| 1 | So Jacob went on his journey and came to the land of the people of the East. |
| 2 | And he looked, and saw a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well`s mouth. |
| 3 | Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well`s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well`s mouth. |
| 4 | And Jacob said to them, "My brethren, where are you from?" And they said, "We are from Haran." |
| 5 | Then he said to them, "Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?" And they said, "We know him." |
| 6 | So he said to them, "Is he well?" And they said, "He is well. And look, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep." |
| 7 | Then he said, "Look, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them." |
| 8 | But they said, "We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well`s mouth; then we water the sheep." |
| 9 | Now while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father`s sheep, for she was a shepherdess. |
| 10 | And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother`s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother`s brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the well`s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother`s brother. |
| 11 | Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept. |
| 12 | And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father`s relative and that he was Rebekah`s son. So she ran and told her father. |
| 13 | Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister`s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things. |
| 14 | And Laban said to him, "Surely you are my bone and my flesh." And he stayed with him for a month. |
| 15 | Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?" |
| 16 | Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. |
| 17 | Leah`s eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. |
| 18 | Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." |
| 19 | And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me." |
| 20 | So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. |
| 21 | Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her." |
| 22 | And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. |
| 23 | Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. |
| 24 | And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. |
| 25 | So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?" |
| 26 | And Laban said, "It must not be done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. |
| 27 | Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years." |
| 28 | Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also. |
| 29 | And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid. |
| 30 | Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years. |
| 31 | When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. |
| 32 | So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me." |
| 33 | Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon. |
| 34 | She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi. |
| 35 | And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Now I will praise the Lord." Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped bearing. |