1 So Jacob lifted his feet and came into the land of the sons of the East.

2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. And a large stone was on the well’s mouth.

3 And all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.

4 And Jacob said to them, My brethren, where are you from? And they said, We are 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 he well? And they said, He is well. And behold, his daughter Rachel is coming with the sheep.

7 And he said, Behold, it is still high day; it is not the time for cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.

8 But they said, We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.

9 And while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was tending 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 relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. So she ran and told her father.

13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So 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 a month of days.

15 And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?

16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17 Leah’s eyes were delicate, but Rachel had a beautiful figure and a beautiful appearance.

18 And Jacob loved Rachel; so 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. Stay with me.

20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they were only a day in his eyes because of the love he had for her.

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

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 to her.

24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maidservant.

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? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?

26 And Laban said, It is not done so in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27 Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me yet another seven years.

28 And Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.

29 And Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maidservant.

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

31 When Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.

32 And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Jehovah has surely looked upon my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.

33 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Because Jehovah has heard that I am hated, He has therefore given me this one also. And she called his name Simeon.

34 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons. Therefore his name was called Levi.

35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, Now I will praise Jehovah. Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she stopped giving birth.

1 Então Jacó seguiu viagem e chegou à Mesopotâmia.

2 Certo dia, olhando ao redor, viu um poço no campo e três rebanhos de ovelhas deitadas por perto, pois os rebanhos bebiam daquele poço, que era tapado por uma grande pedra.

3 Por isso, quando todos os rebanhos se reuniam ali, os pastores rolavam a pedra da boca do poço e davam água às ovelhas. Depois recolocavam a pedra em seu lugar, sobre o poço.

4 Jacó perguntou aos pastores: "Meus amigos, de onde são vocês? " "Somos de Harã", responderam.

5 "Vocês conhecem Labão, neto de Naor? ", perguntou-lhes Jacó. Eles responderam: "Sim, nós o conhecemos".

6 Então Jacó perguntou: "Ele vai bem? " "Sim, vai bem", disseram eles, "e ali vem sua filha Raquel com as ovelhas".

7 Disse ele: "Olhem, o sol ainda vai alto e não é hora de recolher os rebanhos. Dêem de beber às ovelhas e levem-nas de volta ao pasto".

8 Mas eles responderam: "Não podemos, enquanto os rebanhos não se agruparem e a pedra não for removida da boca do poço. Só então daremos de beber às ovelhas".

9 Ele ainda estava conversando, quando chegou Raquel com as ovelhas de seu pai, pois ela era pastora.

10 Quando Jacó viu Raquel, filha de Labão, irmão de sua mãe, e as ovelhas de Labão, aproximou-se, removeu a pedra da boca do poço e deu de beber às ovelhas de seu tio Labão.

11 Depois Jacó beijou Raquel e começou a chorar bem alto.

12 Então contou a Raquel que era parente do pai dela e filho de Rebeca. E ela foi correndo contar tudo a seu pai.

13 Logo que Labão ouviu as notícias acerca de Jacó, seu sobrinho, correu ao seu encontro, abraçou-o e o beijou. Depois, levou-o para casa, e Jacó contou-lhe tudo o que havia ocorrido.

14 Então Labão lhe disse: "Você é sangue do meu sangue". Já fazia um mês que Jacó estava na casa de Labão,

15 quando este lhe disse: "Só por ser meu parente você vai trabalhar de graça? Diga-me qual deve ser o seu salário".

16 Ora, Labão tinha duas filhas; o nome da mais velha era Lia, e o da mais nova, Raquel.

17 Lia tinha olhos meigos, mas Raquel era bonita e atraente.

18 Como Jacó gostava muito de Raquel, disse: "Trabalharei sete anos em troca de Raquel, sua filha mais nova".

19 Labão respondeu: "Será melhor dá-la a você do que a algum outro homem. Fique aqui comigo".

20 Então Jacó trabalhou sete anos por Raquel, mas lhe pareceram poucos dias, pelo tanto que a amava.

21 Então disse Jacó a Labão: "Entregue-me a minha mulher. Cumpri o prazo previsto e quero deitar-me com ela".

22 Então Labão reuniu todo o povo daquele lugar e deu uma festa.

23 Mas quando a noite chegou, deu sua filha Lia a Jacó, e Jacó deitou-se com ela.

24 Labão também entregou sua serva Zilpa à sua filha, para que ficasse a serviço dela.

25 Quando chegou a manhã, lá estava Lia. Então Jacó disse a Labão: "Que foi que você me fez? Eu não trabalhei por Raquel? Por que você me enganou? "

26 Labão respondeu: "Aqui não é costume entregar em casamento a filha mais nova antes da mais velha.

27 Deixe passar esta semana de núpcias e lhe daremos também a mais nova, em troca de mais sete anos de trabalho".

28 Jacó concordou. Passou aquela semana de núpcias com Lia, e Labão lhe deu sua filha Raquel por mulher.

29 Labão deu a Raquel sua serva Bila, para que ficasse a serviço dela.

30 Jacó deitou-se também com Raquel, que era a sua preferida. E trabalhou para Labão outros sete anos.

31 Quando o Senhor viu que Lia era desprezada, concedeu-lhe filhos; Raquel, porém, era estéril.

32 Lia engravidou, deu à luz um filho, e deu-lhe o nome de Rúben, pois dizia: "O Senhor viu a minha infelicidade. Agora, certamente o meu marido me amará".

33 Lia engravidou de novo e, quando deu à luz outro filho, disse: "Porque o Senhor ouviu que sou desprezada, deu-me também este". Pelo que o chamou Simeão.

34 De novo engravidou e, quando deu à luz mais um filho, disse: "Agora, finalmente, meu marido se apegará a mim, porque já lhe dei três filhos". Por isso deu-lhe o nome de Levi.

35 Engravidou ainda outra vez e, quando deu à luz mais outro filho, disse: "Desta vez louvarei ao SENHOR". Assim deu-lhe o nome de Judá. Então parou de ter filhos.