Restored English Translation of Genesis: Chapter 29

Today I present another installment of my Restored English Translation (RET) of the Bible.  Today I present the 29th chapter of Beresheet, known in English as Genesis.  As usual, it contains the Hebrew names, with a glossary of them afterwards.  At the very end is a list of where the Aleph-Tavs occur, as they are no longer included in the main text.

CHAPTER 29

1 Then Ya’akov lifted his feet and came into the land of the people of the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. And a great stone was on the well’s mouth. 3 And all the flocks were gathered there. And they usually rolled the stone from the well’s mouth and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well’s mouth in his place. 4 And Ya’akov said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Charan.” 5 And he said to them, “Do you know Lavan the son of Nachor?” And they answered, “We know him.” 6 And he said to them, “Is he well?” And they answered, “He is well. And, behold, his daughter Rachel comes with the sheep.” 7 And he said, “Behold, it is still high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.” 8 And they answered, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and until they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we water the sheep.” 9 And while he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep (for she kept them). 10 And it was when Ya’akov saw Rachel the daughter of his mother’s brother Lavan, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Lavan, that Ya’akov went near and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Lavan. 11 And Ya’akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. 12 And Ya’akov told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rivkah’s son. And she ran and told her father. 13 And it was, when Lavan heard the news of his sister’s son Ya’akov, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Lavan all these things. 14 And Lavan said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him the space of a month. 15 And Lavan said to Ya’akov, “Because you are my brother, should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?” 16 And Lavan had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful of figure and beautiful to look upon. 18 And Ya’akov loved Rachel and said, “I will serve you 7 years for your younger daughter Rachel.” 19 And Lavan said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Live with me.” 20 And Ya’akov served 7 years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. 21 And Ya’akov said to Lavan, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.” 22 And Lavan gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 And it was in the evening that he took his daughter Leah and brought her to him; and he went in to her. 24 And Lavan gave to her Tsilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for an handmaid. 25 And it was that in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Lavan, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? And why then have you deceived me?” 26 And Lavan said, “It must not be so done in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me yet another 7 years.” 28 And Ya’akov did so and fulfilled her week. And he gave him his daughter Rachel for a wife. 29 And Lavan gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid. 30 And he went in also to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet another 7 years. 31 And when YEHOVAH saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Re’uven; for she said, “Surely YEHOVAH has looked on my affliction; for now my husband will love me.” 33 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because YEHOVAH has heard that I was hated, He has therefore also given me this one.” And she called his name Shimon. 34 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him 3 sons.” So his name was called Levi. 35 And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, “Now I will praise YEHOVAH.” Therefore she called his name Yehudah, and left bearing.
Glossary
Ya’akov – Jacob
Charan – Haran
Lavan – Laban
Charan – Haran
Rivkah – Rebecca
Tsilpah – Zilpah
YEHOVAH – The Lord
Re’uven – Reuben
Shimon – Simeon
Yehudah – Judah
Where the Aleph-Tavs occur
Verse 3: And all the flocks were gathered there. And they usually rolled את the stone from the well’s mouth and watered את the sheep, and put את the stone again on the well’s mouth in his place.
Verse 5: And he said to them, “Do you know את Lavan the son of Nachor?” And they answered, “We know him.”
Verse 8: And they answered, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together, and until they roll את the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we water the sheep.”
Verse 10: And it was, when saw Ya’akov את Rachel the daughter of Lavan his mother’s brother, את and the sheep of his mother’s brother Lavan, that Ya’akov went near and rolled את the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Lavan.
Verse 11: And Ya’akov kissed Rachel, and lifted up את his voice and wept.
Verse 13: And it was, when Lavan heard את the news of his sister’s son Ya’akov, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Lavan את all these things.
Verse 18: And loved Ya’akov את Rachel, and said, “I will serve you 7 years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
Verse 21: And Ya’akov said to Lavan, “Give me את my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”
Verse 22: And gathered Lavan את all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Verse 23: And it was in the evening, that he took את Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in to her.
Verse 24: And Lavan gave to her את Tsilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for an handmaid.
Verse 28: And Ya’akov did so and fulfilled her week. And he gave him את Rachel his daughter for a wife.
Verse 29: And Lavan gave to Rachel his daughter את Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.
Verse 30: And he went in also to Rachel, and he loved also את Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet another 7 years.
Verse 31: And when YEHOVAH saw that Leah was hated, He opened את her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Verse 33: And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because YEHOVAH has heard that I was hated, He has therefore given me also את this one.” And she called his name Shimon.
Verse 35: And she conceived again and bore a son. And she said, “Now I will praise את YEHOVAH.” Therefore she called his name Yehudah, and left bearing.