Génesis 29

1Jacob prosiguió su viaje y se fue al país de los hijos de Oriente.

2Mirando vio en el campo un pozo y he aquí tres rebaños de ovejas sesteando junto a él; pues en aquel pozo se abrevaban los rebaños; y había una piedra grande sobre la boca del pozo.

3Allí se reunían todos los rebaños; (los pastores) removían la piedra de sobre la boca del pozo, para abrevar los rebaños, y después volvían aponer la piedra en su lugar sobre la boca del pozo.

4Díjoles Jacob: “Hermanos, ¿de dónde sois?” Contestaron: “Somos de Harán”.

5Les preguntó: “¿Conocéis a Labán, hijo de Nacor?” Respondieron: “Lo conocemos.”

6Les dijo entonces: “¿Está bien?” “Bien está, respondieron ellos, y he aquí a Raquel, su hija, que viene con su rebaño.”

7Entonces dijo: “Todavía es muy de día, no es hora de recoger el ganado; abrevad las ovejas, y volved a apacentarlas.”

8Ellos respondieron: “No podemos, hasta que se reúnan todos los rebaños y se remueva la piedra de sobre la boca del pozo para que abrevemos las ovejas.”

9Aún estaba hablando con ellos, cuando llegó Raquel con las ovejas de su padre, pues ella era pastora.

10Como viese Jacob a Raquel, hija de Labán, hermano de su madre, se acercó y removió la piedra de sobre la boca del pozo y abrevó las ovejas de Labán, hermano de su madre.

11Y besó Jacob a Raquel, y alzó su voz para llorar.

12Luego declaró Jacob a Raquel que era hermano de su padre e hijo de Rebeca. Tras lo cual ella echó a correr y avisó a su padre.

13Cuando Labán oyó lo que le decía de Jacob, hijo de su hermana, corrió a su encuentro, lo abrazó, lo besó y lo condujo a su casa. Y (Jacob) contó a Labán todas estas cosas.

14Díjole entonces Labán: “De veras, eres hueso mío y carne mía.” Y estuvo con él por espacio de un mes.

15Dijo Labán a Jacob: “¿Acaso por ser mi hermano, has de servirme de balde? Dime cuál será tu salario.”

16Ahora bien, tenía Labán dos hijas; el nombre de la mayor era Lía, y el nombre de la menor, Raquel.

17Lía tenía los ojos enfermos; Raquel, en cambio, era de buena figura y de hermoso aspecto.

18Jacob amaba a Raquel, por lo cual dijo: “te serviré siete años por Raquel, tu hija menor.”

19Labán respondió: “Mejor es dártela ti, que dársela a otro; quédate conmigo.”

20Sirvió, pues, Jacob por Raquel siete años, que le parecieron como unos pocos días, por el amor que le tenía.

21Dijo entonces Jacob a Labán: “Dame mi mujer, que se han cumplido los días, y me llegaré a ella.”

22Reunió, pues, Labán a toda la gente del lugar y dio un banquete.

23Mas por la noche tomó a Lía, su hija, y la llevó a Jacob, y este se llegó a ella.

24Y dio Labán a su hija Lía su sierva Silfá para esclava.

25Llegada la mañana, vio (Jacob) que era Lía. Dijo, pues, a Labán: “¿Qué es lo que has hecho conmigo? ¿No te he servido por Raquel? ¿Por qué me has engañado?”

26Respondió Labán: “No es costumbre en nuestra tierra dar la menor antes que la mayor.

27Cumple la semana con esta, y te daremos también la otra, por el servicio que me prestarás durante otros siete años.”

28Jacob lo hizo así; y habiendo cumplido la semana con ella, le dio por mujer a su hija Raquel.

29Y dio Labán por esclava a su hija Raquel su sierva Bilhá.

30Así se llegó (Jacob) también a Raquel, a la cual amó más que a Lía y sirvió a (Labán) otros siete años.

31Viendo Yahvé que Lía era menospreciada, la hizo fecunda, mientras Raquel era estéril.

32Concibió Lía y dio a luz un hijo, al cual llamó Rubén, pues decía: “Yahvé ha mirado mi aflicción; ahora sí que me amará mi marido.”

33Concibió otra vez y dio a luz un hijo, y dijo: “Yahvé oyó que yo era menospreciada; por eso me ha dado también este.” Y le llamó Simeón.

34Concibió de nuevo y dio a luz un hijo, y dijo: “Ahora, esta vez, mi marido se aficionará a mí, ya que le he dado tres hijos.” Por eso le llamó Leví.

35Volvió a concebir, y dio a luz un hijo, y dijo “Esta vez alabaré a Yahvé.” Por tanto, le puso por nombre Judá; y cesó de tener hijos.

1Profectus ergo Jacob venit in terram orientalem.

2Et vidit puteum in agro, tres quoque greges ovium accubantes juxta eum: nam ex illo adaquabantur pecora, et os ejus grandi lapide claudebatur.

3Morisque erat ut cunctis ovibus congregatis devolverent lapidem, et refectis gregibus rursum super os putei ponerent.

4Dixitque ad pastores: Fratres, unde estis? Qui responderunt: De Haran.

5Quos interrogans, Numquid, ait, nostis Laban filium Nachor? Dixerunt: Novimus.

6Sanusne est? inquit. Valet, inquiunt: et ecce Rachel filia ejus venit cum grege suo.

