1. Then Jacob continued his journey and came to the land of the people of the East.
2. He looked and saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying nearby, because they drank water from this well. A large stone covered the mouth of the well.
3. When 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 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.”
9. While Jacob was talking with the shepherds, Rachel came with her father’s sheep, because it was her job to care for the sheep.
10. When Jacob saw Laban’s daughter Rachel and Laban’s sheep, he went to the well and rolled the stone from its mouth and watered Laban’s sheep. Now Laban was the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s mother.
11. Then Jacob kissed Rachel and cried.