Jacob's Travel

¹ Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.

² He looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were 3 flocks of sheep lying by it. Out of that well they watered the flocks. A great stone was on the well’s mouth.

³ There were all the flocks 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 his place.

⁴ Jacob said to them:

Jacob

My brethren, where are you from?

Men

We are from Haran

Jacob

⁵ Do you know Laban the son of Nahor?

Men

Yes, we know him

Jacob

⁶ Is he well?

[He is] well:

Laban’s daughter Rachel came with the sheep.

Jacob

⁷ It is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water the sheep, and go feed them.

Men

⁸ We cannot do that until all the flocks be gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then we can water the sheep.

⁹ Rachel then came with her father’s sheep: for she kept them.

¹⁰ When Jacob saw Rachel and her sheep, he went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban.

¹¹ Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept. ¹² He told Rachel that:

• he was her father’s brother
• he was Rebekah’s son

She ran and told her father.

¹³ When Laban heard news of Jacob, he ran to meet him.

He embraced and kissed Jacob and brought him to his house.

Laban

¹⁴ You are my bone and my flesh

Jacob lived with Laban for 1 month.

Laban

¹⁵ Because you are my brother. Should you serve me for nothing? How much are your wages?

¹⁶ Laban had 2 daughters:

1. The elder was Leah
2. The younger was Rachel

¹⁷ Leah was tender eyed. But Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

¹⁸ Jacob loved Rachel and said:

Jacob

I will serve you 7 years for Rachel your younger daughter.

Laban

¹⁹ It is better that I give her to you than to another man: live with us.

²⁰ Jacob served 7 years for Rachel. It seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for Rachel.

Jacob

²¹ [To Laban:] Give me my wife for my days are fulfilled, that I may have sex with her.

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

²³ In the evening, he took Leah his daughter and had sex with her.

²⁴ Laban gave Zilpah his maid as a handmaid to his daughter Leah.

²⁵ In the morning, it was Leah. He said to Laban:

Jacob

What have you done to me? Did I not serve you so I could make a baby with Rachel? Why have you beguiled me?

Laban

²⁶ In our country, we do not give the younger before the firstborn.

²⁷ Make a baby with Leah. We will give you Rachel also for the service which you shall serve with me yet 7 other years.

²⁸ Jacob did so, and had sex with Leah. Laban gave him Rachel his daughter to be his wife also.

²⁹ Laban gave Bilhah his handmaid to Rachel to be her maid.

³⁰ Jacob had sex with Rachel. He loved Rachel more than Leah.

So he served with him yet 7 other years.

³¹ When Enki saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

³² Leah conceived, and bare a son she named Reuben.

Leah

Surely Enki had looked on my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

³³ She conceived again, and bare a son and said:

Leah

Because Enki had heard that I was hated, he had therefore given me this son also.

She called his name Simeon.

³⁴ She conceived again, and bare a son:

Leah

This time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him 3 sons

Therefore was his name called Levi.

³⁵ She conceived again, and bare a son.

Leah

Now will I praise Enki

Therefore she called his name Judah.

She left bearing the stone from the well’s mouth. Then they water the sheep.