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 wells mouth.3 And all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the wells mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the wells 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 wells mouth; then we water the sheep.9 And while he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her fathers sheep, for she was tending them.10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the sheep of Laban his mothers brother, that Jacob went near and rolled the stone from the wells mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mothers brother.11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her fathers relative and that he was Rebekahs son. So she ran and told her father.13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sisters 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 Leahs 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 Therfor Jacob passide forth, and cam in to the eest lond;2 and seiy a pit in the feeld, and thre flockis of scheep restynge bisidis it, for whi scheep weren watrid therof, and the mouth therof was closid with a greet stoon.3 And the custom was that whanne alle scheep weren gaderid togidere, thei schulden turne awei the stoon, and whanne the flockis weren fillid thei schulden put it eft on the mouth of the pit.4 And Jacob seide to the scheepherdis, Brithren, of whennus ben ye? Whiche answeriden, Of Aran.5 And he axide hem and seide, Wher ye knowen Laban, the sone of Nachor? Thei seiden, We knowen.6 Jacob seide, Is he hool? Thei seiden, He is in good staat; and lo! Rachel, his douytir, cometh with his flok.7 And Jacob seide, Yit myche of the dai is to come, and it is not tyme that the flockis be led ayen to the fooldis; sotheli yyue ye drynk to the scheep, and so lede ye hem ayen to mete.8 Whiche answeriden, We moun not til alle scheep be gederid to gidere, and til we remouen the stoon fro the mouth of the pit to watir the flockis.9 Yit thei spaken, and lo! Rachel cam with the scheep of hir fadir.10 And whanne Jacob seiy hir, and knewe the douytir of his modris brothir, and the scheep of Laban his vncle, he remeuyde the stoon with which the pit was closid;11 and whanne the flok was watrid, he kisside hir, and he wepte with `vois reisid.12 And he schewide to hir that he was the brothir of hir fadir, and the sone of Rebecca; and sche hastide, and telde to hir fadir.13 And whanne he hadde herd, that Jacob, the sone of his sistir, cam, he ran ayens hym, and he biclippide Jacob and kisside hym, and ledde in to his hows. Forsothe whanne the causis of the iurney weren herd,14 Laban answeride, Thou art my boon and my fleisch. And aftir that the daies of o moneth weren fillid, Laban seide to him,15 `Whethir for thou art my brothir, thou schalt serue me frely? seie thou what mede thou schalt take.16 Forsothe Laban hadde twei douytris, the name of the more was Lya, sotheli the lesse was clepid Rachel;17 but Lya was blere iyed, Rachel was of fair face, and semeli in siyt.18 And Jacob louede Rachel, and seide, Y schal serue thee seuene yeer for Rachel thi lesse douytir.19 Laban answeride, It is betere that Y yyue hir to thee than to anothir man; dwelle thou at me.20 Therfor Jacob seruyde seuene yeer for Rachel; and the daies semyden fewe to hym for the greetnesse of loue.21 And he seide to Laban, Yyue thou my wijf to me, for the tyme is fillid that Y entre to hir.22 And whanne many cumpenyes of freendis weren clepid to the feeste, he made weddyngis,23 and in the euentid Laban brouyte in to hym Lya his douytir,24 and yaf an handmaide, Selfa bi name, to the douyter. And whanne Jacob hadde entrid to hir bi custom, whanne the morewtid was maad, he seiy Lya,25 and seide to his wyues fadir, What is it that thou woldist do? wher Y seruede not thee for Rachel? whi hast thou disseyued me?26 Laban answerde, It is not custom in oure place that we yyue first the `lesse douytris to weddyngis;27 fille thou the wouke of daies of this couplyng, and Y schal yyue to thee also this Rachel, for the werk in which thou schalt serue me bi othere seuene yeer.28 Jacob assentide to the couenaunt, and whanne the wouke was passid,29 he weddide Rachel, to whom the fadir hadde youe Bala seruauntesse.30 And at the laste he vside the weddyngis desirid, and settide the loue of the `wijf suynge bifore the former; and he seruede at Laban seuene othere yeer.31 Forsothe the Lord seiy that he dispiside Lya, and openyde hir wombe while the sistir dwellide bareyn.32 And Lia childide a sone conseyued, and clepide his name Ruben, and seide, The Lord seiy my mekenesse; now myn hosebonde schal loue me.33 And eft sche conseyuede, `and childide a sone, and seide, For the Lord seiy that Y was dispisid, he yaf also this sone to me; and sche clepide his name Symeon.34 And sche conseyuede the thridde tyme, and childide anothir sone, and she seide also, Now myn hosebonde schal be couplid to me, for Y childide thre sones to him; and therfor sche clepide his name Leuy.35 The fourthe tyme sche conseyuede, and childide a sone, and seide, Now I schal knouleche to the Lord; and herfor she clepide his name Judas; and ceesside to childe.