Genesis 29

1 Jacob [the son of Isaac, a key figure] resumed his journey [went on his way, continued traveling] and came to the land [a country, territory, or region] of the people [sons, descendants] of the east [the front, eastern direction]. word study 2 He looked [beheld] and saw a well [a water source, spring] in the field [a flat area of land, a pasture], and near it lay three flocks of sheep [a group of animals, a figurative people], because the sheep [the flock, the congregation] were watered [given drink, satisfied] from this well [the source of life, the fountain]. And a large [great, immense] stone [a rock, a weight] covered [was upon, rested on] the mouth [the edge, the opening] of the well [the water-hole, the pit]. word study 3 When all [every single one, the entire group] the flocks [gathered animals, herds] had been gathered [assembled, brought together] there [in that place, at that location], the shepherds [caregivers, guardians] would roll away [move, remove] the stone [rock, weight] from the mouth [lip, edge] of the well [water source, spring] and water [give drink to, hydrate] the sheep [flock, herd]. Then they would return [turn back, restore] the stone [rock, barrier] to its place [original position, location] over [upon, above] the mouth [lip, edge] of the well [water source, spring]. word study 4 “My brothers [brethren, close relatives],” Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] asked the shepherds, “where [from what place, whence] are you from [come from, originate]?” “We [us, ourselves] are from [of, belonging to] Haran [a city],” they answered [said, spoke]. word study 5 “Do you know [have knowledge of, are acquainted with] Laban [a son of Bethuel, a grandson of Nahor] the grandson [son of the son, descendant] of Nahor?” Jacob asked. “We know [are familiar with, have seen] him,” they replied. word study 6 “Is he [in good health] well?” Jacob inquired. “Yes [it is well, peace],” they answered, “and here comes his daughter [the ewe] Rachel with his [flock of] sheep [a flock of sheep or goats].” word study 7 “Look [behold, pay attention],” said Jacob, “it is still [yet, continuing] broad daylight [the middle of the day, high day]; it is not [certainly not] yet time [the appointed hour] to gather [collect, bring together] the livestock [cattle, domestic animals]. Water [give drink to] the sheep [flock, herd] and take them back to pasture [graze, feed them].” word study 8 But they replied, “We cannot [are not able], until all [every single one] the flocks [herds of sheep or cattle] have been gathered [brought together, assembled] and the stone [rock, weight] has been rolled [moved in a rolling motion] away from the mouth [lip, edge] of the well [water source, spring]. Then we will water [give drink to] the sheep [flock, herd].” word study 9 While he was still [yet, continuing to] speaking with them, Rachel [the ewe, a shepherdess] arrived [came, approached] with her father’s [parent’s, ancestral] sheep [flock, herd], for she was [served as, tended to] a shepherdess [one who cares for, oversees]. word study 10 As soon as Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] saw Rachel [ewe, a female sheep], the daughter [a female child, a woman] of his mother’s brother Laban [white, a reference to his character], with Laban’s sheep [a flock, a group of animals], he went up and rolled the stone [a rock, a weight] away from the mouth [the opening, the edge] of the well [a water source, a spring] and watered [to give drink, to satisfy] his uncle’s [his mother’s brother, a close relative] sheep [a flock, a group of animals]. word study 11 Then Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] kissed [to touch, to equip with affection] Rachel [ewe] and wept [to cry, to shed tears of joy] aloud [lifting up his voice, with a loud cry]. word study 12 He told [declared openly, stood boldly to announce] Rachel that he was Rebekah’s [his mother, the wife of Isaac] son, a [close] relative [brother, kin] of her father, and she ran [rushed quickly, with haste] and told [declared, stood boldly to announce] her father. word study 13 When Laban [hearing the news, having received the report] heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob [the one who supplants, a key figure in God’s plan], he ran out [with haste, quickly] to meet him. He embraced [with affection, warmly] him and kissed [as a sign of love and respect] him and brought him to his home [house, dwelling place], where Jacob told him all [everything, the entire story] that had happened [occurred, taken place]. word study 14 Then Laban declared, “You [truly, surely] are indeed my own [bone and] flesh [my relative, my kin] and blood.” After Jacob had stayed [lived, dwelled] with him [together, in his company] a month [a lunar cycle, thirty days], word study 15 Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative [brother], should you work [serve, labor] for nothing [without pay, in vain]? Tell me what your [payment, wages] wages should be [are to be, will be].” word study 16 Now Laban [a place in the desert] had two [a pair, dual] daughters; the older [greater in age, more mature] was named Leah [mother of many tribes of Israel], and the younger [smaller in age, less mature] was named Rachel [ewe]. word study 17 Leah had weak [tender, clouded] eyes, but Rachel was shapely [beautiful in form, well-favored] and beautiful [lovely, fair, having a pleasing appearance]. word study 18 Since Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] loved [to have affection for, to be in love with] Rachel, he answered, “I will serve [to work, to be in bondage to] you seven years for your younger [smaller in age or importance] daughter Rachel [the mother of Joseph and Benjamin].” word study 19 Laban replied, “Better that