2 And there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone.
2 He looked, and (b)saw (B)a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it, for from that well they watered the flocks. Now the stone on the mouth of the well was large.
2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
2 He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well.
2 As he was observing a well that had been dug out on the open range, all of a sudden he noticed three flocks of sheep lying there, because shepherds watered their flocks from that well. There was a very large stone that covered the opening of the well,
3 And all the flocks would come together there, and when the stone had been rolled away, they would give the sheep water, and put the stone back again in its place on the mouth of the water-hole.
3 When all the flocks were gathered there, they would then 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.
3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
3 When all the flocks(c) were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep. The stone was then placed back on the well’s opening.
3 and when all the flocks had been gathered there, they would roll away the stone from the opening of the well, water their flocks, and then return the stone to its place covering the opening of the well.
4 Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran.
4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
4 Jacob asked the men at the well, “My brothers! Where are you from?”“We’re from Haran,” they answered.
4 Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where are you from?" "We're from Haran," they answered.
5 And he said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they said, We have.
5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
5 “Do you know Laban grandson of Nahor?” Jacob asked them.They answered, “We know him.”
5 "Do you happen to know Nahor's son Laban?" he inquired. "We do," they replied.
6 And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.
6 And he said to them, “Is it well with him?” And they said, “It is well, and here is (E)Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.”
6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
6 “Is he well?” Jacob asked.“Yes,” they said, “and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with his sheep.”
6 So he asked them, "How's he doing?" "Very well," they answered. "As a matter of fact, look over there! That's his daughter Rachel, coming here with his sheep."
7 Then Jacob said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together: get water for the sheep and go and give them their food.
7 He said, “Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.”
7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
7 Then Jacob said, “Look, it is still broad daylight. It’s not time for the animals to be gathered. Water the flock, then go out and let them graze.”
7 "Look!" Jacob replied. "The sun is still high. It's not yet time for the flocks to be gathered. Let's water the sheep, then let them graze."
8 And they said, We are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will get water for the sheep.
8 But they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.”
8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
8 But they replied, “We can’t until all the flocks have been gathered and the stone is rolled from the well’s opening. Then we will water the sheep.”
8 But they responded, "We can't do that until all the sheep have been gathered and the stone has been rolled away from the opening of the well. Only then can we water the flock."
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them.
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them.
9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, since she was a shepherdess.
10 Then when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of the hole, he got water for Laban's flock.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
10 As soon as Jacob saw his uncle Laban’s daughter Rachel with his sheep,(d) he went up and rolled the stone from the opening and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, accompanied by Laban's sheep, Jacob approached the well, rolled the stone from the opening of the well, and then watered his mother's brother Laban's flock.
12 And Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give her father news of it.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was a (c)(G)relative of her father and that he was Rebekah’s son, and (H)she ran and told her father.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
12 He told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was related to her father, since he was Rebekah's son, so she ran and told her father.
13 And Laban, hearing news of Jacob, his sister's son, came running, and took Jacob in his arms, and kissing him, made him come into his house. And Jacob gave him news of everything.
13 So when (I)Laban heard the news of Jacob his sister’s son, he ran to meet him, and (J)embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then he related to Laban all these things.
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him, hugged him, and kissed him. Then he took him to his house, and Jacob told him all that had happened.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran out to meet him. He embraced him, kissed him, and brought him back to his house. Then Jacob told Laban about everything that had happened.
14 And Laban said to him, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with him for the space of a month.
14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
14 Laban said to him, “Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.”(f)(B)After Jacob had stayed with him a month,
14 Laban responded, "You certainly are my flesh and blood!" So Jacob stayed with him for about a month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your payment to be?
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my (d)relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall (L)your wages be?”
15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
15 Laban said to him, “Just because you’re my relative, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
15 Later, Laban asked Jacob, "Should you serve me for free, just because you're my nephew? Let's talk about what your wages should be."
16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
16 Now Laban had two daughters: the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
16 Now Laban happened to have two daughters. The older one was named Leah and the younger was named Rachel.
18 And Jacob was in love with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.
18 Now Jacob (N)loved Rachel, so he said, “(O)I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he answered Laban, “I’ll work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”(C)
18 Jacob loved Rachel, so he made this offer to Laban: "I'll serve you for seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."
19 And Laban said, It is better for you to have her than another man: go on living here with me.
19 Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than to give her to another man; stay with me.”
