1And Jakob lifted up his feet, and came to the land of the children of the East.
2And he looked, and saw a well in a field; and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying near it, because from that well they watered the flocks; and a great stone was upon the mouth of the well.
3And thither all the flocks were gathered together; and they withdrew the stone from the mouth of the well, and watered the flock, and returned the stone upon the mouth of the well unto its place.
4And Jakob said to them, My brethren, whence are you? And they said, We are from Haran.
5And Jakob said to them, Know you Laban bar Nachor? And they said, We know.
6And he said, Hath he peace? And they said, Peace; and, behold, Rahel his daughter cometh with the flock.
7And he said, Behold, the day is yet great, it is not time to gather the cattle; water the sheep, and go to the pasture.
8And they said, We cannot till all the flocks are gathered, and we remove the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the flock.
9While he spake with them, Rahel came, with the flock of her father; for she was a shepherdess.
10And it was, when Jakob saw Rahel the daughter of Laban, the brother of his mother, and the flock of Laban the brother of his mother, that Jakob went near, and withdrew the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother’s brother.
11And Jakob kissed Rahel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12And Jakob showed Rahel that he was the son of her father’s sister, and that he was the son of Revekah. And she ran and showed to her father.
13And it was when Laban heard the hearing of Jakob the son of his sister, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him into his house; and he narrated to Laban all these words.
14And Laban said to him, Thou art, however, my near (kinsman), and thou art my flesh. And he abode with him a month of days.
15And Laban said to Jakob, Because thou art my brother, shalt thou serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall be thy wages?
16And Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder Leah, and the name of the younger Rahel.
17And the eyes of Leah were beautiful; but Rahel was admirable in form, and beautiful in aspect.
18And Jakob loved Rahel, and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rahel thy younger daughter.
19And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee than give her to another man; reside with me.
20And Jakob served for Rahel seven years; and they were in his eyes as a few days, inasmuch as he loved her.
21And Jakob said to Laban, Give me my wife; for the days of my service are fulfilled, and I will go to her.
22And Laban assembled all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23And it was in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and introduced her to him, and he entered to her.
24And Laban gave her Zilpha his handmaid unto Leah his daughter, to attend on her.
25And it was in the morning, and, behold, she was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this that thou hast done to me? Was it not for Rahel that I served thee? And why hast thou been false with me?
26And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the elder.
27Fulfil this week, and I will give thee also that, for the service that thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28And Jakob did so, and fulfilled the week of this; and he gave him Rahel his daughter to be his wife.
29And Laban gave to Rahel his daughter Bilhah her handmaid to wait upon her.
30And he went in also to Rahel, and he loved Rahel more than Leah. And he served yet with him seven other years.
31And the Lord saw that Leah was hated, and He gave her to conceive, but Rahel was barren.
32And Leah conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Because my affliction was manifest before the Lord; for now will my husband love me.
33And she conceived again and bare a son, and she said, Because it was heard before the Lord that I had hatred, and He gave me this also; and she called his name Shemeon.
34And she conceived again and bare a son: and she said, This time will my husband adhere to me; for I have born him three sons: therefore she called his name Levi.
35And she conceived again and bare a son; and she said, This time will I give praise before the Lord: therefore she called his name Jehudah. And she ceased (stood) from bearing.
