Genesis 29 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Jacob arrives in Paddan Aram

1 Then Jacob continued on his journey. He came to the land where the eastern tribes lived. 2 There he saw a well in the open country. Three flocks of sheep were lying near it. The flocks were given water from the well. The stone over the opening of the well was large. 3 All the flocks would gather there. The shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s opening. They would give water to the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the opening of the well. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘My friends, where are you from?’ ‘We’re from Harran,’ they replied. 5 He said to them, ‘Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?’ ‘Yes, we know him,’ they answered. 6 Then Jacob asked them, ‘How is he?’ ‘He’s fine,’ they said. ‘Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.’ 7 ‘Look’, he said, ‘the sun is still high in the sky. It’s not time for the flocks to be brought together. Give water to the sheep and take them back to the grasslands.’ 8 ‘We can’t,’ they replied. ‘We have to wait until all the flocks are brought together. The stone has to be rolled away from the opening of the well. Then we’ll give water to the sheep.’ 9 He was still talking with them when Rachel came with her father’s sheep. It was her job to take care of the flock. 10 Rachel was the daughter of Laban, Jacob’s uncle. When Jacob saw Rachel with Laban’s sheep, he went over to the well. He rolled the stone away from the opening. He gave water to his uncle’s sheep. 11 Jacob kissed Rachel. Then he began to cry because he was so happy. 12 He had told Rachel he was a relative of her father. He had also said he was Rebekah’s son. Rachel ran and told her father what Jacob had said. 13 As soon as Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he hurried to meet him. Laban hugged Jacob and kissed him. Then Laban brought him to his home. There Jacob told him everything.

Jacob marries Leah and Rachel

14 Then Laban said to him, ‘You are my own flesh and blood.’ Jacob stayed with Laban for a whole month. 15 Then Laban said to him, ‘You are one of my relatives. But is that any reason for you to work for me for nothing? Tell me what your pay should be.’ 16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder one was Leah. And the name of the younger one was Rachel. 17 Leah was plain, but Rachel was beautiful. She had a nice figure. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel. He said to Laban, ‘I’ll work for you for seven years so I can marry your younger daughter Rachel.’ 19 Laban said, ‘It’s better for me to give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.’ 20 So Jacob worked for seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her so much. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. I’ve completed my time. I want to sleep with her.’ 22 So Laban brought all the people of the place together and had a feast prepared. 23 But when evening came, he gave his daughter Leah to Jacob. And Jacob slept with her. 24 Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter as her servant. 25 When Jacob woke up the next morning, there was Leah next to him! So he said to Laban, ‘What have you done to me? I worked for you so I could marry Rachel, didn’t I? Why did you trick me?’ 26 Laban replied, ‘It isn’t our practice here to give the younger daughter to be married before the elder one. 27 Complete this daughter’s wedding week. Then we’ll give you the younger one also. But you will have to work for another seven years.’ 28 So Jacob completed the week with Leah. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant. 30 Jacob slept with Rachel also. He loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And he worked for Laban for another seven years.

Jacob becomes the Father of many children

31 The LORD saw that Jacob didn’t love Leah as much as he loved Rachel. So he let Leah have children. But Rachel wasn’t able to have children. 32 Leah became pregnant. She had a son. She named him Reuben. She said, ‘The LORD has seen me suffer. Surely my husband will love me now.’ 33 She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, ‘The LORD heard that Jacob doesn’t love me very much. That’s why the LORD gave me this one too.’ So she named him Simeon. 34 She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, ‘Now at last my husband will value me. I have had three sons by him.’ So the boy was named Levi. 35 She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, ‘This time I’ll praise the LORD.’ So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

