1. Then Jacob continued his journey. He came to the land of the people of the East.
2. He looked and saw a well in the field. Three flocks of sheep were lying nearby, because they drank water from this well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3. All the flocks would gather there. The shepherds would roll the stone away from the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back in its place.
4. Jacob said to the shepherds there, “My brothers, where are you from?”They answered, “We are from Haran.”
5. Then Jacob asked, “Do you know Laban grandson of Nahor?”They answered, “We know him.”
6. Then Jacob asked, “How is he?”They answered, “He is well. Look, his daughter Rachel is coming now with his sheep.”
7. Jacob said, “But look, it is still the middle part of the day. It is not time for the sheep to be gathered for the night. So give them water and let them go back into the pasture.”
8. But they said, “We cannot do that until all the flocks are gathered. Then we will roll away the stone from the mouth of the well and water the sheep.”