16 August 2022 draft-bible
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 would water the flocks, and the stone upon the well’s mouth was large. 3 And there all the flocks would gather together, and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, and water the sheep, and put the stone back on the well’s mouth in its place.
4 And Jacob said to them, My brothers, 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. And here comes Rachel, his daughter, with the sheep.
7 And he said, Behold, it is still high day, not time for the livestock to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go feed them.
8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks are 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 when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban, his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother, 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; and she ran and told her father.
13 Now when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And Jacob 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 full month.
15 And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your 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 beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel, and 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 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
21 And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. 23 Then, in the evening, he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. And he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave her Zilpah, his female slave, to be Leah his daughter’s slave. 25And in the morning, behold—it was Leah! And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?
26 And Laban said, It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve me yet another seven years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week; and he gave him Rachel his daughter as wife. 29 And to Rachel his daughter Laban gave Bilhah his slave, to be her slave. 30 And he also went in Rachel, and also loved Rachel more than Leah, and served with him another seven years.
31 And Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was infertile. 32 And Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben. For she said, Because Yahweh has seen my affliction; for now my husband will love me.
33 And she conceived again, and bore a son, and said, Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, therefore he has given me this son also. And she called his name Simeon.
34 And she conceived again, and bore a son. And she 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 she said, This time I will praise Yahweh. Therefore she named him Judah. And she stopped bearing.
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