1 Jacob continued on his way and came to the land of the people of the east.
2 As he looked around, he saw a well out in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. The stone on the mouth of the well was a large one.
3 When all the flocks had been brought together there, the shepherds would roll the stone off the mouth of the well and water the sheep, and then put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.
4 Jacob asked them, "My brothers, where do you come from?" "We are from Haran," they said.
5 He asked them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" "We know him," they answered.
6 "Is he well?" he asked them. "He is well," they said, "and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep."
7 He said, "The day is still long; it is not yet time to bring the livestock together. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture."
8 They replied, "We cannot, until all the flocks have been brought together and the stone has been rolled off the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep."
9 He was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father's sheep, for she was the one who tended them.
10 As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother Laban, with the sheep of his mother's brother Laban, he went up, rolled the stone off the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban, his mother's brother.
11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and he raised his voice and wept.
12 He told Rachel that he was a relative of her father, Rebekah's son, and she ran off and told her father.
13 When Laban heard the news about his sister's son Jacob, he ran out to meet him, hugged him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.
14 Laban said to him, "You are indeed my own bone and flesh." And Jacob stayed with him for a full month.
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Should you work for me for nothing just because you are my relative? Tell me what your pay should be."
16 Laban had two daughters; the elder was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel.
17 Leah had tender eyes, but Rachel was shapely and lovely to look at.
18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said, "I will work for you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."
19 Laban replied, "Better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me."
20 So Jacob worked seven years to get Rachel, and because he loved her they seemed to him only a few days.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "My time is up. Give me my wife, so that I may sleep with her."
22 Laban brought together all the people of the place and held a feast.
23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob slept with her.
24 Laban also gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! Jacob said to Laban, "What have you done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I worked for you? Why did you trick me?"
26 Laban answered, "In our place it is not the custom to give the younger daughter before the firstborn.
27 Finish out this one's bridal week, and we will give you the other one too, in return for another seven years of work for me."
28 Jacob agreed and finished out Leah's week, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.
29 Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.
30 Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
31 The LORD saw that Leah was unloved, and he opened her womb, while Rachel remained barren.
32 Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has seen my misery; surely my husband will love me now."
33 She conceived once more and had a son, and she said, "Because the LORD heard that I am unloved, he has given me this son too." So she named him Simeon.
34 Again she conceived and had a son, and she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, for I have given him three sons." That is why he was named Levi.
35 She conceived yet again and had a son, and she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." That is why she named him Judah. Then she ceased having children.