---
title: "Genesis 29 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/genesis/29/
description: "Jacob serveth Laban seven years for Rachel: but is deceived with Lia: he… Genesis 29 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Genesis 29

Genesis 29 is chapter 29 of 50 in the Book of Genesis. Here are all 35 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> Jacob serveth Laban seven years for Rachel: but is deceived with Lia: he afterwards marrieth Rachel. Lia bears him four sons.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Genesis 29 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And so Jacob, setting out, arrived in the eastern land.
2. And he saw a well in a field, and also three flocks of sheep reclining near it. For the animals were watered from it, and its mouth was closed with a great stone.
3. And the custom was, when all the sheep were gathered together, to roll away the stone. And when the flocks had been refreshed, they placed it over the mouth of the well again.
4. And he said to the shepherds, “Brothers, where are you from?” And they answered. “From Haran.”
5. And questioning them, he said, “Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?” They said, “We know him.”
6. He said, “Is he well?” “He is very well,” they said. “And behold, his daughter Rachel approaches with his flock.”
7. And Jacob said, “There is still much daylight remaining, and it is not time to return the flocks to the sheepfold. Give the sheep to drink first, and then lead them back to pasture.”
8. They responded, “We cannot, until all the animals are gathered together and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, so that we may water the flocks.”
9. They were still speaking, and behold, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep; for she pastured the flock.
10. When Jacob had seen her, and he realized that she was his maternal first cousin, and that these were the sheep of his uncle Laban, he removed the stone which closed the well.
11. And having watered the flock, he kissed her. And lifting up his voice, he wept.
12. And he revealed to her that he was a brother of her father, and the son of Rebekah. And so, hurrying, she announced it to her father.
13. And when he had heard that Jacob, his sister’s son, had arrived, he ran to meet him. And embracing him, and kissing him heartily, he brought him into his house. But when he had heard the reasons for his journey,
14. he responded, “You are my bone and my flesh.” And after the days of one month were completed,
15. he said to him: “Though you are my brother, will you serve me for nothing? Tell me what wages you would accept.”
16. In truth, he had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah; and truly the younger was called Rachel.
17. But while Leah was bleary-eyed, Rachel had an elegant appearance and was attractive to behold.
18. And Jacob, loving her, said, “I will serve you for seven years, for your younger daughter Rachel.”
19. Laban responded, “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; remain with me.”
20. Therefore, Jacob served for seven years for Rachel. And these seemed like only a few days, because of the greatness of love.
21. And he said to Laban, “Give my wife to me. For now the time has been fulfilled, so that I may go in to her.”
22. And he, having called a great crowd of his friends to the feast, agreed to the marriage.
23. And at night, he brought in his daughter Leah to him,
24. giving his daughter a handmaid named Zilpah. After Jacob had gone in to her, according to custom, when morning had arrived, he saw Leah.
25. And he said to his father-in-law, “What is it that you intended to do? Did I not serve you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?”
26. Laban responded, “It is not the practice in this place to give the younger in marriage first.
27. Complete a week of days with this mating. And then I will give this one to you also, for the service that you will provide to me for another seven years.”
28. He agreed to his pleading. And after the week had passed, he took Rachel as a wife.
29. To her, the father had given Bilhah as her servant.
30. And, having at last obtained the marriage he desired, he preferred the love of the latter before the former, and he served with him another seven years.
31. But the Lord, seeing that he despised Leah, opened her womb, but her sister remained barren.
32. Having conceived, she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, saying: “The Lord saw my humiliation; now my husband will love me.”
33. And again she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Because the Lord heard that I was treated with contempt, he has also given this one to me.” And she called his name Simeon.
34. And she conceived a third time, and she gave birth to another son, and she said: “Now likewise my husband will unite with me, because I have borne him three sons.” And because of this, she called his name Levi.
35. A fourth time she conceived and bore a son, and she said, “Only now will I confess to the Lord.” And for this reason, she called him Judah. And she ceased from child-bearing.

## Genesis 29 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Profectus ergo Jacob venit in terram orientalem.
2. Et vidit puteum in agro, tres quoque greges ovium accubantes juxta eum: nam ex illo adaquabantur pecora, et os ejus grandi lapide claudebatur.
