29 Then Yacob got on the road again and went to the land of the eastern peoples. 2 Close to his destination, he looked ahead, and wow, there was a well in the field, and what’s more, three flocks of sheep and goats were lying there near it, because the flocks were watered from that well but the stone over the mouth of the well was large and heavy. 3 Once all the flocks were gathered there, then they would roll the stone from over the mouth of the well and water the animals. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

4 So Yacob asked the farmers, “My brothers, where are you from?”

“We’re from Haran,” they replied.

5 “Do you know Nahor’s grandson Lavan?” Yacob asked.

“Yes, we know him,” they replied.

6 “Is he doing well?” Yacob asked.

“Yes, he’s fine,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rahel with their flock.”

7 “Look, it’s still broad daylight,” Yacob told them. “It’s not time for the livestock to be brought it. Water the flock, and go pasture them.”

8 “We can’t,” they said, “until all the flocks are gathered here and they roll the stone off the top of the well. Then we will water the sheep.”

9 He was still talking with them when Rahel came with her father’s flock, because she was the one who looked after them. 10 When Yacob saw Rahel (the daughter of his mother’s brother, Lavan) with Lavan’s flock, he went over and rolled the stone off the top of the well and watered the sheep and goats. 11 Then he gave Rahel a kiss and happily cried out loud. 12 Then he told Rahel that he was a relative of her father and that he was a son of Rebekah.

Then she ran and told her father, 13 and when Lavan heard the news about his sister’s son Yacob, he ran out to meet him. Then he embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house. Then Yacob told Lavan everything that had happened up until then, 14 and Lavan told him, “You are indeed a close relative.”

After Yacob had stayed with Lavan and worked for him for a whole month, 15 Lavan said to him, “Should you work for me for nothing just because you’re my relative? Tell me, what should I pay you?”

16 Now Lavan had two daughters: the older one was named Le’ah, and the younger one was named Rahel (Rachel). 17 Le’ah had pretty eyes, but Rahel was extremely beautiful in every way.

18 Now Yacob was in love with Rahel, so he answered, “I’ll work for you for seven years so I can marry your younger daughter Rahel.”

19 “Okay, stay with me then,” said Lavan. “It’s better for me to give her to you than to give her to some other man.”

20 So Yacob worked seven years for Rahel, but it only seemed like a few days to him because of his love for her,