1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east. 2 And he looked, and, behold, a well in the field, and, lo, three flocks of sheep lying there by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and the stone upon the well’s mouth was great. 3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in its place. 4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence are ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is it well with him? And they said, It is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep. 9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, 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 thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. 15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy 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 thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to 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 thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou 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 thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other 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 other years.

31 And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah hath looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and said, Because Jehovah hath heard that I am hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have borne him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, This time will I praise Jehovah: therefore she called his name Judah; and she left off bearing.

1 Iacov a pornit la drum, şi s'a dus în ţara celor ce locuiesc la Răsărit.

2 S'a uitat înainte, şi iată că pe cîmp era o fîntînă; şi lîngă ea erau trei turme de oi, cari se odihneau; căci la fîntîna aceasta obicinuiau ciobanii să-şi adape turmele. Şi piatra de pe gura fîntînii era mare.

3 Toate turmele se strîngeau acolo; ciobanii prăvăleau piatra de pe gura fîntînii, adăpau turmele, şi apoi puneau piatra iarăş la loc pe gura fîntînii.

4 Iacov a zis păstorilor: ,,Fraţilor, de unde sînteţi?`` ,,Din Haran,`` au răspuns ei.

5 El le -a zis: ,,Cunoaşteţi pe Laban, fiul lui Nahor?`` ,,Îl cunoaştem,`` i-au răspuns ei.

6 El le -a zis: ,,Este sănătos?`` ,,Sănătos``, au răspuns ei. Şi tocmai atunci venea Rahela, fata lui, cu oile.

7 El a zis: ,,Iată, soarele este încă sus, şi -i prea devreme ca să strîngeţi vitele: adăpaţi oile, apoi duceţi-vă şi paşteţi-le iarăş.``

8 Ei au răspuns: ,,Nu putem, pînă nu se vor strînge toate turmele; atunci se prăvăleşte piatra de pe gura fîntînii, şi vom adăpa oile.``

9 Pe cînd le vorbea el încă, vine Rahela cu oile tatălui său; căci ea le păzea.

10 Cînd a văzut Iacov pe Rahela, fata lui Laban, fratele mamei sale, şi turma lui Laban, fratele mamei sale, s'a apropiat, a prăvălit piatra de pe gura fîntînii, şi a adăpat turma lui Laban, fratele mamei sale.

11 Apoi Iacov a sărutat pe Rahela, şi a început să plîngă tare.

12 Iacov a spus Rahelei că este rudă cu tatăl ei, că este fiul Rebecii. Şi ea a dat fuga de a spus tatălui său.

13 Cum a auzit Laban de Iacov, fiul sorei sale, i -a alergat înainte, l -a îmbrăţişat, l -a sărutat, şi l -a adus în casă. Iacov a istorisit lui Laban toate cele întîmplate.

14 Şi Laban i -a zis: ,,Cu adevărat, tu eşti os din oasele mele, şi carne din carnea mea!`` Iacov a stat la Laban o lună.

15 Apoi Laban a zis lui Iacov: ,,Fiindcă eşti rudă cu mine, să-mi slujeşti oare degeaba? Spune-mi ce simbrie vrei?``

16 Laban însă avea două fete: cea mai mare se numea Lea, şi cea mai mică Rahela.

17 Lea avea ochii slabi; dar Rahela era frumoasă la statură şi mîndră la faţă.

18 Iacov iubea pe Rahela, şi a zis: ,,Îţi voi sluji şapte ani pentru Rahela, fata ta cea mai mică.``

19 Şi Laban a răspuns: ,,Mai bine să ţi -o dau ţie, decît s'o dau altuia. Rămîi la mine!``

20 Astfel Iacov a slujit şapte ani pentru Rahela; şi anii aceştia i s'au părut ca vreo cîteva zile, pentrucă o iubea.

21 În urmă Iacov a zis lui Laban: ,,Dă-mi nevasta, căci mi s -a împlinit sorocul, ca să intru la ea.``

22 Laban a adunat pe toţi oamenii locului şi a făcut un ospăţ.

23 Seara, a luat pe fiică-sa Lea, şi a adus -o la Iacov, care s -a culcat cu ea.

24 Şi Laban a dat ca roabă fetei sale Lea pe roaba sa Zilpa.

25 A doua zi dimineaţă, iată că era Lea. Atunci Iacov a zis lui Laban: ,,Ce mi-ai făcut? Nu ţi-am slujit oare pentru Rahela? Pentru ce m'ai înşelat?``

26 Laban a răspuns: ,,În locul acesta nu -i obicei să se dea cea mai tînără înaintea celei mai mari.

27 Isprăveşte săptămîna cu aceasta, şi-ţi vom da şi pe cealaltă pentru slujba, pe care o vei mai face la mine alţi şapte ani.``

28 Iacov a făcut aşa, şi a isprăvit săptămîna cu Lea; apoi Laban i -a dat de nevastă pe fiică-sa Rahela.

29 Şi Laban a dat ca roabă fetei sale Rahela, pe roaba sa Bilha.

30 Iacov a intrat şi la Rahela, pe care o iubea mai mult decît pe Lea; şi a mai slujit la Laban alţi şapte ani.

31 Domnul a văzut că Lea nu era iubită; şi a făcut -o să aibă copii, pe cînd Rahela era stearpă.

32 Lea a rămas însărcinată, şi a născut un fiu, căruia i -a pus numele Ruben (Vedeţi fiu); ,,căci``, a zis ea, ,,Domnul a văzut mîhnirea mea, şi acum bărbatul meu are să mă iubească negreşit.``

33 A rămas iarăş însărcinată, şi a născut un fiu; şi a zis: ,,Domnul a auzit că nu eram iubită, şi mi -a dat şi pe acesta.`` De aceea, i -a pus numele Simeon (Ascultare).

34 Iar a rămas însărcinată, şi a născut un fiu; şi a zis: ,,De data aceasta, bărbatul meu se va alipi de mine, căci i-am născut trei fii.`` De aceea i -a pus numele Levi (Alipire).

35 A rămas iarăş însărcinată, şi a născut un fiu; şi a zis: ,,De data aceasta, voi lăuda pe Domnul.`` Deaceea i -a pus numele Iuda (Lăudat fie Domnul). Şi a încetat să mai nască.