Genesis 29

Matthew^{(i) 1} Then Iacob lyfte vp hys fete, and wente towarde the east coutrye. ² And as he loked aboute, beholde there was a well in the fylde, and thre flockes of shepe laye thereby (for at that well were the flockes watered) and ther lay a greate stone at the well mouth. ³ And the maner was to bryng the flocke thethers, and to roull the stone frome the welles mouthe, and to water the shepe, and to put the stone agayne vppon the welles mouthe vnto his place. ⁴ And Iacob sayed vnto them: brethren whence be ye? And they sayed: of Haran are we. ⁵ And he sayed vnto theym: knowe ye Laban the sonne of Nahor? And they sayed: we know hym. ⁶ And he sayed vnto theim: is he in good healthe. And they sayed he is in good healthe: and beholde hys Daughter Rachell cometh wyth the shepe. ⁷ And he sayed: lo, it is a greate whyle to nyght, neyther is it tyme that the catell shoulde be gathered togyther: water the shepe, and go & fede them. ⁸ And they sayed: we may not, vntyll all the flockes be brought togyther, and the stone be rolled from the welles mouthe, and so we water our shepe. ⁹ While he yet talked with them, Rahel came wyth hyr fathers shepe, for she kepte them. ¹⁰ As sone as Iacob sawe Rahell, the doughter of Laban hys mothers brother, & the shepe of Laban hys mothers brother, he went & rolled the stone from the wels mouth, & watered the shepe of Laban his mothers brother. ¹¹ And Iacob kissed Rahell, & lyfte vp hys voyce & wepte: ¹² and told hir also that he was hyr fathers brother & Rebeccas sonne. Then Rahell ranne and told hir father. ¹³ When Laban heard tell of Iacab hys sisters sonne, he ran to mete hym, & embraced him & kissed him, & brought him to his house And then Iacob tolde Laban all the matter. ¹⁴ And then Laban said: wel, thou art my bone & my flesh. Abide with me the space of a moneth. ¹⁵ And afterward Laban sayed vnto Iacob: Though thou be my brother shouldest thou therfore serue me for nought? Tell me what shal thy wages be? ¹⁶ And Laban had .ij. daughters, the eldest called Lea & the yongest Rahel. ¹⁷ Lea was tender eyed, but Rahell was beutifull & well fauoured. ¹⁸ And Iacob loued hyr well, and sayd: I wyl serue the seuen yere for Rahel thy yongest doughter. ¹⁹ And Laban answered, it is better that I gyue hyr the then to to an other manne: byde therefore wyth me. ²⁰ And Iacob serued .vij. yere for Rahell, and they semed vnto hym but a fewe dayes, for the loue he had to hyr. ²¹ And Iacob sayed vnto Laban: gyue me my wyfe that I maye lye wyth hyr. For the tyme appoynted me is come. ²² Then Laban bade al men of that place, & made a feast. ²³ And when euen was come, he toke Lea hys doughter & brought hir to him & he went in vnto hyr. ²⁴ And Laban gaue vnto hys doughter Lea, Zilpha hys mayd, to be hyr seruaunt. ²⁵ And when the morning was come, behold it was Lea. Then saied he to Laban: wherefore hast thou played thus wt me? did not I serue the for Rahell, wherfore then hast thou begyled me? ²⁶ Laban answered: it is not the maner of thys place to mary the yongest before the eldest. ²⁷ Passe out this weke & then shal thys also be geuen the for the seruice which thou shalt serue me yet .vij. yeres more. ²⁸ And Iacob did euen so, & passed out that weke, & then he gaue him Rahel his doughter to wyfe also. ²⁹ And Laban gaue to Rahell hys doughter, Bilha hys handmayd to be hir seruaunte. ³⁰ So lay he by Rahell also, & loued Rahell more then Lea, and serued hym yet .vij. yere more. ³¹ When the Lord sawe that Lea was despised he made hyr fruitful: but Rahel was baren. ³² And Lea conceaued & bare a sonne, & called eys name Ruben, for she sayd: the Lorde hath loked vpon my tribulation. And nowe my husband wyll loue me. ³³ And she conceaued agayne & bare a sonne, and sayd: the Lorde hath hearde that I am despysed, & hath therfore geuen me thys Sonne also, & she called hym Simeon. ³⁴ And she conceaued yet, and bare a sonne and sayed: now thys once wyll my husbande kepe me companye, bycause I haue borne him thre sonnes: and therfore she called hys name Leui. ³⁵ And she conceyued yet agayne, and bare a sonne sayinge: nowe wyll I prayse the Lorde: therfore she called hys name Iuda, and left bearyng.