Chapter 29
Drafted by Grok 4.7 on 8 October 2026. First draft. Not independently reviewed. Leningrad Codex, through the Open Scriptures Westminster Leningrad Codex. The written consonants are printed. A Masoretic reading is footnoted when it differs. No Dead Sea reading was substituted unless it was read from a fragment. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions are witnesses, not the default.
1Jacob set out and went to the land of the people of the east.
2He looked, and there was a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep were lying beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the mouth of the well was large.
3When all the flocks were gathered there, they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.
4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”
5He said to them, “Do you know Laban son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6He said to them, “Is he well?” They said, “He is well. And here comes Rachel his daughter with the sheep.”
7He said, “Look, it is still full daylight. It is not time to gather the livestock. Water the sheep, and go and pasture them.”
8They said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.”
9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with the sheep that belonged to her father, for she was a shepherd.
10When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob stepped up, rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11Jacob kissed Rachel and lifted up his voice and wept.
12Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
13When Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him into his house. He told Laban all these things.
14Laban said to him, “You are surely my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him a full month.
15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are my kinsman, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
16Now Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17Leah’s eyes were soft, and Rachel was beautiful in figure and beautiful to look at.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
“Soft” is rakkot. It can mean delicate or weak. The codex does not say which. Soft is printed.
18Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like a few days, because of his love for her.
21Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is up, so that I may go in to her.”
22Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
23When evening came he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him, and he went in to her.
24Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her servant.
25In the morning, there was Leah. He said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”
26Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27Finish this one’s bridal week, and we will give you the other one too, in return for the work you will do for me for another seven years.”
28Jacob did so. He finished that bridal week, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.
29Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant.
30He also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served Laban another seven years.
31Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
32Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, “Yahweh has seen my misery. Surely now my husband will love me.”
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Reuben is heard in her words as “see, a son,” and she explains it by “he has seen my misery.” The hope that her husband will love her is also in the sentence. The name is printed, and both remarks stay in her speech.
33She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved, he has given me this one too.” And she named him Simeon.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Simeon is explained by “he has heard.”
34She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will be bound to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named Levi.
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- Translation
Levi is explained by “bound to me.”
35She conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Judah is explained by “I will praise.”