3. Morisque erat ut cunctis ovibus congregatis devolverent lapidem, et refectis gregibus rursum super os putei ponerent.
4. Dixitque ad pastores: Fratres, unde estis? Qui responderunt: De Haran.
5. Quos interrogans, Numquid, ait, nostis Laban filium Nachor? Dixerunt: Novimus.
6. Sanusne est? inquit. Valet, inquiunt: et ecce Rachel filia ejus venit cum grege suo.
7. Dixitque Jacob: Adhuc multum diei superest, nec est tempus ut reducantur ad caulas greges: date ante potum ovibus, et sic eas ad pastum reducite.
8. Qui responderunt: Non possumus, donec omnia pecora congregentur, et amoveamus lapidem de ore putei, ut adaquemus greges.
9. Adhuc loquebantur, et ecce Rachel veniebat cum ovibus patris sui: nam gregem ipsa pascebat.
10. Quam cum vidisset Jacob, et sciret consobrinam suam, ovesque Laban avunculi sui, amovit lapidem quo puteus claudebatur.
11. Et adaquato grege, osculatus est eam: et elevata voce flevit,
12. et indicavit ei quod frater esset patris sui, et filius Rebeccæ: at illa festinans nuntiavit patri suo.
13. Qui cum audisset venisse Jacob filium sororis suæ, cucurrit obviam ei: complexusque eum, et in oscula ruens, duxit in domum suam. Auditis autem causis itineris,
14. respondit: Os meum es, et caro mea. Et postquam impleti sunt dies mensis unius,
15. dixit ei: Num quia frater meus es, gratis servies mihi? dic quid mercedis accipias.
16. Habebat vero duas filias: nomen majoris Lia, minor vero appellabatur Rachel.
17. Sed Lia lippis erat oculis: Rachel decora facie, et venusto aspectu.
18. Quam diligens Jacob, ait: Serviam tibi pro Rachel filia tua minore, septem annis.
19. Respondit Laban: Melius est ut tibi eam dem quam alteri viro: mane apud me.
20. Servivit ergo Jacob pro Rachel septem annis: et videbantur illi pauci dies præ amoris magnitudine.
21. Dixitque ad Laban: Da mihi uxorem meam: quia jam tempus impletum est, ut ingrediar ad illam.
22. Qui vocatis multis amicorum turbis ad convivium, fecit nuptias.
23. Et vespere Liam filiam suam introduxit ad eum,
24. dans ancillam filiæ, Zelpham nomine. Ad quam cum ex more Jacob fuisset ingressus, facto mane vidit Liam:
25. et dixit ad socerum suum: Quid est quod facere voluisti? nonne pro Rachel servivi tibi? quare imposuisti mihi?
26. Respondit Laban: Non est in loco nostro consuetudinis, ut minores ante tradamus ad nuptias.
27. Imple hebdomadam dierum hujus copulæ: et hanc quoque dabo tibi pro opere quo serviturus es mihi septem annis aliis.
28. Acquievit placito: et hebdomada transacta, Rachel duxit uxorem:
29. cui pater servam Balam tradiderat.
30. Tandemque potitus optatis nuptiis, amorem sequentis priori prætulit, serviens apud eum septem annis aliis.
31. Videns autem Dominus quod despiceret Liam, aperuit vulvam ejus, sorore sterili permanente.
32. Quæ conceptum genuit filium, vocavitque nomen ejus Ruben, dicens: Vidit Dominus humilitatem meam: nunc amabit me vir meus.
33. Rursumque concepit et peperit filium, et ait: Quoniam audivit me Dominus haberi contemptui, dedit etiam istum mihi; vocavitque nomen ejus Simeon.
34. Concepitque tertio, et genuit alium filium: dixitque: Nunc quoque copulabitur mihi maritus meus: eo quod pepererim ei tres filios: et idcirco appellavit nomen ejus Levi.
35. Quarto concepit, et peperit filium, et ait: Modo confitebor Domino, et ob hoc vocavit eum Judam: cessavitque parere.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- CCC ¶ 500: "Conceived By the Power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary" ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).