Jacob Meets Rachel

1Then Iacob gat him vp vpon his fete, and wente in to the east countre, 2& loked aboute him, and beholde, there was a well in the felde, and ye flockes of shepe therby, for the flockes dranke of the well. And there laye a greate stone at the welles mouth, 3and thyther they vsed to brynge the flockes, and to roule the stone from ye mouth of the well, and to geue the shepe drynke, & so they put the stone agayne vpon the welles mouth in to his place.

4And Iacob sayde vnto them: Brethren, whece be ye? They answered: we are of Haran. 5He sayde vnto them: Knowe ye Laban the sonne of Nahor? They answered: We knowe him well. 6He sayde: Is he in good health? They answered: he is in good health. And lo, there commeth his doughter Rachel with the shepe. 7He sayde: It is yet hye daye, & is not yet tyme to dryue in the catell: geue the shepe to drynke, & go youre waye, & fede them. 8They answered: We can not, tyll all the flockes be brought together, and tyll we roule the stone from the welles mouth, & so geue the shepe drynke.

9Whyle he yet talked with them, Rachel came with hir fathers shepe, for she kepte ye shepe. 10Whan Iacob sawe Rachel ye doughter of Laban his mothers brother, and the shepe of Laban his mothers brother, he wete, & rouled the stone from the welles mouth, and gaue his mothers brother shepe to drynke, 11and kyssed Rachel, lift vp his voyce, and wepte, 12and tolde her, yt he was hir fathers brother, and ye sonne of Rebecca. Then ranne she, and tolde her father.

13Wha Laban herde of Iacob his sisters sonne, he ranne to mete him, and enbraced him, and kyssed him, and brought him in to his house. And so he tolde him all this matter.

Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel

14The sayde Laban vnto him: Wel, thou art my bone and my flesh. Abyde with me a moneth longe.

15But after that saide he vnto Iacob: Because thou art my brother, shalt thou therfore serue me for nought? Tell me, what shall thy wages be. 16Laban had two doughters, the eldest was called Lea, & the yongest Rachel. 17And Lea was tender eyed, but Rachel was beutyfull & well fauoured of face, 18and Iacob loued her well, and sayde: I will serue the seuen yeare, for Rachel thy yongest doughter. 19Laban answered: It is better that I geue her the, then vnto another: tary thou with me. 20So Iacob serued seuen yeare for Rachel, and they semed vnto him but few dayes, he loued her so well.

21And Iacob saide vnto Laban: geue me my wyfe, for the tyme is come that I shulde lye with her. 22The Laban bad all the people of that place, and made a mariage. 23But at eue he toke his doughter Lea, and brought her in vnto him, and he laye wt her. 24And Laban gaue Zilpa his mayde vnto his doughter Lea to be hir mayde. 25But on the morow, beholde, it was Lea. And he sayde vnto Laban: Why hast thou done this vnto me? Haue not I serued ye for Rachel? Why hast thou then begyled me? 26Laban answered: It is not the maner in oure countre, to mary the yongest before the eldest. 27Holde out this weke, & I will geue the this also, for the seruyce yt thou shalt do me yet seuen yeares more. 28Iacob dyd so, & helde out yt weke. Then gaue he him Rachel his doughter to wyfe. 29And Laban gaue Bilha his mayden vnto Rachel his doughter to be hir mayden. 30So he laye with Rachel also, & loued Rachel more the Lea, and serued him yet seuen yeares more.

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah

31But when the LORDE sawe, that Lea was nothinge regarded, he made her frutefull, and Rachel baren. 32And Lea coceaued, and bare a sonne, whom she called Ruben, and sayde: The LORDE hath loked vpon my aduersite. Now wyll my husbande loue me. 33And she conceaued agayne, and bare a sonne, and sayde: The LORDE hath herde that I am despysed, and hath geue me this also, and she called him Symeon. 34She coceaued yet agayne, and bare a sonne, and sayde: Now wyll my husbande kepe me company agayne, for I haue borne him thre sonnes, therfore called she his name Leui. 35She conceaued ye fourth tyme, and bare a sonne, and sayde: Now wyll I geue thankes vnto the LORDE, therfore called she him Iuda, and left bearynge.