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29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east.

29:2 He looked, and behold, a well in the field, and, behold, three flocks of sheep lying there by it. For out of that well they watered the flocks. The stone on the well`s mouth was great.

29:3 There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well`s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again on the well`s mouth in its place.

29:4 Jacob said to them, "My relatives, where are you from?" They said, "We are from Haran."

29:5 He said to them, "Do you know Laban, the son of Nahor?" They said, "We know him."

29:6 He said to them, "Is it well with him?" They said, "It is well. See, Rachel, his daughter, is coming with the sheep."

29:7 He said, "Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the cattle together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them."

29:8 They said, We can`t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well`s mouth. Then we water the sheep."

29:9 While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father`s sheep, for she kept them.

29:10 It happened, 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.

29:11 Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

29:12 Jacob told Rachel that he was her father`s brother, and that he was Rebekah`s son. She ran and told her father.

29:13 It happened, when Laban heard the news of Jacob, his sister`s son, that he ran to meet Jacob, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacob told Laban all these things.

29:14 Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. He lived with him for a month.

29:15 Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my brother, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what will your wages be?"

29:16 Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

29:17 Leah`s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful and well favored.

29:18 Jacob loved Rachel. He said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter."

29:19 Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."

29:20 Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.

29:21 Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."

29:22 Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

29:23 It happened in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him. He went in to her.

29:24 Laban gave Zilpah his handmaid to his daughter Leah for a handmaid.

29:25 It happened in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. He said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Didn`t I serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?"

29:26 Laban said, "It is not done so in our place, to give the younger before the first born.

29:27 Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years."

29:28 Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week. He gave him Rachel his daughter as wife.

29:29 Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah, his handmaid, to be her handmaid.

29:30 He went in also to Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

29:31 Yahweh saw that Leah was hated, and he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

29:32 Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, "Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction. For now my husband will love me."

29:33 She conceived again, and bare a son, and said, "Because Yahweh has heard that I am hated, he has therefore given me this son also." She named him Simeon.

29:34 She conceived again, and bare a son. Said, "Now this time will my husband be joined to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore was his name called Levi.

29:35 She conceived again, and bare a son. She said, "This time will I praise Yahweh." Therefore she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.

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