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
19 Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay with me.”
19 "It's better that I give her to you than to another man," Laban replied, "so stay with me."
20 And Jacob did seven years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him only a very little time.
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days (P)because of his love for her.
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
20 So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel, but it seemed like only a few days because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my (f)time is completed, that I may (Q)go in to her.”
21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time is completed. I want to sleep with(h) her.”
21 Eventually, Jacob told Laban, "Bring me my wife, now that my time of service has been completed, so I can go be with her."
22 And Laban got together all the men of the place and gave a feast.
22 Laban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
22 So Laban invited all the men of the place to a feast.
22 So Laban gathered all the men who lived in that place and held a wedding festival.
23 And in the evening he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her.
23 Now in the evening he took his daughter Leah, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in to her.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
23 That evening, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her.
23 That night Laban took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob. He had marital relations with her.
24 And Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman.
24 Laban also gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
24 And Laban gave his slave Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her slave.
24 Laban also gave his servant woman Zilpah to Leah to be her maidservant.
25 And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel? why have you been false to me?
25 So it came about in the morning that, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “(R)What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? Why then have you (S)deceived me?”
25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Wasn’t it for Rachel that I worked for you? Why have you deceived me?”
25 The next morning, Jacob realized that it was Leah! "What have you done to me?" he demanded of Laban. "Didn't I serve you for seven years in order to marry Rachel? Why did you deceive me?"
26 And Laban said, In our country we do not let the younger daughter be married before the older.
26 But Laban said, “It is not (g)the practice in our place to (h)marry off the younger before the firstborn.
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
26 Laban answered, “It is not the custom in this place to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn.
26 But Laban responded, "It's not the practice of our place to give the younger one in marriage before the firstborn.
27 Let the week of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years.
27 Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which (T)you shall serve with me for another seven years.”
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
27 Complete this week of wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one in return for working yet another seven years for me.”
27 Fulfill the week for this daughter, then we'll give you the other one in exchange for serving me another seven years."
28 And Jacob did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for his wife.
28 Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
28 And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
28 So Jacob completed another seven years' work, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29 And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her waiting-woman.
29 Laban also gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maid.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
29 And Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.
29 Laban also gave his woman servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maidservant.
30 Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban for another seven years.
30 So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and indeed (U)he loved Rachel more than Leah, and he served with (i)Laban for (V)another seven years.
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
30 Jacob slept with Rachel also, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.(D)
30 Jacob also married Rachel, since he loved her. He served Laban another full seven years' work for Rachel.
31 Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved, gave her a child; while Rachel had no children.
31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
31 When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved,(E) He opened her womb;(F) but Rachel was unable to conceive.(G)
31 Later, the LORD noticed that Leah was being neglected, so he made her fertile, while Rachel remained childless.
32 And Leah was with child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
32 Leah conceived and bore a son and named him (k)Reuben, for she said, “Because the Lord has (l)(W)seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.”
32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
32 Leah conceived, gave birth to a son, and named him Reuben,(i) for she said, “The Lord has seen my affliction;(H) surely my husband will love me now.”
32 Leah conceived, bore a son, and named him Reuben, because she was saying, "The LORD had looked on my torture, so now my husband will love me."
33 Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon.
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son and said, “(X)Because the Lord has (m)heard that I am (n)unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.
33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
33 She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “The Lord heard that I am unloved and has given me this son also.” So she named him Simeon.(j)
33 Later, she conceived again, bore a son, and declared, "Because the LORD heard that I'm neglected, he gave me this one, too." So she named him Simeon.
34 And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named Levi.
34 She conceived again and bore a son and said, “Now this time my husband will become (o)attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore he was named (Y)Levi.
34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
34 She conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “At last, my husband will become attached to me because I have borne three sons for him.” Therefore he was named Levi.(k)
34 Later, she conceived again and said, "This time my husband will become attached to me, now that I've borne him three sons." So he named him Levi.
35 And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah; after this she had no more children for a time.
35 And she conceived again and bore a son and said, “This time I will (p)praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him (q)(Z)Judah. Then she stopped bearing.
35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
35 And she conceived again, gave birth to a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she named him Judah.(l)(I) Then Leah stopped having children.
35 Then she conceived yet again, bore a son, and said, "This time I'll praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing children.
Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain
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