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¹ Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the sons of the east.² And he looked, and noticed a well in the field, and saw three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. And the stone on the well's mouth was great.³ And there were all the flocks gathered. And they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well's mouth in its place.⁴ And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are of Haran.⁵ And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.⁶ And he said to them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well. And, look, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep.⁷ And he said, Look, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.⁸ And they said, We can't, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well's mouth. Then we water the sheep.

⁹ While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep. For she kept them.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 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.¹² And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son. And she ran and told her father.¹³ And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.¹⁴ And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.

¹⁵ And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?¹⁶ And Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.¹⁷ And Leah's eyes were tender. 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, It is better that I give her to you, than I should give her to another man. Abide with me.²⁰ And Jacob served seven years for Rachel. And they were like a few days in his eyes, for the love he had to her.²¹ And 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 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. And he went in to her.²⁴ And Laban gave Zilpah his female slave to his daughter Leah for a slave.²⁵ And it came to pass in the morning that, look, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Didn't I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you beguiled me?²⁶ And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born.²⁷ Fulfill the week of this one, and we 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 fulfilled her week. And he gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.²⁹ And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female slave to be her slave.³⁰ And he went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet another seven years.

³¹ And Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren.³² And Leah became pregnant, and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, Because Yahweh has looked on my affliction. For now my husband will love me.³³ And she became pregnant again, and gave birth to a son: and said, Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this [son] also. And she named him Simeon.³⁴ And she became pregnant again, and gave birth to a son. And said, Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons. Therefore he named him Levi.³⁵ And she became pregnant again, and gave birth to a son. And she said, This time I will praise Yahweh. Therefore she named him Judah. And she left off bearing.