Genesis

雅各到了拉班的家

1雅各起行，到了東方人之地，

2看見田間有一口井，有三群羊臥在井旁；因為人飲羊群都是用那井裏的水。井口上的石頭是大的。

3常有羊群在那裏聚集，牧人把石頭轉離井口飲羊，隨後又把石頭放在井口的原處。

4雅各對牧人說：「弟兄們，你們是哪裏來的？」他們說：「我們是哈蘭來的。」

5他問他們說：「拿鶴的孫子拉班，你們認識嗎？」他們說：「我們認識。」

6雅各說：「他平安嗎？」他們說：「平安。看哪，他女兒拉結領着羊來了。」

7雅各說：「日頭還高，不是羊群聚集的時候，你們不如飲羊，再去放一放。」

8他們說：「我們不能，必等羊群聚齊，人把石頭轉離井口才可飲羊。」

9雅各正和他們說話的時候，拉結領着她父親的羊來了，因為那些羊是她牧放的。

10雅各看見母舅拉班的女兒拉結和母舅拉班的羊群，就上前把石頭轉離井口，飲他母舅拉班的羊群。

11雅各與拉結親嘴，就放聲而哭。

12雅各告訴拉結，自己是她父親的外甥，是利百加的兒子，拉結就跑去告訴她父親。

13拉班聽見外甥雅各的信息，就跑去迎接，抱着他，與他親嘴，領他到自己的家。雅各將一切的情由告訴拉班。

14拉班對他說：「你實在是我的骨肉。」雅各就和他同住了一個月。

雅各為拉結和利亞服事拉班

15拉班對雅各說：「你雖是我的骨肉，豈可白白地服事我？請告訴我，你要甚麼為工價？」

16拉班有兩個女兒，大的名叫利亞，小的名叫拉結。

17利亞的眼睛沒有神氣，拉結卻生得美貌俊秀。

18雅各愛拉結，就說：「我願為你小女兒拉結服事你七年。」

19拉班說：「我把她給你，勝似給別人，你與我同住吧！」

20雅各就為拉結服事了七年；他因為深愛拉結，就看這七年如同幾天。

21雅各對拉班說：「日期已經滿了，求你把我的妻子給我，我好與她同房。」

22拉班就擺設筵席，請齊了那地方的眾人。

23到晚上，拉班將女兒利亞送來給雅各，雅各就與她同房。

24拉班又將婢女悉帕給女兒利亞作使女。

25到了早晨，雅各一看是利亞，就對拉班說：「你向我做的是甚麼事呢？我服事你，不是為拉結嗎？你為甚麼欺哄我呢？」

26拉班說：「大女兒還沒有給人，先把小女兒給人，在我們這地方沒有這規矩。

27你為這個滿了七日，我就把那個也給你，你再為她服事我七年。」

28雅各就如此行。滿了利亞的七日，拉班便將女兒拉結給雅各為妻。

29拉班又將婢女辟拉給女兒拉結作使女。

30雅各也與拉結同房，並且愛拉結勝似愛利亞，於是又服事了拉班七年。

雅各的兒女

31耶和華見利亞失寵，就使她生育，拉結卻不生育。

32利亞懷孕生子，就給他起名叫呂便，因而說：「耶和華看見我的苦情，如今我的丈夫必愛我。」

33她又懷孕生子，就說：「耶和華因為聽見我失寵，所以又賜給我這個兒子」，於是給他起名叫西緬。

34她又懷孕生子，起名叫利未，說：「我給丈夫生了三個兒子，他必與我聯合。」

35她又懷孕生子，說：「這回我要讚美耶和華」，因此給他起名叫猶大。這才停了生育。

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.