Jacob Meets Rachel

1And Jacob lifted his feet and he went to the land of the sons of the East. 2And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it, for from that well they watered the flocks. And the stone was great on the mouth of the well. 3And all the flocks would be gathered there, and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and they would water the sheep, and they would return the stone on the mouth of the well to its place.

4And Jacob said to them, “My brothers, from where are you⁺?”

And they said, “We are from Haran.”

5And he said to them, “Do you⁺ know Laban son of Nahor?”

And they said, “We know him.”

6And he said to them, “Is it well with him?”

And they said, “It is well, and behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the sheep.”

7And he said, “Behold, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep and go pasture them.”

8And they said, “We are not able until that all the flocks are gathered together and they have rolled the stone from the mouth of the well; then we will water the sheep.”

9He was still speaking with them, and Rachel came with the sheep that belonged to her father, for she was a shepherdess. 10And it came to pass when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban, the brother of his mother, and the sheep of Laban, the brother of his mother, that Jacob drew near and rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and he watered the sheep of Laban, the brother of his mother. 11And Jacob kissed Rachel, and he lifted up his voice and wept. 12And Jacob told to Rachel that he was a brother of her father, and that he was a son of Rebekah. And she ran and told it to her father.

13And it came to pass when Laban heard the report about Jacob, the son of his sister, that he ran to meet him, and he embraced him and he kissed him, and he brought him to his house. And he told to Laban all these things.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

14And Laban said to him, “Surely my bone and my flesh you are.”

And he dwelt with him a month of days. 15And Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my brother, then should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what is your wage?”

16And Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17And Leah’s eyes were tender,† and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautful of appearance. 18And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”

19And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Dwell with me.” 20And Jacob served for Rachel seven years, and they were to him a few days, because of his love for her.

21And Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.”

22And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and he made a feast. 23And it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him, and he went in to her. 24And Laban gave to her Zilpah his maidservant, to Leah his daughter, as a maidservant.

25And it came to pass in the morning that behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? And why have you deceived me?”

26And Laban said, “It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give to you also this one for the service that you will serve with me—yet another seven years.”

28And Jacob did so, and he fulfilled the week of this one; and he gave to him Rachel his daughter, to him, for a wife. 29And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his maidservant, to her as a maidservant.

30And he went in also to Rachel, and he loved Rachel also, more than Leah, and he served with him yet another seven years.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah

31And YHWH saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb, and Rachel was barren. 32And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben,† for she said, “Surely YHWH has looked on my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”

33And she conceived again and bore a son and she said, “Surely YHWH has heard that I am hated, and He has given to me also this one.” And she called his name Simeon.†

34And she conceived again and bore a son and she said, “Now this time my husband will join himself to me, because I have borne to him three sons.” Upon thus his name was called Levi.†

35And she conceived again and bore a son and she said, “This time I will praise YHWH.” Upon thus she called his name Judah.† And she stopped bearing.