Jacob Arrives at Laban's Home
1 Jacob continued on his way and went toward the land of the East. 2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields with three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well, which had a large stone over the opening. 3 Whenever all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.
4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My friends, where are you from?”
“From Haran,” they answered.
5 He asked, “Do you know Laban, grandson of Nahor?”
“Yes, we do,” they answered.
6 “Is he well?” he asked.
“He is well,” they answered. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel with his flock.”
7 Jacob said, “Since it is still broad daylight and not yet time to bring the flocks in, why don't you water them and take them back to pasture?”
8 They answered, “We can't do that until all the flocks are here and the stone has been rolled back; then we will water the flocks.”
9 While Jacob was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with the flock. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel with his uncle Laban's flock, he went to the well, rolled the stone back, and watered the sheep. 11 Then he kissed her and began to cry for joy. 12 He told her, “I am your father's relative, the son of Rebecca.”
She ran to tell her father; 13 and when he heard the news about his nephew Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him into the house. When Jacob told Laban everything that had happened, 14 Laban said, “Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood.” Jacob stayed there a whole month.
Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel and Leah
15 Laban said to Jacob, “You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?” 16 Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was shapely and beautiful.
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, “I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel.”
19 Laban answered, “I would rather give her to you than to anyone else; stay here with me.” 20 Jacob worked seven years so that he could have Rachel, and the time seemed like only a few days to him, because he loved her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “The time is up; let me marry your daughter.” 22 So Laban gave a wedding feast and invited everyone. 23 But that night, instead of Rachel, he took Leah to Jacob, and Jacob had intercourse with her. ( 24 Laban gave his slave woman Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.) 25 Not until the next morning did Jacob discover that it was Leah. He went to Laban and said, “Why did you do this to me? I worked to get Rachel. Why have you tricked me?”
26 Laban answered, “It is not the custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. 27 Wait until the week's marriage celebrations are over, and I will give you Rachel, if you will work for me another seven years.”
28 Jacob agreed, and when the week of marriage celebrations was over, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ( 29 Laban gave his slave woman Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.) 30 Jacob had intercourse with Rachel also, and he loved her more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban another seven years.
The Children Born to Jacob
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was loved less than Rachel, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel remained childless. 32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, “The Lord has seen my trouble, and now my husband will love me”; so she named him Reuben. 33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “The Lord has given me this son also, because he heard that I was not loved”; so she named him Simeon. 34 Once again she became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She said, “Now my husband will be bound more tightly to me, because I have borne him three sons”; so she named him Levi. 35 Then she became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, “This time I will praise the Lord”; so she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
1 Un Jēkabs cēlās kājās un devās uz to ļaužu zemi, kas pret austrumiem. 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 sacīja: "Brāļi, no kurienes jūs esat?" Un tie sacīja: "Mēs esam no Hāranas." 5 Un Jēkabs tiem sacīja: "Vai jūs pazīstat Nahora dēlu Lābanu?" Un tie sacīja: "Pazīstam." 6 Tad viņš sacīja: "Vai viņam klājas labi?" Tie sacīja: "Labi, un redzi, tur nāk viņa meita Rahēle ar lopiem." 7 Un viņš sacīja: "Vēl taču ir liela diena, un vēl nav pienācis laiks sadzīt lopus; dzirdiniet lopus un ejiet ganīt." 8 Bet tie sacīja: "Mēs nevaram, pirms nav sadzīti visi ganāmpulki, tad akmens tiek novelts no avota cauruma, un mēs dzirdinām lopus." 9 Kamēr viņš vēl ar tiem sarunājās, nāca Rahēle ar sava tēva sīklopiem, jo viņa bija gane. 10 Un notika, kad Jēkabs ieraudzīja Rahēli, savas mātes brāļa Lābana meitu, un savas mātes brāļa Lābana sīklopus, tad Jēkabs piegāja un novēla akmeni no avota un padzirdināja savas mātes brāļa Lābana sīklopus. 11 Un Jēkabs skūpstīja Rahēli un, savu balsi pacēlis, raudāja. 12 Un Jēkabs izstāstīja Rahēlei, ka viņš ir tās tēva radinieks un Rebekas dēls; tad viņa tecēja un izstāstīja to tēvam. 13 Un, kad Lābans dzirdēja vēsti par Jēkabu, savas māsas dēlu, tad viņš tam skrēja pretī, apkampa un skūpstīja un ieveda savā namā. Un viņš izstāstīja arī Lābanam visus šos notikumus. 14 Un Lābans sacīja viņam: "Tiešām, tu esi no maniem kauliem un manas miesas!" Un viņš pie tā palika vienu mēnesi. 15 Un Lābans sacīja Jēkabam: "Kaut gan tu esi mans radinieks, bet vai tādēļ tev par velti kalpot? Saki man, kādu algu tu prasi?" 16 Bet Lābanam bija divi meitas: vecākās vārds bija Lea un jaunākās Rahēle. 17 Leas acis bija blāvas, bez spožuma, bet Rahēle bija skaista augumā un sejā. 18 Un Jēkabs iemīlēja Rahēli un sacīja: "Es kalpošu tev septiņus gadus par Rahēli, tavu jaunāko meitu." 19 Tad Lābans sacīja: "Labāk es dodu to tev nekā kādam citam; paliec pie manis." 20 Un Jēkabs kalpoja par Rahēli 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, ka es ietu pie viņas." 22 Un Lābans sapulcēja visus tās vietas ļaudis un sarīkoja dzīres. 23 Un vakarā viņš ņēma 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 no rīta izrādījās, ka tā bija Lea. Un viņš sacīja Lābanam: "Kāpēc tu man esi tā darījis? Vai es neesmu tev kalpojis par Rahēli? Kāpēc tu mani esi piekrāpis?" 26 Bet Lābans sacīja: "Tā nemēdz šinī vietā darīt, ka izdod jaunāko pirms vecākās. 27 Piepildi šīs septiņas dienas ar šo; tad mēs tev dosim arī to otru tavas kalpošanas dēļ, kad tu man kalposi vēl citus septiņus gadus." 28 Un Jēkabs darīja tā; un viņš piepildīja tās septiņas dienas, tad Lābans deva viņam savu meitu Rahēli par sievu. 29 Un Lābans deva savu kalponi Bilhu savai meitai Rahēlei par kalponi. 30 Un Jēkabs gāja arī pie Rahēles, un viņš mīlēja Rahēli vairāk nekā Leu. Un viņš kalpoja Lābanam vēl otrus septiņus gadus. 31 Un Tas Kungs redzēja, ka Lea tika nicināta; tad Viņš atvēra tās klēpi, bet Rahēle bija neauglīga. 32 Un Lea tapa grūta un dzemdēja dēlu, un nosauca tā vārdu: Rūbens , jo viņa sacīja: "Tas Kungs ir uzlūkojis manas bēdas; un tagad noteikti mans vīrs mani mīlēs." 33 Un viņa tapa atkal grūta un dzemdēja dēlu, un sacīja: "Tas Kungs ir dzirdējis, ka es esmu nicināta, un Viņš man arī šo ir devis." Un viņa nosauca tā vārdu: Simeons . 34 Un viņa tapa atkal grūta un dzemdēja dēlu, un sacīja: "Tagad taču mans vīrs pieķersies man, jo es viņam esmu dzemdējusi trīs dēlus." Un viņa nosauca tā vārdu: Levijs . 35 Un viņa tapa atkal grūta un dzemdēja dēlu, un sacīja: "Tagad es slavēšu To Kungu." Un viņa nosauca tā vārdu: Jūda . Un viņa mitējās dzemdēt.
