Genesis · Chapter 29

[ edit] Jacob þanne forþ goon, cam into þe eſt loond. And he ſawȝ a pit in þe feeld, and þre flockis of ſheep liggynge biſidis it; for of it beeſtis weren wateryd, and þe mouþ of it was cloſid wiþ a greet ſtoon. And þe maner was, þat alle þe ſheep gaderyd to gidir, men ſhulden turne vp þe ſtoon, and, þe flockis fulfillid, eftſones þei ſhulden putte vpon þe mouþ of þe pit. And he ſeide to þe ſheepherdis, Breþeren, whens be ȝe? Þe whiche anſweriden, Of Aran. Whom aſkynge, Wheþir, he ſeide, knowe ȝe Laban, þe ſone of Nachor? Þei ſeiden, We han knowun. Wheþir is he, he ſeiþ, hool? Þei ſeiden, He fariþ wel; and loo! Rachel, þe dowȝter of hym, com wiþ his flok.

And Jacob ſeyde, Aboue þere is ȝit myche of þe day, ne tyme is þat flockys ben ladde aȝen to þe fooldis; ȝyueþ bifore drynke to þe ſheep, and ſo lede ȝe hem aȝen to þe paſture. Þe whiche anſweryden, We mowen not, to þe tyme þat alle beeſtis ben gaderyd togider, and we mouen awey þe ſtoon fro þe mowþ of þe pit, þat we watren þe flok. Ȝit þei ſpeken, and loo! Rachel com wiþ þe ſheep of hir fader; for ſhe fedde þe flok. Whom whanne Jacob hadde ſeen, and wiſte hir his vnkil dowȝter, and þe ſheep of Laban his vnkle, he mouede awey þe ſtoon wiþ which þe pit was cloſid; and þe flok watered, he kiſſide hir, and wiþ areryd voys ſhe wepte.

And he ſhewide to hir þat he was þe broþer of hir fader, and þe ſone of Rebecca; and ſhe hiynge tolde to hir fader. Þe which whan he hadde herd, Jacob, his ſiſter ſone, comen, ȝede aȝen metynge wiþ hym, and clippynge him, and fallynge in coſſis, ladde hym into his hows. Forſoþe þe cauſis herd of his weye, anſweryde, My boon þow art, and my fleiſh. And after þat þe dayes of a moneþ weren fulfillid, he ſeide to hym, Wheþer for þow art my broþer, in veyn þow ſhalt ſerue to me? Sey what of mede þow ſhalt take. He hadde forſoþe two dowȝtrys, name of þe more Lya, þe leſſe forſoþe was clepid Rachel; but Lya was wiþ blerid eyen, Rachel fayr in face, and wiþ ſeemly biholdynge.

Whom louynge Jacob, ſeide, I ſhal ſerue to þee for Rachel, þi laſſe dowȝter, ſeuen ȝeer. Laban anſweryde, Betir is þat Y ȝyue hir to þee þan to anoþer man, dwelle wiþ me. Þanne Jacob ſerued for Rachel ſeuen ȝeer, and þei ſemeden to hym fewe dayes for greetnes of loue. And he ſeide to Laban, Ȝyf to me my wiyf, for þe tyme is fulfillid þat Y ſhulde goo yn to hir. Þe which, manye cumpanyes of his frendis clepid to þe feeſt, made þe brydalis, and at euen brouȝte yn to hym Lya, his dowȝter, ȝyuynge an handmayden to þe dowȝter, Zelpha bi name.

To whom whan after þe maner Jacob was goon yn, þe morutide doon, ſawȝ Lya, and ſeide to his wyues fader, What is þat þow woldiſt doon? wheþer for Rachel Y ſeruede not to þee? whi vndurputtiſt þow Lya to me? Laban anſweride, It is not of cuſtom in oure place, þat þe leſſe bifore we taken to ſpoſeyls; fulfil þe wike of dayes of þis cowple, and þis forſoþe I ſhal ȝyue to þee for þe werk þat þow art to ſerue to me, ſeuen oþer ȝeris. He aſſentide gladli; and þe wike ouerpaſſid, he took Rachel to wiyf; to whom þe fadir ȝaue a ſeruaunt, Balam. And at þe laſte he vſide þe deſirid ſpoſeyls, put bifore to þe raþer þe loue of hir þat com after, ſeruynge anentis hym ſeuen oþere ȝerys.

Þe Lord forſoþe ſeynge þat he diſpiſide Lya, opnyde þe wombe of hir, hir ſiſter bareyne dwellynge. Þe which a conſeyued ſone gat, and clepide þe name of hym Ruben, ſeiynge, Þe Lord haþ ſey my mekenes, now my man ſhal loue me. And eftſonys ſhe conſeyuede, and bare a ſone, and ſeide, For þe Lord haþ ſeen me ben had to diſpiyt, haþ ȝyuun alſo þis to me; and ſhe clepide þe name of hym Symyon. And þe þridde tyme ſhe conſeyuede, and gat anoþer ſone, and ſeide, Now forſoþe myn huſboond ſhal be cowplid to me, þerþurȝ þat I bere to hym þre ſonys; and þerfor ſhe clepide þe name of hym Leuy.

Þe ferþ tyme ſhe conſeyuede, and bare a ſone, and ſeiþ, Now I ſhal knowlech to þe Lord; and for þat ſhe clepide þe name of him Juda; and ſhe ceeſſide to bere chyld.