1 Then Jacob got up and moved camp and went towards the east. He travelled on and on 2-3 until he was near his uncle's place. But before he realized where he was he suddenly came to a waterhole out in the fields. The shepherds who lived there used to take their sheep there for water. Every afternoon they took them to the waterhole but they used to wait for each other there. First they brought all the sheep together and then they moved the big stone at the opening of the well. They got water and filled the stone drinking trough that was nearby and let the sheep drink. After the sheep had finished drinking they shut up the well again with the stone. The shepherds always used to do that.

When Jacob arrived at the waterhole some sheep were lying there. There were three flocks, but the opening of the well was still shut. 4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “Where do you come from?”

“From Haran,” they answered.

5 Jacob asked, “Do you know Laban, Nahor's grandson?”

“Yes,” they said.

6 “Is he well?” he asked.

“He is well,” they answered. “Look, here comes his daughter Rachel, who looks after his sheep. She is bringing them to drink.”

7 Jacob said, “The sun is still high, so you can't take your sheep inside yet. Why don't you let them drink and take them back to the grass?”

8 “No,” they said. “We are waiting for the other sheep. We don't move the stone until all the sheep are here. Then we let them drink.”

9 While Jacob was still talking to them, Rachel arrived with her father's sheep. 10 When Jacob saw Rachel and his uncle's sheep, he went to the well, moved the stone and gave the sheep water to drink. 11 Then he kissed Rachel and began to cry because he was so happy. 12 He said to her, “I am your father's nephew. My mother is Rebecca.”

Then Rachel ran home and told her father. 13 When Laban heard about his nephew Jacob he ran to meet him. When he found him he hugged and kissed him and brought him inside the house. Then Jacob told Laban everything that had happened.

14 Laban said, “Yes indeed, you are my relative.” Then Jacob stayed there for a month.

After one month had gone, 15 Laban said to Jacob, “You shouldn't work for me for nothing just because you are my nephew. How much money will I give you?”

16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the older one was Leah and the name of the younger one was Rachel. 17 Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel had a good figure and was beautiful. 18 Jacob loved Rachel and wanted to marry her. So he said to Laban, “I will work for you for seven years, and then you can give me Rachel for my wife.”

19 Laban said, “I don't want to give her to anyone else, only to you. That is good, so stay with me.” 20 So Jacob stayed there and worked for Laban.

A long time passed. He stayed there working for Laban for seven years so that he could have Rachel for his wife. He kept on working, but it seemed to him a short time, because he wanted Rachel so much.

21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Seven years have gone now. Let me have your daughter.”

22 So Laban prepared a feast and asked many people and they came to eat with him. 23 But that night Laban took his older daughter Leah to Jacob, and not Rachel. So Jacob and Leah slept together. 24 Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to Leah to work for her.

25 Jacob didn't know that he had slept with Leah until the next morning. He went to Laban and said, “Why have you done this to me? I worked hard to get Rachel, and you have tricked me!”

26 Laban answered, “I can't give you Rachel yet, I have to give you the older one, Leah, first, because we always do that in our country. 27 Just wait, and stay with Leah for seven days, while all the people are here with us. Then if you will work for me for another seven years, I will give you Rachel.” 28 Jacob agreed and he stayed with Leah for seven days.

Then afterwards Laban gave Rachel to Jacob for his wife. 29 He also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to work for her. 30 Then Jacob and Rachel slept together, and he loved her more than Leah. Then he worked for Laban another seven years.

31 Yahweh saw that Jacob loved Rachel more, so he gave Leah children and not Rachel. She was unable to have children, 32 but Leah became pregnant and she had a son. She said, “Yahweh has seen my sadness, and now my husband will love me.” So Leah named him Reuben, because Reuben means “look, a son.”

33 Then Leah became pregnant again, and she had another son. She said, “Yahweh has given me another son, because he heard that my husband doesn't love me.” So Leah named him Simeon, because Simeon means “he has heard.”

34 Then Leah became pregnant again, and she had another son. She said, “Now I have given my husband three sons. So he won't send me away, he will hold on to me.” So Leah named him Levi, because Levi means “he holds her.”

35 Then Leah became pregnant again, and she had another son. She said, “This time I will praise Yahweh.” So she called him Judah, because Judah means “I will praise him.” Then she stopped having children.