1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and
came to the land of the children of the east.
2 He looked, and saw a well in the field,
and saw three flocks of sheep lying there
by it. For out of that well they watered the
flocks. The stone on the well’s mouth was
large.
3 There all the flocks were gathered.
They rolled the stone from the well’s
mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the
stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.
4 Jacob said to them, “My relatives,
where are you from?”
They said, “We are from Haran.”
5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban,
the son of Nahor?”
They said, “We know him.”
6 He said to them, “Is it well with him?”
They said, “It is well. See, Rachel, his
daughter, is coming with the sheep.”
7 He said, “Behold, it is still the middle
of the day, not time to gather the livestock
together. Water the sheep, and go and feed
them.”
8 They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks
are gathered together, and they roll the
stone from the well’s mouth. Then we will
water the sheep.”
9 While he was yet speaking with them,
Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for
she kept them.
10 When Jacob saw Rachel the daughter
of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the
sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob
went near, and rolled the stone from
the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of
Laban his mother’s brother.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his
voice, and wept.
12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s
relative, and that he was Rebekah’s
son. She ran and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news of Jacob,
his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob,
and embraced him, and kissed him, and
brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban
all these things.
14 Laban said to him, “Surely you are my
bone and my flesh.” Jacob stayed with him
for a month.
15 Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are
my relative, should you therefore serve me
for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages
be?”
16 Laban 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 in form and attractive.
18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will
serve you seven years for Rachel, your
younger daughter.”
19 Laban said, “It is better that I give
her to you, than that I should give her to
another man. Stay with me.”
20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel.
They seemed to him but a few days, for the
love he had for her.
21 Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife,
for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to
her.”
22 Laban gathered together all the men of
the place, and made a feast.
23 In the evening, he took Leah his
daughter, and brought her to Jacob. He
went in to her.
24 Laban gave Zilpah his servant to his
daughter Leah for a servant.
25 In the morning, behold, it was Leah!
He said to Laban, “What is this you have
done to me? Didn’t I serve with you for
Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?”
26 Laban said, “It is not done so in our
place, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we
will give you the other also for the service
which you will serve with me for seven
more years.”
28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He
gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.
29 Laban gave Bilhah, his servant, to his
daughter Rachel to be her servant.
30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved
also Rachel more than Leah, and served
with him seven more years.
31 The LORD saw that Leah was hated,
and he opened her womb, but Rachel was
barren.
32 Leah conceived, and bore a son, and
she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because
the LORD has looked at my affliction;
for now my husband will love me.”
33 She conceived again, and bore a son,
and said, “Because the LORD has heard
that I am hated, he has therefore given me
this son also.” She named him Simeon.
34 She conceived again, and bore a son.
She said, “Now this time my husband will
be joined to me, because I have borne
him three sons.” Therefore his name was
called Levi.
35 She conceived again, and bore a son.
She said, “This time I will praise the LORD.”
Therefore she named him Judah. Then she
stopped bearing.
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