7Dixitque Jacob: Adhuc multum diei superest, nec est tempus ut reducantur ad caulas greges: date ante potum ovibus, et sic eas ad pastum reducite.

8Qui responderunt: Non possumus, donec omnia pecora congregentur, et amoveamus lapidem de ore putei, ut adaquemus greges.

9Adhuc loquebantur, et ecce Rachel veniebat cum ovibus patris sui: nam gregem ipsa pascebat.

10Quam cum vidisset Jacob, et sciret consobrinam suam, ovesque Laban avunculi sui, amovit lapidem quo puteus claudebatur.

11Et adaquato grege, osculatus est eam: et elevata voce flevit,

12et indicavit ei quod frater esset patris sui, et filius Rebeccæ: at illa festinans nuntiavit patri suo.

13Qui cum audisset venisse Jacob filium sororis suæ, cucurrit obviam ei: complexusque eum, et in oscula ruens, duxit in domum suam. Auditis autem causis itineris,

14respondit: Os meum es, et caro mea. Et postquam impleti sunt dies mensis unius,

15dixit ei: Num quia frater meus es, gratis servies mihi? dic quid mercedis accipias.

16Habebat vero duas filias: nomen majoris Lia, minor vero appellabatur Rachel.

17Sed Lia lippis erat oculis: Rachel decora facie, et venusto aspectu.

18Quam diligens Jacob, ait: Serviam tibi pro Rachel filia tua minore, septem annis.

19Respondit Laban: Melius est ut tibi eam dem quam alteri viro: mane apud me.

20Servivit ergo Jacob pro Rachel septem annis: et videbantur illi pauci dies præ amoris magnitudine.

21Dixitque ad Laban: Da mihi uxorem meam: quia jam tempus impletum est, ut ingrediar ad illam.

22Qui vocatis multis amicorum turbis ad convivium, fecit nuptias.

23Et vespere Liam filiam suam introduxit ad eum,

24dans ancillam filiæ, Zelpham nomine. Ad quam cum ex more Jacob fuisset ingressus, facto mane vidit Liam:

25et dixit ad socerum suum: Quid est quod facere voluisti? nonne pro Rachel servivi tibi? quare imposuisti mihi?

26Respondit Laban: Non est in loco nostro consuetudinis, ut minores ante tradamus ad nuptias.

27Imple hebdomadam dierum hujus copulæ: et hanc quoque dabo tibi pro opere quo serviturus es mihi septem annis aliis.

28Acquievit placito: et hebdomada transacta, Rachel duxit uxorem:

29cui pater servam Balam tradiderat.

30Tandemque potitus optatis nuptiis, amorem sequentis priori prætulit, serviens apud eum septem annis aliis.

31Videns autem Dominus quod despiceret Liam, aperuit vulvam ejus, sorore sterili permanente.

32Quæ conceptum genuit filium, vocavitque nomen ejus Ruben, dicens: Vidit Dominus humilitatem meam: nunc amabit me vir meus.

33Rursumque concepit et peperit filium, et ait: Quoniam audivit me Dominus haberi contemptui, dedit etiam istum mihi; vocavitque nomen ejus Simeon.

34Concepitque tertio, et genuit alium filium: dixitque: Nunc quoque copulabitur mihi maritus meus: eo quod pepererim ei tres filios: et idcirco appellavit nomen ejus Levi.

35Quarto concepit, et peperit filium, et ait: Modo confitebor Domino, et ob hoc vocavit eum Judam: cessavitque parere.

1Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.

2And he saw a well in the field, and three flocks of sheep lying by it: for the beasts were watered out of it, and the mouth thereof was closed with a great stone.

3And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together to roll away the stone, and after the sheep were watered, to put it on the mouth of the well again.

4And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.

5And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.

6He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with his flock.

7And Jacob said: There is yet much day remaining, neither is it time to bring the flocks into the folds again: first give the sheep drink, and so lead them back to feed.

8They answered: We cannot, till all the cattle be gathered together, and we remove the stone from the well’s mouth, that we may water the flocks.

9They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep: for she fed the flock.

10And when Jacob saw her, and knew her to be his cousin-german, and that they were the sheep of Laban, his uncle: he removed the stone wherewith the well was closed.

11And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice, wept.

12And he told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.

13Who, when he heard that Jacob his sister’s son was come, ran forth to meet him; and embracing him, and heartily kissing him, brought him into his house. And when he had heard the causes of his journey,

14He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,

15He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.

16Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia: and the younger was called Rachel.

17But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.

18And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.

20So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.

21And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

22And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.

23And at night he brought in Lia his daughter to him,

24Giving his daughter a handmaid, named Zelpha. Now when Jacob had gone in to her according to custom when morning was come he saw it was Lia:

25And he said to his father in law: What is it that thou didst mean to do? did not I serve thee for Rachel? why hast thou deceived me?

26Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.

27Make up the week of days of this match: and I will give thee her also, for the service that thou shalt render me other seven years.

28He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:

29To whom her father gave Bala for her servant.

30And having at length obtained the marriage he wished for, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and served with him other seven years.

31And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.

32And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.

33And again she conceived and bore a son, and said: Because the Lord heard that I was despised, he hath given this also to me: and she called his name Simeon.

34And she conceived the third time, and bore another son: and said: Now also my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons: and therefore she called his name Levi.

35The fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and said: now will I praise the Lord: and for this she called him Juda. And she left bearing.