1 Jacó pôs-se a caminho e chegou à terra dos filhos do Oriente.2 Olhou, e eis um poço no campo, e três rebanhos de ovelhas deitadas junto dele; pois desse poço é que se dava de beber aos rebanhos. Era grande a pedra que tapava a boca do poço.3 Ali se ajuntavam todos os rebanhos; e removiam os pastores a pedra da boca do poço, davam de beber às ovelhas e tornavam a pôr a pedra no seu lugar sobre a boca do poço.4 Perguntou-lhes Jacó: Irmãos meus, donde sois? responderam eles: Somos de Harã.5 Perguntou-lhes: Conheceis a Labão, filho de Naor? Responderam: Conhecemos.6 Está ele bom? continuou Jacó. Responderam: Está bom, eis que Raquel, sua filha vem vindo com as ovelhas.7 Disse-lhes: É ainda muito dia, nem é tempo de se ajuntar o gado; dai de beber às ovelhas, e ide apascentá-las.8 Não o podemos, responderam eles, até que se ajuntem todos os rebanhos, e seja removida a pedra da boca do poço; então damos de beber às ovelhas.9 Estando Jacó ainda falando com eles, veio Raquel com as ovelhas de seu pai; porque ela as apascentava.10 Quando Jacó viu a Raquel, filha de Labão, irmão de sua mãe, chegou-se, removeu a pedra da boca do poço e deu de beber ao rebanho de Labão, irmão de sua mãe.11 Então Jacó beijou a Raquel e, levantando a voz, chorou.12 Jacó contou a Raquel que ele era irmão de seu pai e que era filho de Rebeca; e ela, correndo, foi noticiá-lo a seu pai.13 Tendo Labão ouvido as novas de Jacó, filho de sua irmã, correu-lhe ao encontro, abraçou-o, e beijou-o e levou-o a sua casa. Relatou Jacó a Labão todas estas coisas.14 Disse-lhe Labão: Verdadeiramente tu és meu osso e minha carne. E Jacó ficou com ele por espaço de um mês.15 Depois perguntou Labão a Jacó: Acaso porque és meu irmão, deves, portanto, servir-me de graça? dize-me, que será o teu salário?16 Ora Labão tinha duas filhas: o nome da mais velha era Lia, e o da mais moça Raquel.17 Lia tinha os olhos tenros, mas Raquel era formosa de porte e de semblante.18 E Jacó amava a Raquel e disse: Sete anos te servirei por ter a Raquel, tua filha mais moça.19 Respondeu-lhe Labão: Melhor é que eu a dê a ti que a outro homem; fica comigo.20 Assim serviu Jacó sete anos por amor a Raquel; e estes lhe pareciam como poucos dias, por causa do amor que lhe votava.21 Jacó disse a Labão: Dá-me minha mulher, pois os meus dias já se completaram, para que eu esteja com ela.22 Reuniu, pois, Labão todos os homens do lugar, e fez um banquete.23 À tarde tomou a Lia, sua filha, e trouxe-a a Jacó, que esteve com ela.24 (Labão deu sua serva Zilpa por serva a Lia, sua filha).25 Quando amanheceu, eis que era Lia; e perguntou Jacó a Labão: Que é isso que me fizeste? porventura não te servi eu por amor de Raquel? porque, então, me enganaste?26 Respondeu Labão: Não se faz assim em nossa terra, que se dê a mais moça antes da primogênita.27 Acabada a semana desta, depois te daremos também a outra pelo trabalho de outros sete anos que ainda me servirás.28 Assim fez Jacó e cumpriu a semana desta; Labão lhe deu por mulher Raquel, sua filha.29 (Labão deu por serva a Raquel, sua filha, a sua serva Bila).30 Jacó conheceu também a Raquel, e amava mais a Raquel do que a Lia; e serviu com Labão ainda outros sete anos.31 Vendo Jeová que Lia era desprezada, fê-la fecunda; Raquel, porém, era estéril.32 Concebeu Lia, e deu à luz um filho, a quem chamou Rúben; pois disse: Porque Jeová atendeu à minha aflição; por isso agora me amará meu marido.33 Tendo concebido outra vez, deu à luz um filho; e disse: Porquanto soube Jeová que eu era desprezada, portanto me deu também este filho: e chamou-lhe Simeão.34 Concebeu ainda outra vez e deu à luz um filho; e disse: Agora esta vez se unirá meu marido a mim, porque lhe tenho dado três filhos; portanto lhe chamou Levi.35 De novo concebeu, e deu à luz um filho; e disse: Esta vez louvarei a Jeová. Portanto lhe chamou Judá; e cessou de dar à luz.

1 Jacob continued on his trip and arrived at the land in the east.2 Suddenly he came upon a well out in the fields. There were three flocks of sheep lying around it. The flocks were watered from this well. It had a large stone over the opening.3 When all the flocks came together there, the shepherds would roll the stone back and water them. Then they would put the stone back in place.4 Jacob asked the shepherds: »Where are you from?« They answered: »We are from Haran.«5 Then he asked: »Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?« »Yes, we do,« they replied.6 Jacob asked: »How is he?« They replied: »He is well. Here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep.«7 »It is still the heat of the day. It is not time for livestock to be gathered. Would you like to water the sheep so they can get back to grazing?«8 They said: »We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered, and they roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Then we water the sheep.«9 While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.10 Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban, with his uncle Laban’s sheep. He came forward and rolled the stone off the opening of the well and watered his uncle Laban’s sheep.11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept loudly.12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s nephew and that he was Rebekah’s son. She ran and told her father.13 As soon as Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him. He embraced and kissed him and brought him into his home. Then Jacob told Laban all that had happened.14 Laban said: »You are indeed my own flesh and blood.« Jacob stayed there a whole month.15 Laban said to Jacob: »You should not work for me for nothing just because you are my relative. How much pay do you want?«16 Laban had two daughters. The older was named Leah and the younger Rachel.17 Leah had soft eyes and Rachel was shapely and very beautiful.18 Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said: »I will work seven years for you, if you will let me marry Rachel.«19 Laban answered: »It is better that I give her to you than to anyone else. Stay here with me.«20 Jacob worked seven years for Laban. The time seemed like only a few days, because he loved Rachel so much.21 Jacob said to Laban: »Give me my wife for the time is completed. I want to marry Rachel now!«22 Laban gathered all the men of the place and gave a feast.23 In the evening when it was dark, he took Leah, his daughter, and gave her to him. Jacob slept with her.24 Laban gave Zilpah, his servant-girl, to Leah, to be her maid.25 »What have you done to me?« Jacob asked Laban: »Did I work for you in return for Rachel? Why did you cheat me?«26 Laban answered: »It is not our custom to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.27 »Finish the week of wedding festivities with this daughter. Then we will give you the other one too. But you will have to work for me another seven years.«28 Jacob did that. He finished the week with Leah. Then Laban gave his daughter Rachel to him as his wife.29 Laban gave his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.30 Jacob slept with Rachel too. He loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.31 Jehovah saw that Leah was loved less, so he made it possible for her to have children. But Rachel had none.32 Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, because she said: »Certainly, Jehovah has seen my misery. Now my husband will love me!«33 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: »Certainly, Jehovah has heard that I am unloved. He has also given me this son.« She named him Simeon.34 She became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: »Now at last my husband will become attached to me because I have given him three sons.« She named him Levi.35 Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She said: »This time I will praise Jehovah.« So she named him Judah Praise. Then she stopped having children.