Bible 21 (CZ - 2015) with deuterocanonical books

1Jákob tedy směle vykročil na cestu a přišel do země východních národů. 2Když se rozhlédl, spatřil v poli studnu. Poblíž ležela tři stáda ovcí, neboť ta studna sloužila k napájení stád. V jejím ústí však ležel veliký kámen. 3Pastýři ten kámen z ústí studny odvalovali, teprve když se tam shromáždila všechna stáda, a tehdy napájeli dobytek. Potom kámen vraceli zpět na jeho místo v ústí studny. 4Jákob se jich zeptal: „Odkud jste, bratři?“ „Z Cháranu,“ odpověděli. 5„A znáte Lábana, syna Náchorova?“ zeptal se jich. „Známe,“ odpověděli. 6Zeptal se jich: „Daří se mu dobře?“ „Ano,“ odpověděli. „Podívej, jeho dcera Ráchel právě přichází s ovcemi.“ 7Na to jim řekl: „Do večera je ještě daleko; teď přece není čas shánět dobytek. Napojte ovce a jděte ještě pást.“ 8„To nejde,“ odpověděli. „Budeme moci napojit ovce, teprve až se shromáždí všechna stáda a odvalí se kámen z ústí studny.“ 9A zatímco s nimi mluvil, přišla Ráchel se stádem svého otce. Byla totiž pastýřka. 10Když Jákob spatřil Ráchel, dceru svého strýce Lábana, a jeho stádo, přistoupil, odvalil kámen z otvoru studny a dal stádu svého strýce Lábana napít. 11Nato Ráchel políbil a hlasitě se rozplakal. 12A když jí řekl, že je příbuzný jejího otce, že je Rebečin syn, běžela to povědět svému otci. 13Jakmile Lában uslyšel zprávu o svém synovci Jákobovi, rozběhl se mu naproti. Objal ho, políbil a přivedl ho do svého domu. Když pak Jákob Lábanovi vyprávěl o všem, co se stalo, 14Lában mu řekl: „Opravdu jsi má krev a tělo!“ Když pak u něj Jákob zůstal už celý měsíc, 15Lában mu řekl: „I když jsi můj příbuzný, nebudeš přece u mě sloužit zadarmo. Řekni mi, co chceš za odměnu.“ 16(Onen Lában měl dvě dcery: starší se jmenovala Léa a mladší Ráchel.  17Léa měla měkké oči, ale Ráchel byla nápadně krásná, překrásná dívka.) 18Jákob si zamiloval Ráchel, a tak řekl: „Budu ti sloužit sedm let za tvou mladší dceru Ráchel.“ 19Lában odpověděl: „Dám ti ji raději než komukoli jinému. Zůstaň u mě.“ 20A tak Jákob sloužil za Ráchel sedm let a zdálo se mu to jako pouhá chvíle, protože ji miloval. 21Potom Jákob Lábanovi řekl: „Můj čas se naplnil. Dej mi mou ženu, chci být s ní.“ 22Lában tedy shromáždil všechny místní muže a vystrojil hostinu. 23Večer pak vzal svou dceru Léu, přivedl ji k Jákobovi a ten s ní spal. 24(A Lában tenkrát své dceři Lée daroval svou otrokyni Zilpu jako děvečku.) 25Přišlo ráno a hle – byla to Léa! „Cos mi to udělal?“ ptal se Jákob Lábana. „Copak jsem ti nesloužil za Ráchel? Proč jsi mě obelstil?“ 26„V našem kraji není zvykem vdávat mladší dříve než prvorozenou,“ odpověděl mu Lában. 27„Až s ní strávíš svatební týden, dáme ti i tu druhou – za to, že mi budeš sloužit dalších sedm let.“ 28Jákob tedy souhlasil. Strávil svatební týden s Leou a Lában mu pak dal za ženu svoji dceru Ráchel. 29(Také jí Lában daroval děvečku – svou otrokyni Bilhu.) 30Jákob tedy spal i s Ráchel. Miloval ji ovšem více než Léu. Sloužil pak u Lábana ještě dalších sedm let. 31Když Hospodin viděl, že Léa je nemilovaná, otevřel její lůno. Ráchel však byla neplodná. 32Léa počala a porodila syna. Dala mu jméno Ruben (Hleďte, syn!), neboť řekla: „Hospodin pohlédl na mé trápení. Teď už mě můj manžel bude milovat.“ 33Potom počala znovu, a když porodila syna, řekla: „Hospodin slyšel, že jsem nemilovaná, a tak mi dal i tohoto.“ Dala mu tedy jméno Šimeon, Vyslyšení. 34Potom počala znovu, a když porodila syna, řekla: „Tentokrát se ke mně můj muž připojí – vždyť jsem mu porodila tři syny!“ A proto dostal jméno Levi, Spojení. 35Potom počala znovu, a když porodila syna, řekla: „Teď budu chválit Hospodina!“ Proto mu dala jméno Juda, Chvála. Tehdy přestala rodit.


Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary
 1   THE WELL OF HARAN. (Gen. 29:1-35)
Then Jacob went, &c.--Hebrew, "lifted up his feet." He resumed his way next morning with a light heart and elastic step after the vision of the ladder; for tokens of the divine favor tend to quicken the discharge of duty (Neh 8:10).
and came into the land, &c.--Mesopotamia and the whole region beyond the Euphrates are by the sacred writers designated "the East" (Judg 6:3; 1Kgs 4:30; Job 1:3). Between the first and the second clause of this verse is included a journey of four hundred miles.

 2   And he looked, &c.--As he approached the place of his destination, he, according to custom, repaired to the well adjoining the town where he would obtain an easy introduction to his relatives.

 3   thither were all the flocks gathered; and a stone, &c.--In Arabia, owing to the shifting sands and in other places, owing to the strong evaporation, the mouth of a well is generally covered, especially when it is private property. Over many is laid a broad, thick, flat stone, with a round hole cut in the middle, forming the mouth of the cistern. This hole is covered with a heavy stone which it would require two or three men to roll away. Such was the description of the well at Haran.

 4   Jacob said, My brethren--Finding from the shepherds who were reposing there with flocks and who all belonged to Haran, that his relatives in Haran were well and that one of the family was shortly expected, he enquired why they were idling the best part of the day there instead of watering their flocks and sending them back to pasture.

 8   They said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered--In order to prevent the consequences of too frequent exposure in places where water is scarce, the well is not only covered, but it is customary to have all the flocks collected round it before the covering is removed in presence of the owner or one of his representatives; and it was for this reason that those who were reposing at the well of Haran with the three flocks were waiting the arrival of Rachel.

 9   While he yet spake with them, Rachel came--Among the pastoral tribes the young unmarried daughters of the greatest sheiks tend the flocks, going out at sunrise and continuing to watch their fleecy charges till sunset. Watering them, which is done twice a day, is a work of time and labor, and Jacob rendered no small service in volunteering his aid to the young shepherdess. The interview was affecting, the reception welcome, and Jacob forgot all his toils in the society of his Mesopotamian relatives. Can we doubt that he returned thanks to God for His goodness by the way?

 12   Jacob told Rachel, &c.--According to the practice of the East, the term "brother" is extended to remote degrees of relationship, as uncle, cousin, or nephew.

 14   he abode a month--Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if he prolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work in some way, as may be agreed upon. A similar rule obtained in Laban's establishment, and the wages for which his nephew engaged to continue in his employment was the hand of Rachel.

 17   Leah tender-eyed--that is, soft blue eyes--thought a blemish.
Rachel beautiful and well-favored--that is, comely and handsome in form. The latter was Jacob's choice.

 18   I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy daughter--A proposal of marriage is made to the father without the daughter being consulted, and the match is effected by the suitor either bestowing costly presents on the family, or by giving cattle to the value the father sets upon his daughter, or else by giving personal services for a specified period. The last was the course necessity imposed on Jacob; and there for seven years he submitted to the drudgery of a hired shepherd, with the view of obtaining Rachel. The time went rapidly away; for even severe and difficult duties become light when love is the spring of action.

 21   Jacob said, Give me my wife--At the expiry of the stipulated term the marriage festivities were held. But an infamous fraud was practised on Jacob, and on his showing a righteous indignation, the usage of the country was pleaded in excuse. No plea of kindred should ever be allowed to come in opposition to the claim of justice. But this is often overlooked by the selfish mind of man, and fashion or custom rules instead of the will of God. This was what Laban did, as he said, "It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born." But, then, if that were the prevailing custom of society at Haran, he should have apprized his nephew of it at an early period in an honorable manner. This, however, is too much the way with the people of the East still. The duty of marrying an elder daughter before a younger, the tricks which parents take to get off an elder daughter that is plain or deformed and in which they are favored by the long bridal veil that entirely conceals her features all the wedding day, and the prolongation for a week of the marriage festivities among the greater sheiks, are accordant with the habits of the people in Arabia and Armenia in the present day.

 28   gave him Rachel also--It is evident that the marriage of both sisters took place nearly about the same time, and that such a connection was then allowed, though afterwards prohibited (Lev 18:18).

 29   gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah to be her maid--A father in good circumstances still gives his daughter from his household a female slave, over whom the young wife, independently of her husband, has the absolute control.

 31   Leah . . . hated--that is, not loved so much as she ought to have been. Her becoming a mother ensured her rising in the estimation both of her husband and of society.

 32   son . . . his name Reuben--Names were also significant; and those which Leah gave to her sons were expressive of her varying feelings of thankfulness or joy, or allusive to circumstances in the history of the family. There was piety and wisdom in attaching a signification to names, as it tended to keep the bearer in remembrance of his duty and the claims of God.