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v1
And Jacob continued his journey ^[Literally “lifted up his feet”] and went to the land of the Easterners. ^[Or “children of the east”]
v2
And he looked, and behold, there was a well in the field, and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying beside it, for out of that well the flocks were watered. And the stone on the mouth of the well was large.
v3
And when all the flocks were gathered there, they rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well. And they watered the sheep and returned the stone upon the mouth of the well to its place.
v4
And Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from Haran.”
v5
And he said to them, “Do you know Laban, son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”
v6
And he said to them, “Is he well?” ^[Literally “Is it well for him?“] And they said, “He is well. Now look, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.”
v7
And he said, “Look, it is still broad daylight; ^[Literally “high day”] it is not the time for the livestock to be gathered. Give water to the sheep and go, pasture them.”
v8
And they said, “We are not able, until all the flocks are gathered. Then the stone is rolled away from the mouth of the well, and we water the sheep.”
v9
While he was speaking with them, Rachel came with the sheep which belonged to her father, for she was pasturing them.
v10
And it happened that, when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, Jacob drew near and rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother.
v11
And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
v12
And Jacob told Rachel that he was the relative of her father, and that he was the son of Rebekah. And she ran and told her father.
v13
And it happened that when Laban heard the message about Jacob, the son of his sister, he ran to meet him. And he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
v14
And Laban said to him, “Surely you are my flesh and my bone!” And he stayed with him a month.
v15
Then Laban said to Jacob, “Just because you are my brother should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wage should be.”
v16
Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
v17
Now the eyes of Leah were dull, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
v18
And Jacob loved Rachel and said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
v19
Then Laban said, “Better that I give her to you than I give her to another man. Stay with me.”
v20
And Jacob worked for Rachel seven years, but they were as a few days in his eyes because he loved her.
v21
And Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, that I may go in to her, for my time ^[Literally “my days”] is completed.”
v22
So Laban gathered all the men of the place and prepared a feast.
v23
And it happened that in the evening he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her.
v24
And Laban gave Zilpah his female servant to her, to Leah his daughter as a female servant.
v25
And it happened that in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Now why did you deceive me?“
v26
Then Laban said, “It is not the custom ^[Literally “it is not thus done”] in our country to give the younger before the firstborn.
v27
Complete the week of this one, ^[Leah; the wedding feast would last one week] then I will also give you the other, on the condition that you will work for me ^[Literally “with respect to the work that you will work with me yet”] another seven years.”
v28
And Jacob did so. So he completed the week of this one, ^[That is, Leah] then he gave Rachel his daughter to him as a wife.
v29
And Laban gave Bilhah his female servant to Rachel his daughter as a female servant.
v30
Then he also went in to Rachel, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with him yet another seven years.
v31
When Yahweh saw that Leah was unloved he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.
v32
Then Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because Yahweh has noticed my misery, that I am unloved. Now my husband will love me.”
v33
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, “It is because Yahweh has heard that I am unloved that he gave me this son also.” And she called his name Simeon.
v34
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, for I have borne him three sons.” Therefore, she called his name Levi.
v35
And she conceived again and gave birth to a son. And she said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” Therefore she called his name Judah. And she ceased bearing children.