1След това Яков продължи пътя си и отиде в земята на източните народи.2Той видя в полето кладенец и там три стада дребен добитък, налягали около него, защото от този кладенец пояха стадата. Отгоре на кладенеца стоеше голям камък, който го затваряше. (Бит 24:11; Изх 2:16)3Когато там се съберяха всичките стада, пастирите отместваха камъка от кладенеца и пояха овцете. После пак слагаха камъка на мястото му върху кладенеца.4Яков попита пастирите: „Откъде сте, братя?“ Те отговориха: „От Харан сме.“5Тогава той ги попита: „Познавате ли Нахоровия син Лаван?“ Те отговориха: „Познаваме го.“6Той продължи: „Здрав ли е?“ В отговор те казаха: „Здрав е, ето дъщеря му Рахил идва с овцете.“7Яков добави: „Още е много рано. Не е време да се прибира добитъкът. Напоете овцете и идете да ги пасете.“8Те казаха: „Не можем, докато не се съберат всички стада и докато не отместим камъка от кладенеца – тогава ще поим овцете.“9Докато той говореше с тях, дойде Рахил[1] с дребния добитък на баща си, понеже тя пасеше стадото.10Когато Яков видя Рахил, дъщерята на вуйчо му Лаван, и овцете му, приближи се, отмести камъка от кладенеца и напои овцете.11Тогава Яков целуна Рахил и заплака с висок глас.12Той каза на Рахил, че е роднина на баща и и син на Ревека. А тя се затича към къщи и предаде това на баща си.13Като чу за своя племенник Яков, Лаван отиде да го посрещне и го прегърна. Целуна го и го заведе у дома си. Яков разказа на Лаван всичко за себе си.14Тогава Лаван му каза: „Наистина ти си моя кост и моя плът.“ Затова Яков живя при него цял месец.
Женитбата на Яков в Харан за Лия и Рахил
15След това Лаван каза на Яков: „Нима, като си ми роднина, ще ми работиш безплатно? Кажи ми каква да ти бъде заплатата?“16А Лаван имаше две дъщери – по-голямата се казваше Лия, по-малката Рахил.17Очите на Лия бяха болнави, но Рахил беше прекрасна по лице и по снага.18Яков обикна Рахил и каза на Лаван: „Ще ти работя седем години за по-малката ти дъщеря Рахил.“19Лаван отговори: „По-добре на тебе да я дам, отколкото на някой друг. Остани да живееш при мене.“20За Рахил Яков работи седем години. Но те му се видяха като няколко дена – толкова я беше обикнал.21След това Яков каза на Лаван: „Дай ми девойката, защото дойде вече време да я взема за жена.“22Лаван повика всички съседи и даде гощавка.23А когато се стъмни, той взе дъщеря си Лия и я въведе при него. Така Яков легна при нея.24Лаван даде робинята си Зелфа за робиня на дъщеря си Лия.25Но на сутринта се оказа, че това е било Лия. Яков викна към Лаван: „Какво направи ти с мене? Нали за Рахил ти работих? Защо ме измами?“26Лаван отговори: „В нашия край няма обичай по-малката дъщеря да се дава преди по-голямата.27Като приключи сватбената седмица на тази ми дъщеря, тогава ще ти дадем и другата, но за нея ще ми работиш още седем години.“28Яков така и направи. Когато приключи сватбената седмица на Лия, Лаван му даде за жена дъщеря си Рахил.29Лаван даде и робинята си Вала за робиня на дъщеря си Рахил.30Яков легна с Рахил. Той обичаше Рахил повече, отколкото Лия. За нея работи още седем години.
Потомството на Яков
31Понеже видя, че Лия беше нелюбима, Господ направи утробата и плодовита, а Рахил се оказа безплодна.32Лия зачена и роди син. Тя го нарече Рувим[2], като каза: „Господ милостно погледна на нещастието ми. Сега вече мъжът ми ще ме обича.“33Лия отново зачена и роди син. Тя каза: „Понеже Господ чу, че не съм обичана, даде ми и този син.“ Затова го нарече Симеон[3].34Зачена пак и роди син, като си рече: „Сега вече мъжът ми ще се привърже към мене, защото му родих трима синове.“ Затова нарече новороденото Левий.35Лия отново зачена и роди син. За него каза: „Сега аз ще възхваля Господ.“ Затова го нарече с името Юда[4]. След това тя престана да ражда.