Nuova Riveduta 2006

from Società Biblica di Ginevra

Giacobbe a Caran

1 Poi Giacobbe si mise in cammino e andò nel paese degli Orientali. 2 Egli vide nei campi un pozzo e tre greggi di pecore, accovacciate lì vicino; a quel pozzo infatti si abbeveravano le greggi; ma la pietra sulla bocca del pozzo era grande. 3 Dopo che tutte le greggi si erano radunate là, i pastori rotolavano la pietra dalla bocca del pozzo, abbeveravano le pecore, poi rimettevano la pietra al suo posto, sulla bocca del pozzo. 4 Giacobbe disse ai pastori: «Fratelli miei, di dove siete?» Quelli risposero: «Siamo di Caran». 5 Egli disse loro: «Conoscete Labano, figlio di Naor?» Ed essi: «Lo conosciamo». 6 Egli disse loro: «Sta bene?» Quelli risposero: «Sta bene; ecco Rachele, sua figlia, che viene con le pecore». 7 Egli disse: «Ecco, è ancora pieno giorno, e non è tempo di radunare il bestiame; abbeverate le pecore e portatele al pascolo». 8 Quelli risposero: «Non possiamo, finché non siano radunate tutte le greggi; allora si rotola la pietra dalla bocca del pozzo e abbeveriamo le pecore». 9 Mentre egli parlava ancora con loro, giunse Rachele con le pecore di suo padre; perché era lei che le portava al pascolo. 10 Quando Giacobbe vide Rachele figlia di Labano, fratello di sua madre, e le pecore di Labano, fratello di sua madre, si avvicinò, rotolò la pietra dalla bocca del pozzo e abbeverò il gregge di Labano, fratello di sua madre. 11 Poi Giacobbe baciò Rachele, alzò la voce e pianse. 12 Giacobbe fece sapere a Rachele che egli era parente del padre di lei e che era figlio di Rebecca. Ed ella corse a dirlo a suo padre. 13 Appena Labano ebbe udito le notizie di Giacobbe figlio di sua sorella, gli corse incontro, l’abbracciò, lo baciò e lo condusse a casa sua. Giacobbe raccontò a Labano tutte queste cose; 14 e Labano gli disse: «Tu sei proprio mie ossa e mia carne!» Così abitò presso di lui per un mese.

Lea e Rachele

15 Poi Labano disse a Giacobbe: «Perché sei mio parente devi forse servirmi per nulla? Dimmi quale dev’essere il tuo salario». 16 Or Labano aveva due figlie: la maggiore si chiamava Lea e la minore Rachele. 17 Lea aveva gli occhi delicati^[1], ma Rachele era avvenente e di bell’aspetto. 18 Giacobbe amava Rachele e disse a Labano: «Io ti servirò sette anni, per Rachele tua figlia minore». 19 Labano rispose: «È meglio che io la dia a te piuttosto che a un altro uomo; resta con me». 20 Giacobbe servì sette anni per Rachele; e gli parvero pochi giorni, a causa del suo amore per lei. 21 Poi Giacobbe disse a Labano: «Dammi mia moglie, perché il mio tempo è compiuto, e io andrò da lei». 22 Allora Labano radunò tutta la gente del luogo e fece un banchetto. 23 Ma, la sera, prese sua figlia Lea e la condusse da Giacobbe, il quale si unì a lei. 24 Labano diede la sua serva Zilpa per serva a Lea, sua figlia. 25 L’indomani mattina ecco che era Lea! Giacobbe disse a Labano: «Che mi hai fatto? Non è per Rachele che ti ho servito? Perché mi hai ingannato?» 26 Labano rispose: «Non è usanza da noi dare la minore prima della maggiore. Finisci la settimana nuziale con questa 27 e ti daremo anche l’altra, per il servizio che presterai da me per altri sette anni». 28 Giacobbe fece così, e finì la settimana di quello sposalizio; poi Labano gli diede in moglie sua figlia Rachele. 29 Labano diede la sua serva Bila per serva a Rachele, sua figlia. 30 Giacobbe si unì pure a Rachele e amò Rachele più di Lea, e servì Labano per altri sette anni.

I figli di Giacobbe

31 Il Signore, vedendo che Lea era odiata, la rese feconda; ma Rachele era sterile. 32 Lea concepì, partorì un figlio e lo chiamò Ruben^[2], perché disse: «Il Signore ha visto la mia afflizione; ora mio marito mi amerà». 33 Poi concepì di nuovo e partorì un figlio, e disse: «Il Signore ha udito che io ero odiata, e mi ha dato anche questo figlio». E lo chiamò Simeone^[3]. 34 Concepì di nuovo e partorì un figlio, e disse: «Questa volta mio marito sarà ben unito a me, perché gli ho partorito tre figli». Per questo fu chiamato Levi^[4]. 35 E concepì di nuovo, partorì un figlio e disse: «Questa volta celebrerò il Signore». Perciò lo chiamò Giuda^[5]. Poi cessò d’aver figli.