Page:The Holy Bible (YLT).djvu/40

Jacob's marriage. , to Leah his daughter, a maid-servant.

And it cometh to pass in the morning, that lo, it is Leah; and he saith unto Laban, 'What is this thou hast done to me? for Rachel have I not served with thee? and why hast thou deceived me?'

And Laban saith, 'It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the first-born; fulfil the week of this one, and we give to thee also this one, for the service which thou dost serve with me yet seven other years.'

And Jacob doth so, and fulfilleth the week of this one, and he giveth to him Rachel his daughter, to him for a wife; and Laban giveth to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maid-servant, for a maid-servant to her. And he goeth in also unto Rachel, and he also loveth Rachel more than Leah; and he serveth with him yet seven other years.

And Jehovah seeth that Leah is the hated one, and He openeth her womb, and Rachel is barren and Leah conceiveth, and beareth a son, and calleth his name Reuben, for she said, 'Because Jehovah hath looked on mine affliction; because now doth my husband love me.'

And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, 'Because Jehovah hath heard that I am the hated one. He also giveth to me even this one;' and she calleth his name Simeon.

And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith, 'Now is the time, my husband is joined unto me, because I have born to him three sons,' therefore hath one called his name Levi.

And she conceiveth again, and beareth a son, and saith this time, 'I praise Jehovah;' therefore hath she called his name Judah; and she ceaseth from bearing.

XXX. AND Rachel seeth that she hath not borne to Jacob, and Rachel is envious of her sister, and saith unto Jacob, 'Give me sons, and if there is none—die.' And Jacob's anger burneth against Rachel, and he saith, 'Am I in stead of God who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?'

And she saith, 'Lo, my handmaid Bilhah, go in unto her, and she doth bear on my knees, and I am built up, even I, from her?' and she giveth to him Bilhah her maid-servant for a wife, and Jacob goeth in unto her;  and Bilhah conceiveth, and beareth to Jacob a son,  and Rachel saith, 'God hath decided for me, and also hath hearkened to my voice, and giveth to me a son;' therefore hath she called his name Dan.

And Bilhah, Rachel's maid-servant, conceiveth again, and beareth a second son to Jacob, and Rachel saith, 'With wrestlings of God I have wrestled with my sister, yea, I have prevailed;' and she calleth his name Napthali.

And Leah seeth that she hath ceased from bearing, and she taketh Zilpah her maid-servant, and giveth her to Jacob for a wife; and Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth to Jacob a son,  and Leah saith, 'A troop is coming;' and she calleth his name Gad.

And Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, beareth to Jacob a son, and Leah saith, 'A troop is coming:' and she calleth his name Gad.

And Zilpah, Leah's maid-servant, heareth a second son to Jacob, 'Because of my happiness, for daughters have pronounced me happy;' and she calleth his name Asher.

And Reuben goeth in the days of wheat-harvest, and findeth love-apples in the field, and bringeth them in unto Leah, his mother, and Rachel saith unto Leah, 'Give to me, I pray thee, of the love-apples of thy son.'

And she saith to her, 'Is thy taking my husband a little thing, that thou hast taken also the love-apples of my son?' and Rachel saith, 'Therefore doth he lie with thee tonight, for thy son's love-apples.'

And Jacob cometh in from the field at evening; and Leah goeth to meet him, and saith, 'Unto me dost thou come in, for hiring I have hired thee with my son's love-apples;' and he lieth with her during that night.

And God hearkeneth unto Leah, and she conceiveth, and beareth to Jacob a son, a fifth, and Leah saith, 'God hath given my hire, because I have given my maid-servant to my husband;' and she calleth his name Issachar.

And conceive again doth Leah, and she beareth a sixth son to Jacob, and Leah saith, 'God Iiath endowed me—a good dowry; this time doth my husband dwell with me, for I have borne to him six sons;' and she calleth his name Zebulun;  and afterwards hath she born a daughter, and calleth her name Dinah.

And God remembereth Rachel, and God hearkeneth unto her, and openeth her womb, and she conceiveth and beareth a son, and saith, 'God hath gathered up my reproach;'  and she calleth his name Joseph, saying, 'Jehovah is adding to me another son.'

And it cometh to pass, when Rachel hath borne Joseph, that Jacob saith unto Laban, 'Send me away, and I go unto my place, and to my land; give up my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and I go; for thou—thou hast known my service which I have served thee.'

And Laban saith unto him, 'If, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes—I have observed diligently that Jehovah doth bless me for thy sake.' He saith also, 'Define thy hire to me, and I give.'

And he saith unto him, 'Thou—thou hast known that which I have served thee in, and that which thy substance was with me; for it is little which thou hast had at my appearance, and it breaketh forth into a multitude, and Jehovah blesseth thee at my coming; and now, when do I make, I also, for mine own house?'

And he saith, 'What do I give to thee?' And Jacob saith, 'Thou dost not give me anything; if thou do for me this thing, I turn back; I have delight; thy flock I watch; I pass through all thy flock to-day to turn aside from thence every sheep speckled and spotted, and every brown sheep among the lambs, and speckled and spotted among the goats—and it hath been my hire;  and my righteousness hath answered for me in 20