1. After Jacob resumed his journey, he came to the land of the Kedemites.
2. Looking about, he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep huddled near it, for flocks were watered from that well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3. When all the shepherds were assembled there they would roll the stone away from the mouth of the well and water the sheep. Then they would put the stone back again in its place over the mouth of the well.
4. Jacob said to them, “My brothers, where are you from?” “We are from Haran,” they replied.
5. Then he asked them, “Do you know Laban, son of Nahor?” “We do,” they answered.
6. He inquired further, “Is he well?” “He is,” they answered; “and here comes his daughter Rachel with the sheep.”
7. Then he said: “There is still much daylight left; it is hardly the time to bring the animals home. Water the sheep, and then continue pasturing them.”
8. They replied, “We cannot until all the shepherds are here to roll the stone away from the mouth of the well; then can we water the flocks.”
9. While he was still talking with them, Rachel arrived with her father’s sheep, for she was the one who tended them.
10. As soon as Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of Laban, he went up, rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well, and watered Laban’s sheep.
11. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and wept aloud.
12. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s relative, Rebekah’s son. So she ran to tell her father.
13. When Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister’s son, he ran to meet him. After embracing and kissing him, he brought him to his house. Jacob then repeated to Laban all these things,
14. and Laban said to him, “You are indeed my bone and my flesh.” After Jacob had stayed with him a full month,
15. Laban said to him: “Should you serve me for nothing just because you are a relative of mine? Tell me what your wages should be.”