English Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the east.

1וַיִּשָּׂ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב רַגְלָ֑יו וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אַ֥רְצָה בְנֵי־ קֶֽדֶם׃

2As he looked, he saw a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large,

2וַיַּ֞רְא וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְאֵ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּה־ שָׁ֞ם שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עֶדְרֵי־ צֹאן֙ רֹבְצִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֚י מִן־ הַבְּאֵ֣ר הַהִ֔וא יַשְׁק֖וּ הָעֲדָרִ֑ים וְהָאֶ֥בֶן גְּדֹלָ֖ה עַל־ פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵֽר׃

3and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

3וְנֶאֶסְפוּ־ שָׁ֣מָּה כָל־ הָעֲדָרִ֗ים וְגָלֲל֤וּ אֶת־ הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וְהִשְׁק֖וּ אֶת־ הַצֹּ֑אן וְהֵשִׁ֧יבוּ אֶת־ הָאֶ֛בֶן עַל־ פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִמְקֹמָֽהּ׃

4Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where do you come from?” They said, “We are from Haran.”

4וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יַעֲקֹ֔ב אַחַ֖י מֵאַ֣יִן אַתֶּ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵחָרָ֖ן אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃

5He said to them, “Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”

5וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־ נָח֑וֹר וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ׃

6He said to them, “Is it well with him?” They said, “It is well; and see, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep!”

6וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָהֶ֖ם הֲשָׁל֣וֹם ל֑וֹ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִנֵּה֙ רָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ בָּאָ֖ה עִם־ הַצֹּֽאן׃

7He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go, pasture them.”

7וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵ֥ן עוֹד֙ הַיּ֣וֹם גָּד֔וֹל לֹא־ עֵ֖ת הֵאָסֵ֣ף הַמִּקְנֶ֑ה הַשְׁק֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן וּלְכ֥וּ רְעֽוּ׃

8But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”

8וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ לֹ֣א נוּכַל֒ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ כָּל־ הָ֣עֲדָרִ֔ים וְגָֽלֲלוּ֙ אֶת־ הָאֶ֔בֶן מֵעַ֖ל פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֑ר וְהִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ הַצֹּֽאן׃

9While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.

9עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֑ם וְרָחֵ֣ל ׀ בָּ֗אָה עִם־ הַצֹּאן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔יהָ כִּ֥י רֹעָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

10Now as soon as Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob came near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

10וַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ רָאָ֨ה יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־ רָחֵ֗ל בַּת־ לָבָן֙ אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־ צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיָּ֤גֶל אֶת־ הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וַיַּ֕שְׁקְ אֶת־ צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֥י אִמּֽוֹ׃

11Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.

11וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־ קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃

12And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son, and she ran and told her father.

12וַיַּגֵּ֨ד יַעֲקֹ֜ב לְרָחֵ֗ל כִּ֣י אֲחִ֤י אָבִ֙יהָ֙ ה֔וּא וְכִ֥י בֶן־ רִבְקָ֖ה ה֑וּא וַתָּ֖רָץ וַתַּגֵּ֥ד לְאָבִֽיהָ׃

13As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,

13וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ לָבָ֜ן אֶת־ שֵׁ֣מַע ׀ יַעֲקֹ֣ב בֶּן־ אֲחֹת֗וֹ וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיְחַבֶּק־ לוֹ֙ וַיְנַשֶּׁק־ ל֔וֹ וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־ בֵּית֑וֹ וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר לְלָבָ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־ הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

14and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.

14וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לָבָ֔ן אַ֛ךְ עַצְמִ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י אָ֑תָּה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עִמּ֖וֹ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים׃

15Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?”

15וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָבָן֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב הֲכִי־ אָחִ֣י אַ֔תָּה וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי חִנָּ֑ם הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מַה־ מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃

16Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

16וּלְלָבָ֖ן שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הַגְּדֹלָה֙ לֵאָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה רָחֵֽל׃

17Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.

17וְעֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכּ֑וֹת וְרָחֵל֙ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־ תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃

18Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

18וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־ רָחֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶֽעֱבָדְךָ֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים בְּרָחֵ֥ל בִּתְּךָ֖ הַקְּטַנָּֽה׃

19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.”

19וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֗ן ט֚וֹב תִּתִּ֣י אֹתָ֣הּ לָ֔ךְ מִתִּתִּ֥י אֹתָ֖הּ לְאִ֣ישׁ אַחֵ֑ר שְׁבָ֖ה עִמָּדִֽי׃

20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

20וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד יַעֲקֹ֛ב בְּרָחֵ֖ל שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיִּהְי֤וּ בְעֵינָיו֙ כְּיָמִ֣ים אֲחָדִ֔ים בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ אֹתָֽהּ׃

21Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.”

21וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יַעֲקֹ֤ב אֶל־ לָבָן֙ הָבָ֣ה אֶת־ אִשְׁתִּ֔י כִּ֥י מָלְא֖וּ יָמָ֑י וְאָב֖וֹאָה אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

22So Laban gathered together all the people of the place and made a feast.

22וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף לָבָ֛ן אֶת־ כָּל־ אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַמָּק֖וֹם וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּֽה׃

23But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her.

23וַיְהִ֣י בָעֶ֔רֶב וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־ לֵאָ֣ה בִתּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֖הּ אֵלָ֑יו וַיָּבֹ֖א אֵלֶֽיהָ׃

24(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)

24וַיִּתֵּ֤ן לָבָן֙ לָ֔הּ אֶת־ זִלְפָּ֖ה שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ לְלֵאָ֥ה בִתּ֖וֹ שִׁפְחָֽה׃

25And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”

25וַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּה־ הִ֖וא לֵאָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־ לָבָ֗ן מַה־ זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֔י הֲלֹ֤א בְרָחֵל֙ עָבַ֣דְתִּי עִמָּ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה רִמִּיתָֽנִי׃

26Laban said, “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

26וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָבָ֔ן לֹא־ יֵעָשֶׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן בִּמְקוֹמֵ֑נוּ לָתֵ֥ת הַצְּעִירָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֥י הַבְּכִירָֽה׃

27Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years.”

27מַלֵּ֖א שְׁבֻ֣עַ זֹ֑את וְנִתְּנָ֨ה לְךָ֜ גַּם־ אֶת־ זֹ֗את בַּעֲבֹדָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֣ד עִמָּדִ֔י ע֖וֹד שֶֽׁבַע־ שָׁנִ֥ים אֲחֵרֽוֹת׃

28Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

28וַיַּ֤עַשׂ יַעֲקֹב֙ כֵּ֔ן וַיְמַלֵּ֖א שְׁבֻ֣עַ זֹ֑את וַיִּתֶּן־ ל֛וֹ אֶת־ רָחֵ֥ל בִּתּ֖וֹ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

29(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)

29וַיִּתֵּ֤ן לָבָן֙ לְרָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ אֶת־ בִּלְהָ֖ה שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ לָ֖הּ לְשִׁפְחָֽה׃

30So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.

30וַיָּבֹא֙ גַּ֣ם אֶל־ רָחֵ֔ל וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב גַּֽם־ אֶת־ רָחֵ֖ל מִלֵּאָ֑ה וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ד עִמּ֔וֹ ע֖וֹד שֶֽׁבַע־ שָׁנִ֥ים אֲחֵרֽוֹת׃

31When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

31וַיַּ֤רְא יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־ שְׂנוּאָ֣ה לֵאָ֔ה וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־ רַחְמָ֑הּ וְרָחֵ֖ל עֲקָרָֽה׃

32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

32וַתַּ֤הַר לֵאָה֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ רְאוּבֵ֑ן כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה כִּֽי־ רָאָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּעָנְיִ֔י כִּ֥י עַתָּ֖ה יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי אִישִֽׁי׃

33She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.

33וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־ שָׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ כִּֽי־ שְׂנוּאָ֣ה אָנֹ֔כִי וַיִּתֶּן־ לִ֖י גַּם־ אֶת־ זֶ֑ה וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ שִׁמְעֽוֹן׃

34Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called Levi.

34וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י כִּֽי־ יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים עַל־ כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־ שְׁמ֖וֹ לֵוִֽי׃

35And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the LORD.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

35וַתַּ֨הַר ע֜וֹד וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֗ן וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַפַּ֙עַם֙ אוֹדֶ֣ה אֶת־ יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ כֵּ֛ן קָרְאָ֥ה שְׁמ֖וֹ יְהוּדָ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֖ד מִלֶּֽדֶת׃

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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