1 So Jacob went on his journey aand came to the land of the people of the East.
2 And he looked, and saw a awell in the field; and behold, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks. A large stone was on the well’s mouth.
3 Now all the flocks would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from the well’s mouth, water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the well’s mouth.
4 And Jacob said to them, “My brethren, where are you from?” And they said, “We are from aHaran.”
5 Then he said to them, “Do you know aLaban the son of Nahor?” And they said, “We know him.”
6 So he said to them, a“Is he well?” And they said, “Heis well. And look, his daughter Rachel bis coming with the sheep.”
7 Then he said, “Look, itis still1 high day; itis not time for the cattle to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go and feed them.”
8 But they said, “We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from the well’s mouth; then we water the sheep.”
9 Now while he was still speaking with them, aRachel came with her father’s sheep, for she was a shepherdess.
10 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 went near and arolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.
11 Then Jacob akissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.
12 And Jacob told Rachel that he wasaher father’s relative and that he was Rebekah’s son. bSo she ran and told her father.
13 Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister’s son, that ahe ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. So he told Laban all these things.
14 And Laban said to him, a“Surely you are my bone and my flesh.” And he stayed with him for a month.
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel
15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, awhat should your wages be?”
16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah’s eyes were1 delicate, but Rachel was abeautiful of form and appearance.
18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, a“I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.”
19 And Laban said, “Itis better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
20 So Jacob aserved seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may ago in to her.”
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and amade a feast.
23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her.
24 And Laban gave his maid aZilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.
25 So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you adeceived me?”
26 And Laban said, “It must not be done so in our1 country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27aFulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.”
28 Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.
29 And Laban gave his maid aBilhah to his daughter Rachel as a maid.
30 Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also aloved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban bstill another seven years.
The Children of Jacob
31 When the Lordasaw that Leah was unloved, He bopened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
32 So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name1 Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely alooked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
33 Then she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the Lord has heard that I am1 unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.” And she called his name2 Simeon.
34 She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” Therefore his name was called1 Levi.
35 And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name aJudah. Then she stopped bearing.
GENESIS, the book of the origin or production of all things, consists of two parts: the first, comprehended in the first through eleventh chapters, gives a general history; the second, contained in the subsequent chapters, gives a special history. The two parts are essentially connected; the one, which sets out with an account of the descent of the human race from a single pair, the introduction of sin into the world, and the announcement of the scheme of divine mercy for repairing the ruins of the fall, was necessary to pave the way for relating the other, namely, the call of Abraham, and the selection of his posterity for carrying out the gracious purpose of God. An evident unity of method, therefore, pervades this book, and the information contained in it was of the greatest importance to the Hebrew people, as without it they could not have understood the frequent references made in their law to the purposes and promises of God regarding themselves. The arguments that have been already adduced as establishing the Mosaic origin of the Pentateuch prove of course that Moses was the author of Genesis. The few passages on which the rationalists grounded their assertions that it was the composition of a later age have been successfully shown to warrant no such conclusion; the use of Egyptian words and the minute acquaintance with Egyptian life and manners, displayed in the history of Joseph, harmonize with the education of Moses, and whether he received his information by immediate revelation, from tradition, or from written documents, it comes to us as the authentic work of an author who wrote as he was inspired by the Holy Ghost (II Peter 1:21).
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