Genesis 29:1–10

Jacob Arrives in Paddan Aram

29 Then Jacob continued on his journey and came to the land of the eastern peoples.o 2 There he saw a well in the open country, with three flocks of sheep lying near it because the flocks were watered from that well.p The stoneq over the mouth of the well was large. 3 When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stoner away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep.s Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

4 Jacob asked the shepherds, “My brothers, where are you from?”t

“We’re from Harran,u” they replied.

5 He said to them, “Do you know Laban, Nahor’s grandson?”v

“Yes, we know him,” they answered.

6 Then Jacob asked them, “Is he well?”

“Yes, he is,” they said, “and here comes his daughter Rachelw with the sheep.x”

7 “Look,” he said, “the sun is still high; it is not time for the flocks to be gathered. Water the sheep and take them back to pasture.”

8 “We can’t,” they replied, “until all the flocks are gathered and the stoney has been rolled away from the mouth of the well. Then we will waterz the sheep.”

9 While he was still talking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep,a for she was a shepherd. 10 When Jacob saw Rachelb daughter of his uncle Laban, and Laban’s sheep, he went over and rolled the stonec away from the mouth of the well and wateredd his uncle’s sheep.e