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¹ THEN Jacob hastened on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east.² And he looked, and beheld a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks and a large stone was upon the wells mouth.³ And all the flocks were gathered there; and the shepherds rolled the stone from the wells mouth, and watered the sheep, and then put the stone back in its place upon the wells mouth.⁴ And Jacob said to them, My brethren, where do you come from? And they said, We are from Haran.⁵ And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We do know him.⁶ And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is well; and, behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.⁷ And Jacob said, Lo, the sun is still high, it is not yet time that the cattle should be gathered together; water the sheep, and go and feed them.⁸ And they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together and the shepherds roll the stone from the wells mouth; then we water the sheep.

⁹ gland while he was still conversing with them, Rachel came with her fathers sheep; for she was a shepherdess.¹⁰ And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob drew near and rolled the stone from the wells mouth and watered the sheep of Laban his mothers brother.¹¹ And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.¹² And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fathers kinsman and that he was Rebekahs son; and she ran and told her father.¹³ And it came to pass when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sisters son, he ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. And Jacob related to Laban all these things.¹⁴ And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And t he stayed with him for a month.

¹⁵ And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore work for me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?¹⁶ And Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel.¹⁷ And Leah had attractive eyes; but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.¹⁸ And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.¹⁹ And Laban said to him, It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.²⁰ Thus Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days because he was in love with her.²¹ And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.²² And so Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.²³ And it came to pass in the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and Jacob went in unto her.²⁴ And Laban gave Zilpah his maid to his daughter Leah for a servant.²⁵ And it came to pass in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and Jacob said to Laban, What is this thing that you have done to me? Did not I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?²⁶ Then Laban said to Jacob, It is not so done in our country, to give the younger in marriage before the elder.²⁷ Finish the wedding feast for this one, and then I will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me yet another seven years.²⁸ And Jacob did so, and finished her wedding feast; and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to wife.²⁹ And Laban gave Bilhah his maid to Rachel his daughter to be her maid.³⁰ And he went in unto Rachel also, and he loved Rachel also more than Leah, and served with Laban another seven years.

³¹ And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.³² And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Because the LORD has seen my affliction, now therefore my husband will love me.³³ And 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; so she called his name Simeon.³⁴ And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, Now this time my husband will surely love me, because I have born him three sons therefore she called his name Levi.³⁵ And she conceived again, and bore a son; and she said, This time I will praise the LORD; therefore she called his name Judah; and then she ceased bearing.