man esi tā darījis?“
26 Lābans atbildēja: „Tā nemēdz šinī vietā darīt, ka izdod jaunāko pirms vecākās.
27 Piepildi šīs septiņas dienas ar šo, tad es tev gribu dot ari to otru tavas kalpošanas dēļ, kad tu man kalposi vēl citus septiņus gadus.“
28 Un Jēkabs darīja tā; un viņš izturēja tās septiņas dienas, tad Lābans deva viņam savu meitu Rāheli par sievu.
29 Un Lābans deva savai meitai Rāhelei savu kalponi Bilhu, lai tā viņu aptecētu.
30 Un Jēkabs gāja pie Rāheles, un viņš mīlēja Rāheli vairāk nekā Leu. Un tā viņš Lābanam kalpoja vēl otrus septiņus gadus.
31 Bet kad Dievs redzēja, ka Lea tika nicināta, tad Viņš atvēra tās klēpi, bet Rāhele bija neauglīga.
32 Un Lea tapa grūta, un dzemdēja dēlu, un nosauca tā vārdu Rūbens, jo viņa domāja: „Dievs mani ir uzlūkojis manā pazemojumā, un tagad mans vīrs mani turēs godā.“
33 Un viņa tapa atkal grūta, un dzemdēja dēlu, un domāja: „Dievs ir dzirdējis, ka es esmu nicināta, tāpēc Viņš man arī šo ir devis;“ un viņa nosauca tā vārdu Simeons.
34 Un viņa tapa atkal grūta, un dzemdēja dēlu, un domāja: „Tagad taču mans vīrs pievērsīsies man, jo es viņam esmu trīs dēlus dzemdējusi.“ Tāpēc viņa nosauca tā vārdu Levijs.
35 Un viņa tapa atkal grūta un dzemdēja dēlu un domāja: „Tagad es pateikšos Dievam.“ Un viņa nosauca tā vārdu Jūda. Un viņa mitējās dzemdēt.
