Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Then Jacob went on in his journey, and came into the east country.
1
Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 And 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.
2
As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well's mouth was large,
3 And 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.
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and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would 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.
4 And he said to the shepherds: Brethren, whence are you? They answered: Of Haran.
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Jacob said to them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" They said, "We are from Haran."
5 And he asked them, saying: Know you Laban, the son of Nachor? They said: We know him.
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He said to them, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" They said, "We do."
6 He said: Is he in health? He is in health, say they: and behold, Rachel, his daughter, cometh with his flock.
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He said to them, "Is it well with him?" "Yes," they replied, "and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep."
7 And 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.
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He said, "Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them."
8 They 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.
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But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep."
9 They were yet speaking, and behold Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she fed the flock.
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While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
10 And 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.
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Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of his mother's brother Laban.
11 And having watered the flock, he kissed her: and lifting up his voice wept.
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Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud.
12 And he told her that he was her father’s brother, and the son of Rebecca: but she went in haste and told her father.
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And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's kinsman, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.
13 Who, 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,
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When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things,
14 He answered: Thou art my bone and my flesh. And after the days of one month were expired,
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and Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh!" And he stayed with him a month.
15 He said to him: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me without wages? Tell me what wages thou wilt have.
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Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"
16 Now he had two daughters, the name of the elder was Lia; and the younger was called Rachel.
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Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 But Lia was blear eyed: Rachel was well favoured, and of a beautiful countenance.
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Leah's eyes were lovely, and Rachel was graceful and beautiful.
18 And Jacob being in love with her, said: I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter.
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Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."
19 Laban answered: It is better that I give her to thee than to another man; stay with me.
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Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me."
20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel: and they seemed but a few days, because of the greatness of his love.
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So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
21 And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
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Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed."
22 And he, having invited a great number of his friends to the feast, made the marriage.
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So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast.
23 And at night he brought in Lia, his daughter, to him,
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But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.
24 Giving 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.
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(Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.)
25 And 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?
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When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"
26 Laban answered: It is not the custom in this place, to give the younger in marriage first.
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Laban said, "This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn.
27 Make 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.
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Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years."
28 He yielded to his pleasure: and after the week was past, he married Rachel:
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Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife.
29 To whom her father gave Bala, for her servant.
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(Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.)
30 And 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.
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So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Laban for another seven years.
31 And the Lord seeing that he despised Lia, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
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When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 And she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Ruben, saying: The Lord saw my affliction: now my husband will love me.
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Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben; for she said, "Because the Lord has looked on my affliction; surely now my husband will love me."
33 And 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.
33
She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also"; and she named him Simeon.
34 And 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.
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Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons"; therefore he was named Levi.
35 The 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.
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She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord"; therefore she named him Judah; then she ceased bearing.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.