[1] Then Jacob went on his journey till he came to the land of the children
of the East. [2] And there he saw a water-hole in a field, and by the side
of it three flocks of sheep, for there they got water for the sheep: and on
the mouth of the water-hole there was a great stone. [3] And all the flocks
would come together there, and when the stone had been rolled away, they
would give the sheep water, and put the stone back again in its place on
the mouth of the water-hole. [4] Then Jacob said to the herdmen, My
brothers, where do you come from? And they said, From Haran. [5] And he
said to them, Have you any knowledge of Laban, the son of Nahor? And they
said, We have. [6] And he said to them, Is he well? And they said, He is
well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep. [7] Then Jacob
said, The sun is still high and it is not time to get the cattle together:
get water for the sheep and go and give them their food. [8] And they said,
We are not able to do so till all the flocks have come together and the
stone has been rolled away from the mouth of the water-hole; then we will
get water for the sheep. [9] While he was still talking with them, Rachel
came with her father's sheep, for she took care of them. [10] Then when
Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, coming with
Laban's sheep, he came near, and rolling the stone away from the mouth of
the hole, he got water for Laban's flock. [11] And weeping for joy, Jacob
gave Rachel a kiss. [12] And Rachel, hearing from Jacob that he was her
father's relation and that he was the son of Rebekah, went running to give
her father news of it. [13] And Laban, hearing news of Jacob, his sister's
son, came running, and took Jacob in his arms, and kissing him, made him
come into his house. And Jacob gave him news of everything. [14] And Laban
said to him, Truly, you are my bone and my flesh. And he kept Jacob with
him for the space of a month. [15] Then Laban said to Jacob, Because you
are my brother are you to be my servant for nothing? say now, what is your
payment to be? [16] Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the older was
Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. [17] And Leah's eyes were
clouded, but Rachel was fair in face and form. [18] And Jacob was in love
with Rachel; and he said, I will be your servant seven years for Rachel,
your younger daughter. [19] And Laban said, It is better for you to have
her than another man: go on living here with me. [20] And Jacob did seven
years' work for Rachel; and because of his love for her it seemed to him
only a very little time. [21] Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so
that I may have her, for the days are ended. [22] And Laban got together
all the men of the place and gave a feast. [23] And in the evening he took
Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him, and he went in to her. [24] And
Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her waiting-woman. [25]
And in the morning Jacob saw that it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What
have you done to me? was I not working for you so that I might have Rachel?
why have you been false to me? [26] And Laban said, In our country we do
not let the younger daughter be married before the older. [27] Let the week
of the bride-feast come to its end and then we will give you the other in
addition, if you will be my servant for another seven years. [28] And Jacob
did so; and when the week was ended, Laban gave him his daughter Rachel for
his wife. [29] And Laban gave Rachel his servant-girl Bilhah to be her
waiting-woman. [30] Then Jacob took Rachel as his wife, and his love for
her was greater than his love for Leah; and he went on working for Laban
for another seven years. [31] Now the Lord, seeing that Leah was not loved,
gave her a child; while Rachel had no children. [32] And Leah was with
child, and gave birth to a son to whom she gave the name Reuben: for she
said, The Lord has seen my sorrow; now my husband will have love for me.
[33] Then she became with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said,
Because it has come to the Lord's ears that I am not loved, he has given me
this son in addition: and she gave him the name Simeon. [34] And she was
with child again, and gave birth to a son; and said, Now at last my husband
will be united to me, because I have given him three sons: so he was named
Levi. [35] And she was with child again, and gave birth to a son: and she
said, This time I will give praise to the Lord: so he was named Judah;
after this she had no more children for a time.
