- And Jacob [a] started and went to the land
of the east to Laban, the son of Bathuel the
Syrian, and the brother of Rebecca, mother
of Jacob and Esau.
- And he looks, and
behold! a well in the plain; and there were
there three flocks of sheep resting at it, for
out of that well they watered the flocks,
but there was a great stone at the mouth of
the well.
- And there were all the flocks
gathered, and they used to roll away the
stone from the mouth of the well, and water
the flocks, and set the stone again in its
place on the mouth of the well.
- And Jacob
said to them, Brethren, whence are ye? and
they said, We are of Charrhan.
- And he said to them, Know ye Laban, the son of
Nachor? and they said, We do know him.
- And he said to them, Is he well? And they
said, He is well. And behold Rachel his
daughter came with the sheep.
- And Jacob
said, it is yet high day, it is not yet time
that the flocks be gathered together; water
ye the flocks, and depart and feed them.
- And they said, We shall not be able, until
all the shepherds be gathered together, and
they shall roll away the stone from the
mouth of the well, then we will water the
flocks.
- While he was yet speaking to them,
behold, Rachel the daughter of Laban came
with her father's sheep, for she fed the sheep
of her father.
- 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 came
and rolled away the stone from the mouth
of the well, and watered the sheep of Laban,
his mother's brother.
- And Jacob kissed
Rachel, and cried with a loud voice and
wept.
- And he told Rachel that he was
the near relative of her father, and the son
of Rebecca; and she ran and reported to
her father according to these words.
- And
it came to pass when Laban heard the name
of Jacob, his sister's son, he ran to meet him,
and embraced and kissed him, and brought
him into his house; and he told Laban all
these sayings.
- And Laban said to him,
Thou art of my bones and of my flesh; and
he was with him a [a] full month.
- And Laban said to Jacob, Surely thou
shalt not serve me for nothing, because
thou art my brother; tell me what thy reward
is to be.
- Now Laban had two
daughters, the name of the elder was Lea,
and the name of the younger, Rachel.
- And
the eyes of Lea were weak. But Rachel was
beautiful in appearance, and exceedingly fair
in countenance.
- And Jacob loved Rachel,
and said, I will serve thee seven years for
thy younger daughter Rachel.
- And Laban
said to him, It is better that I should give
her to thee, than that I should give her to
another man; dwell with me.
- And Jacob
served for Rachel seven years, and they were
before him as a few days, by reason of his
loving her.
- And Jacob said to Laban, Give
me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I
may go in to her.
- And Laban gathered
together all the men of the place, and made
a marriage-feast.
- And it was even, and he
took his daughter Lea, and brought her in
to Jacob, and Jacob went in to her.
- And
Laban gave to his daughter Lea, Zelpha his
handmaid, as a handmaid for her.
- And it
was morning, and behold it was Lea; and
Jacob said to Laban, What is this that thou
hast done to me? did I not serve thee for
Rachel? and wherefore hast thou deceived
me?
- And Laban answered, It is not done
thus in our country, to give the younger
before the elder.
- Fulfil then her sevens,
and I will give to thee her also in return for
thy labour, which thou labourest with me,
yet seven other years.
- And Jacob did so,
and fulfilled her sevens; and Laban gave
him his daughter Rachel to wife.
- And
Laban gave to his daughter his handmaid
Balla, for a handmaid to her.
- And he
went in to Rachel; and he loved Rachel
more than Lea; and he served him seven
other years.
- And when the Lord God saw that Lea
was hated, he opened her womb; but Rachel
was barren.
- And Lea conceived and bore
a son to Jacob; and she called his name,
Ruben; saying, Because the Lord has looked
on my humiliation, and has given me a son,
now then my husband will love me.
- And
she conceived again, and bore a second son
to Jacob; and she said, Because the Lord
has heard that I am hated, he has given to
me this one also; and she called his name,
Simeon.
- And she conceived yet again, and
bore a son, and said, In the present time my
husband will be with me, for I have born
him three sons; therefore she called his
name, Levi.
- And having conceived yet
again, she bore a son, and said, Now yet
again this time will I give thanks to the
Lord; therefore she called his name, Juda;
and ceased bearing.
[a] Gr. having lifted up his feet, went, etc.
[b] Gr. month of days.
[English translation of the Septuagint by Sir Lancelot Charles Lee
Brenton (1807-1862) originally published by Samuel Bagster & Sons,
Ltd., London, 1851]