As Ja-cob went on his way to the East he came to a well that was out in the field, near which lay three great flocks of sheep. And there was a great stone on top of the well. And the men who took care of the flocks would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and give drink to the sheep. Then they would roll the stone back to the mouth of the well.

Ja-cob said to the men, Whence do ye come?

And they told him.

And he said, Know ye La-ban, the son of Na-hor?

And they said, We know him.

And he said, Is he well?

And they said, He is well. And there is one of his girls now, Ra-chel, and she comes this way with her sheep.

While Ja-cob yet spake with the men, Ra-chel came up with the sheep that she took care of. And when Ja-cob saw her, he came near, and drew the stone from the mouth of the well, and gave drink to the whole of her flock.

And as soon as he told her that he was Re-bek-ah's son, she ran home with the news.

And when La-ban heard that his sis-ter's son was near, he ran out to meet him, and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him, and brought him to his house.

And Ja-cob dwelt there for the space of a month.

And La-ban said to Ja-cob, Thou art bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, but it is not right for thee to serve me for nought. Tell me how much I shall pay thee?

Now La-ban had two girls—Le-ah and Ra-chel. And Ja-cob was in love with Ra-chel; and he said to La-ban, I will serve thee se-ven years if thou wilt give me Ra-chel for a wife.

And La-ban said it would please him to have Ja-cob for a son-in-law, and Ja-cob served sev-en years for Ra-chel, and they seemed to him but a few days, so great was his love for her. And at the end of that time Ja-cob said to La-ban, Give me my wife, for I have served thee my full time.

And La-ban made a feast, and brought in Le-ah to be Ja-cob's wife. In those days the bride wore a veil, and the man she wed could not look on her face till the next day.

So Ja-cob did not find out this trick till the next morn, and then he came in great wrath to La-ban and said, What is this thou hast done to us? Did I not serve with thee for Ra-chel? and why did'st thou cheat me?

And La-ban said, In our land the first-born must wed the first. Serve me sev-en years more, and thou shalt have Ra-chel for a wife. And Ja-cob did so, and though he dwelt with both—which was thought to be no sin in those days—he was far more fond of Ra-chel than he was of Le-ah.

Le-ah bore Ja-cob a host of sons, but it was years ere Ra-chel had a child. And this made her sad. But at last she had a son, and she called his name Jo-seph. And as soon as Jo-seph was born Ja-cob told La-ban to give him his wives and all the goods that he owned, and let him go back to the land he came from.

But La-ban begged him to stay. He had found, he said, that the Lord had blest him for Ja-cob's sake, and he might have some of the land and the flocks if he would still serve him.

So Ja-cob took care of La-ban's flocks, and had sheep and goats of his own, and things went well for a time.

But one day Ja-cob heard La-ban's sons say some hard things of him, and he saw that La-ban did not give him the kind looks that he used to. And he felt that the time had come for them to part. And the Lord told Ja-cob to go back to the land he came from, and he would deal well with him. And Ja-cob took his wives, and the flocks and the goods he owned, and set out for the land of Ca-naan.

Ja-cob sent one of his men to E-sau to say that he was on his way home, and was in hopes he would find grace in his sight.

And the man brought back word that E-sau was on his way to meet Ja-cob with a large force of men. And Ja-cob thought of the wrongs he had done his broth-er, and was in great fear of him.

He sought the help of God, and God told him what to do. And Ja-cob sent great droves of sheep and goats, and ewes and rams, and ca-mels and colts, and cows, and choice ones from all his live stock, as a gift to E-sau.

And at night, when no one else was near, a man whose face shone with a strange light, came to Ja-cob and wound his arms round him and tried to throw him. And the two strove so hard that Ja-cob's thigh was put out of joint.

And as it grew light the man said, Let me go, for the day breaks.

Ja-cob said, I will not let thee go till thou hast blest me.

And the man said, What is thy name? And he said, Ja-cob.

And he said, Thy name shall be no more Ja-cob but Is-ra-el, for as a prince thou hast pow-er with God and with men.

And when he had blest Ja-cob he went his way. And Ja-cob gave the place the name of Pe-ni-el, for, said he, I have seen God face to face and my life has been spared. For Ja-cob knew by this that E-sau would not kill him.

When Ja-cob was an old, old man Ra-chel bore him a son; and they called his name Ben-ja-min. And Ra-chel died. And it was hard for Ja-cob to have her die and leave him, for his love for her was great, and she was a good wife to him.