Genesis 29 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Jacob got moving and traveled to the land of the
He looked around and saw a out in the open field, and there were three flocks of sheep lying near it. That was where they watered the flocks, but a large stone covered the mouth of the
When all the flocks had gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well, water the sheep, and then put the stone back in its place over the well's opening.
Jacob asked them, "Brothers, where are you from?" They said, "We're from
He asked them, "Do you know Nahor's grandson?" They said, "We know him."
He asked, "Is he doing well?" They said, "He is. And look -- here comes his daughter with the sheep."
Jacob said, "Look, the sun is still high -- it's not time to gather the animals yet. Water the sheep and take them back out to graze."
They said, "We can't until all the flocks are gathered. Then the stone gets rolled off the well's mouth, and we water the sheep."
While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep -- she was the one who them.
When Jacob saw Rachel -- the daughter of Laban, -- along with Laban's sheep, he went over, rolled the stone off the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban,
Then Jacob Rachel and down
Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative -- Rebekah's son. She ran and told her father.
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him, hugged him, kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban the whole story.
Laban said to him, "You really are my own and And Jacob stayed with him for a full month.
Laban said to Jacob, "Just because you're family doesn't mean you should work for me for nothing. Tell me -- what should I pay you?"
Now Laban had two daughters. The older one was named and the younger one was named Rachel.
Leah had but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a gorgeous face.
Jacob was in with Rachel. So he said, "I'll work for you for in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel."
Laban said, "Better I give her to you than to some stranger. Stay with me."
So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they felt like just a few because of how much he loved her.
Then Jacob said to Laban, "My time is up. Give me my wife so I can be with
So Laban gathered all the people of the area and threw a
But that evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and to and slept with
Laban also gave his servant to his daughter Leah as her attendant.
When morning came -- there was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Didn't I work for you for Rachel? Why did you me?"
Laban said, "That's not how we do things here -- giving the the
"Finish out this with Leah, and then I'll give you Rachel too -- in exchange for another seven years of work."
Jacob agreed. He finished out the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife too.
Laban also gave his servant to his daughter Rachel as her attendant.
Jacob slept with too, and he more than He worked for Laban another seven years.
When saw that Leah was he But Rachel couldn't have children.
Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him because she said, "Yahweh has seen my suffering. Surely now my husband will love me."
She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "Yahweh heard that I am unloved, so he gave me this son too." She named him
She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said, "Now, finally, my husband will be attached to me, because I've given him three sons." So she named him
She became pregnant one more time and gave birth to another son. She said, "This time I will praise Yahweh." So she named him Then she