I give [bestow, entrust] her to you [as a wife] than to [marry her to] another [different, unrelated]. Stay [dwell, reside] here with me [in my household, under my care].” word study 20 So Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] served [to work, to labor, to be in bondage] seven years for Rachel [the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, meaning ewe], yet it seemed [appeared, was considered] but a few [a short, brief] days because of his love [affection, devotion, to have a strong liking] for her [his wife, his heart’s desire]. word study 21 Finally Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] said to Laban, “Grant me my wife [my female companion, partner], for my time [my days, the appointed season] is complete [fulfilled, ended], and I want to sleep with her [go in unto her, be intimate].” word study 22 So Laban [the father of Rachel and Leah] invited [gathered together, assembled] all the men [individuals, people] of that place [location, region] and prepared [made, organized] a feast [banquet, celebration]. word study 23 But when evening [at sunset] came, Laban took [received, got] his daughter Leah [the first wife of Jacob, daughter of Laban] and gave [presented, brought] her to Jacob, and he slept [had intimate relations, went in unto] with her [in a marital relationship, as his wife]. word study 24 And Laban [the father of Leah and Rachel] gave his servant girl Zilpah [a female slave, a handmaid] to his daughter Leah [the first wife of Jacob, daughter of Laban] as her maidservant [a female servant, a shiphchah]. word study 25 When morning [at the break of day, in the early light] came, there was Leah [the first wife of Jacob, daughter of Laban]! “What [how, in what way] have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel [the beloved wife, the ewe] that I served [worked, labored] you? Why [for what reason, on what account] have you deceived [betrayed, misled] me?” word study 26 Laban replied, “It is not [never, under no circumstances] our custom [traditional practice, usual way] here to give [bestow, provide] the younger [little, insignificant] daughter in marriage [to be wed, united] before [prior to, preceding] the older [firstborn, of higher rank]. word study 27 Finish [fulfil, complete] this week’s [seven-day period, a week of celebration] celebration, and we will give [bestow, grant] you the younger one [daughter, Rachel] in return [as a reward, in exchange] for another [an additional, seven more] seven years [a period of seven years, a heptad] of work [service, labor, to serve with me].” word study 28 And Jacob [the supplanter, deceiver] did just that [as agreed, in fulfillment]. He finished the week’s [seven-day period, a complete cycle] celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter [female child, descendant] Rachel [ewe, gentle one] as his wife [woman, partner, helpmate]. word study 29 Laban [the father of Rachel] also gave [to assign, bestow] his servant girl Bilhah [a troubled or afflicted one] to his daughter [female child, or a woman in a subordinate relationship] Rachel [ewe] as her [personal, or attending] maidservant [female slave, or servant, a shiphchah]. word study 30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well [and had intimate relations with her], and indeed, he loved [had strong affection for] Rachel more than Leah [his first wife]. So he worked [served, labored] for Laban another [additional, subsequent] seven years [a period of completion, fulfillment]. word study 31 When the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] saw [to look after, to care for] that Leah [the first wife of Jacob, unloved] was unloved [hated, despised], He opened [to engrave, to carve] her womb [the place of fetal growth, matrix]; but Rachel [the beloved wife of Jacob, ewe] was barren [sterile, unable to have children, without offspring]. word study 32 And Leah [the first wife of Jacob, daughter of Laban] conceived [to become pregnant, as seen in the story of Sarah and Abraham] and gave birth [to beget, to bring forth] to a son [a male child, a descendant], and she named [to call, to designate] him Reuben [the firstborn son of Jacob and Leah], for she said [to speak, to declare], “The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has seen [to look upon, to regard with care] my affliction [misery, trouble, or hardship] [because He is my Provider]. Surely [now, at this time] my husband [my man, my male partner] will love [to have affection for, to cherish] me now [at this time, in this circumstance].” word study 33 Again she conceived [became pregnant, was with child] and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Because the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has heard [listened, paid attention] that I am unloved [hated, despised], He has given me this son as well [also, too, in addition].” So she named him Simeon [Shimeon, one who hears, someone who hears]. word study 34 Once again Leah conceived [became pregnant, was with child] and gave birth to a son, and she said, “Now at last [finally, at this time] my husband will become attached [joined, united] to me, because I have borne [given birth to] him three [a trio, thrice] sons.” So he was named [called, designated] Levi [joined, attached]. word study 35 And once more [again, still] she conceived [became pregnant, to conceive or become pregnant] and gave birth [to beget, brought forth] to a son [a male child, descendant] and said [to speak, declare], “This time [now, at this moment] I will praise [to give thanks, acknowledge] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God].” So she named [to call, designate] him Judah [praise, thanksgiving]. Then Leah stopped [ceased, left off] having children [to give birth, beget]. word study