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1 Then Jacob [a]went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.

2 And he looked, and found a well in the field, and found three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks; and saw there was a massive stone upon the mouth of the well.

3 And there were all the flocks gathered; so they rolled the stone from the well-mouth, and watered the sheep, and returned the stone again to it’s place upon the mouth of the well.

4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where do you come from?” And they said, “We come from 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 behold, Rachel his daughter comes with the sheep.”

7 And he said, “Soon it will be mid-day, not yet time for the cattle to be gathered together; go now and water the sheep, and feed them.”

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8 And they said, “We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”

9 While he was speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them.

10 And 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 stayed with him for a month.

15 And Laban said unto Jacob, “Because you are my brother, you shouldn’t 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 that I should give her to another man; abide with me.”

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

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

24 And Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid.

25 And 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? Did not I serve 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 Fulfil 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 to wife.

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid.

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

31 And the LORD saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name [b]Reuben: for she said, “Because the LORD has seen my suffering; for now my husband will love me.”

33 And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD [c]has heard that I am hated, he has given me another son also.” and she called his name [d]Simeon.

34 And she conceived again, and bore a son; and said, “Now this time will my husband be [e]joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons; therefore was his name called Levi.”

35 And she conceived again, and bore a son, and she said, “This time will I [f]praise the LORD!” therefore she called his name [g]Judah; and she left off bearing.

[1] Hebrew lifted up his feet.

[32] That is, See, a son.

[33] Hebrew shama.

[33] Hebrew Shimeon.

[34] From the root lavah.

[35] From the Hebrew hodah.

[35] Hebrew Jehudah.