1   Jacob continued his journey and came to the land of the eastern tribes. 2   There he saw a well in the open country and three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. 3   Over its mouth was a huge stone, and all the herdsmen used to gather there and roll it off the mouth of the well and water the flocks; then they would put it back in its place over the well. 4   Jacob said to them, ‘Where are you from, my friends?’ ‘We are from Harran’, they replied. He asked them if they knew Laban the grandson ^note of Nahor. 5   They answered, ‘Yes, we do.’ ‘Is he well?’ 6   Jacob asked; and they answered, ‘Yes, he is well, and here is his daughter Rachel coming with the flock.’ Jacob said, ‘The sun is still high, and the time for folding the sheep has not yet come. 7   Water the flocks and then go and graze them.’ 8   But they replied, ‘We cannot, until all the herdsmen have gathered together and the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well; then we can water our flocks.’ 9   While he was talking to them, Rachel came up with her father's flock, for she was a shepherdess. 10   When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, with Laban's flock, he stepped forward, rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered Laban's sheep. 11    12   He kissed Rachel, and was moved to tears. He told her that he was her father's kinsman and Rebecca's son; so she ran and told her father. 13   When Laban heard the news of his sister's son Jacob, he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him warmly and welcomed him to his home. 14   Jacob told Laban everything, and Laban said, ‘Yes, you are my own flesh and blood.’ So Jacob stayed with him for a whole month.

15   Laban said to Jacob, ‘Why should you work for me for nothing simply because you are my kinsman? Tell me what your wages ought to be.’ 16   Now Laban had two daughters: the elder was called Leah, and the younger Rachel. 17   Leah was dull-eyed, but Rachel was graceful and

Jacob and Esau beautiful. 18   Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel and he said, ‘I will work seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.’ 19   Laban replied, ‘It is better that I should give her to you than to anyone else; stay with me.’ 20   So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like a few days because he loved her. 21   Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘I have served my time. 22   Give me my wife so that we may sleep together.’ So Laban gathered all the men of the place together and gave a feast. 23   In the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her. 24   At the same time Laban gave his slave-girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah. 25   But when morning came, Jacob saw that it was Leah and said to Laban, ‘What have you done to me? Did I not work for Rachel? 26   Why have you deceived me?’ Laban answered, ‘In our country it is not right to give the younger sister in marriage before the elder. 27   Go through with the seven days' feast for the elder, and the younger shall be given you in return for a further seven years' work.’ 28   Jacob agreed, and completed the seven days for Leah.

29   Then Laban gave Jacob his daughter Rachel as wife; and he gave his slave-girl Bilhah to serve his daughter Rachel. 30   Jacob slept with Rachel also; he loved her rather than Leah, and he worked for Laban for a further seven years. 31   When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he granted her a child; but Rachel was childless. 32   Leah conceived and bore a son; and she called him Reuben, ^note for she said, ‘The Lord has seen my humiliation; 33   now my husband will love me.’ Again she conceived and bore a son and said, ‘The Lord, hearing that I am not loved, has given me this child also’; and she called him Simeon. ^note 34   She conceived again and bore a son; and she said, ‘Now that I have borne him three sons my husband and I will surely be united.’ So she called him Levi. ^note 35   Once more she conceived and bore a son; and she said, ‘Now I will praise the Lord’; therefore she named him Judah. ^noteThen for a while she bore no more children.

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