1Then Jacob continued on his journey. He came to the land where the eastern tribes lived.2There he saw a well in the open country. Three flocks of sheep were lying near it. The flocks were given water from the well. The stone over the opening of the well was large.3All the flocks would gather there. The shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s opening. They would give water to the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place over the opening of the well.4Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘My friends, where are you from?’ ‘We’re from Harran,’ they replied.5He said to them, ‘Do you know Nahor’s grandson Laban?’ ‘Yes, we know him,’ they answered.6Then Jacob asked them, ‘How is he?’ ‘He’s fine,’ they said. ‘Here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.’7‘Look’, he said, ‘the sun is still high in the sky. It’s not time for the flocks to be brought together. Give water to the sheep and take them back to the grasslands.’8‘We can’t,’ they replied. ‘We have to wait until all the flocks are brought together. The stone has to be rolled away from the opening of the well. Then we’ll give water to the sheep.’9He was still talking with them when Rachel came with her father’s sheep. It was her job to take care of the flock.10Rachel was the daughter of Laban, Jacob’s uncle. When Jacob saw Rachel with Laban’s sheep, he went over to the well. He rolled the stone away from the opening. He gave water to his uncle’s sheep.11Jacob kissed Rachel. Then he began to cry because he was so happy.12He had told Rachel he was a relative of her father. He had also said he was Rebekah’s son. Rachel ran and told her father what Jacob had said.13As soon as Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he hurried to meet him. Laban hugged Jacob and kissed him. Then Laban brought him to his home. There Jacob told him everything.
Jacob marries Leah and Rachel
14Then Laban said to him, ‘You are my own flesh and blood.’ Jacob stayed with Laban for a whole month.15Then Laban said to him, ‘You are one of my relatives. But is that any reason for you to work for me for nothing? Tell me what your pay should be.’16Laban had two daughters. The name of the elder one was Leah. And the name of the younger one was Rachel.17Leah was plain, but Rachel was beautiful. She had a nice figure.18Jacob was in love with Rachel. He said to Laban, ‘I’ll work for you for seven years so I can marry your younger daughter Rachel.’19Laban said, ‘It’s better for me to give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.’20So Jacob worked for seven years so he could marry Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her so much.21Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. I’ve completed my time. I want to sleep with her.’22So Laban brought all the people of the place together and had a feast prepared.23But when evening came, he gave his daughter Leah to Jacob. And Jacob slept with her.24Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter as her servant.25When Jacob woke up the next morning, there was Leah next to him! So he said to Laban, ‘What have you done to me? I worked for you so I could marry Rachel, didn’t I? Why did you trick me?’26Laban replied, ‘It isn’t our practice here to give the younger daughter to be married before the elder one.27Complete this daughter’s wedding week. Then we’ll give you the younger one also. But you will have to work for another seven years.’28So Jacob completed the week with Leah. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.29Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her servant.30Jacob slept with Rachel also. He loved Rachel more than he loved Leah. And he worked for Laban for another seven years.
Jacob becomes the Father of many children
31The LORD saw that Jacob didn’t love Leah as much as he loved Rachel. So he let Leah have children. But Rachel wasn’t able to have children.32Leah became pregnant. She had a son. She named him Reuben. She said, ‘The LORD has seen me suffer. Surely my husband will love me now.’33She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, ‘The LORD heard that Jacob doesn’t love me very much. That’s why the LORD gave me this one too.’ So she named him Simeon.34She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, ‘Now at last my husband will value me. I have had three sons by him.’ So the boy was named Levi.35She became pregnant again. She had a son. Then she said, ‘This time I’ll praise the LORD.’ So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.