וַיִּשָּׂ֥א יַעֲקֹ֖ב רַגְלָ֑יו וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אַ֥רְצָה בְנֵי־קֶֽדֶם׃

Although Jacob left Beersheba as a refugee, his mood improved after the vision he received in Beit El. Therefore, Jacob lifted his feet, as his travel felt light, and now he sensed he was accompanied, protected, and shielded by God. And he went to the land of the people of the east, specifically, the Arameans.

וַיַּ֞רְא וְהִנֵּ֧ה בְאֵ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֞ם שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה עֶדְרֵי־צֹאן֙ רֹבְצִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֚י מִן־הַבְּאֵ֣ר הַהִ֔וא יַשְׁק֖וּ הָעֲדָרִ֑ים וְהָאֶ֥בֶן גְּדֹלָ֖ה עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵֽר׃

Nearing Haran, he saw, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, three flocks of sheep lying alongside it, the well, since from that well they watered the flocks, and the great stone was on the mouth of the well. The opening of the well, which was designed to be used exclusively by the inhabitants of the city and their flocks, was blocked with a large stone to prevent strangers from drawing its water.

וְנֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁ֣מָּה כָל־הָעֲדָרִ֗ים וְגָלֲל֤וּ אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וְהִשְׁק֖וּ אֶת־הַצֹּ֑אן וְהֵשִׁ֧יבוּ אֶת־הָאֶ֛בֶן עַל־פִּ֥י הַבְּאֵ֖ר לִמְקֹמָֽהּ׃

All the flocks would gather there and they would roll the stone from the mouth of the well. Only all the shepherds together had the strength to roll the heavy stone. And therefore, when they would all arrive they would give the sheep to drink, and they would return the stone upon the mouth of the well to its place.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ יַעֲקֹ֔ב אַחַ֖י מֵאַ֣יִן אַתֶּ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵחָרָ֖ן אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃

Although Jacob knows the general direction in which he is headed, he is unsure of the precise place where he has arrived. Jacob said to them: My brethren, from where are you? They said: We are from Haran.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֔ם הַיְדַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־לָבָ֣ן בֶּן־נָח֑וֹר וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יָדָֽעְנוּ׃

He said to them: Do you know Laban son of Nahor, who lives in Haran? The attribution of Laban to Nahor his grandfather rather than to Betuel his father provides support for the theory that Betuel was not an important figure. They said: We know him.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָהֶ֖ם הֲשָׁל֣וֹם ל֑וֹ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ שָׁל֔וֹם וְהִנֵּה֙ רָחֵ֣ל בִּתּ֔וֹ בָּאָ֖ה עִם־הַצֹּֽאן׃

He said to them: Is he well? They said: He is well, and here is Rachel his daughter coming with the sheep. If you wish to know more, ask her. Apparently, these shepherds were not keen to speak with a stranger.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הֵ֥ן עוֹד֙ הַיּ֣וֹם גָּד֔וֹל לֹא־עֵ֖ת הֵאָסֵ֣ף הַמִּקְנֶ֑ה הַשְׁק֥וּ הַצֹּ֖אן וּלְכ֥וּ רְעֽוּ׃

Jacob does not leave the shepherds alone, but addresses them a second time. He said: Behold, the day is still great, it is not time for the livestock to be gathered. Since it is not yet dark, you should continue your work. Give the sheep to drink, and go and herd. Why are you waiting here?

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ לֹ֣א נוּכַל֒ עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣עֲדָרִ֔ים וְגָֽלֲלוּ֙ אֶת־הָאֶ֔בֶן מֵעַ֖ל פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֑ר וְהִשְׁקִ֖ינוּ הַצֹּֽאן׃

They said: We would like to water the sheep, but we cannot, as the stone is too heavy. Therefore, we must wait until all the flocks are gathered, and they, the shepherds of all the flocks, will together roll the stone from the mouth of the well; then we give the sheep to drink.

עוֹדֶ֖נּוּ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֑ם וְרָחֵ֣ל ׀ בָּ֗אָה עִם־הַצֹּאן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְאָבִ֔יהָ כִּ֥י רֹעָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

Earlier, the shepherds had told Jacob that Rachel was nearing the well. In the meantime, he was still speaking with them, and Rachel came, arriving with her father’s flock; for she was a shepherdess. This was her responsibility in the family.

וַיְהִ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ רָאָ֨ה יַעֲקֹ֜ב אֶת־רָחֵ֗ל בַּת־לָבָן֙ אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַיָּ֤גֶל אֶת־הָאֶ֙בֶן֙ מֵעַל֙ פִּ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וַיַּ֕שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹ֥אן לָבָ֖ן אֲחִ֥י אִמּֽוֹ׃

It was when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, a close relative, and the flock of Laban his mother’s brother, a flock that belonged to his relative, that Jacob approached and unaided rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, and gave the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother to drink. Jacob was so strong that he was able to lift a stone that three shepherds together could not budge.

וַיִּשַּׁ֥ק יַעֲקֹ֖ב לְרָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹל֖וֹ וַיֵּֽבְךְּ׃

Jacob kissed Rachel chastely, as one would a young family relation. And he raised his voice, and wept out of emotion. After a journey of hundreds of miles, which certainly took him several months, spending each night in a different place, he had finally met a member of his family.

וַיַּגֵּ֨ד יַעֲקֹ֜ב לְרָחֵ֗ל כִּ֣י אֲחִ֤י אָבִ֙יהָ֙ ה֔וּא וְכִ֥י בֶן־רִבְקָ֖ה ה֑וּא וַתָּ֖רָץ וַתַּגֵּ֥ד לְאָבִֽיהָ׃

After this greeting, Jacob began to speak. Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, kinsman, and that he was Rebecca’s son. Rachel must have heard about her aunt who had traveled to a distant land, and now she had met her aunt’s son. The young girl was excited about the news, and therefore she ran and told her father.

וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ לָבָ֜ן אֶת־שֵׁ֣מַע ׀ יַעֲקֹ֣ב בֶּן־אֲחֹת֗וֹ וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ וַיְחַבֶּק־לוֹ֙ וַיְנַשֶּׁק־ל֔וֹ וַיְבִיאֵ֖הוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיְסַפֵּ֣ר לְלָבָ֔ן אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

It was when Laban heard the news of the arrival of Jacob, his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, embraced him, kissed him, and brought him to his house, as befitting a family member. In light of Laban’s unsavory nature, as evident from the continuation of the story, some commentaries explain that he had ulterior motives for this friendly welcome. He, Jacob, related to Laban all these matters. He told him that he had arrived with the aim of establishing contact with his family, and perhaps also informed him of the circumstances of his flight from home.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ לָבָ֔ן אַ֛ךְ עַצְמִ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֖י אָ֑תָּה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב עִמּ֖וֹ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים׃

Laban said to him: Indeed, you are my bone and my flesh, a family relative. And so he lived with him a month’s time. While staying with Laban, Jacob began to help him, as he felt an obligation toward his family member.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָבָן֙ לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב הֲכִי־אָחִ֣י אַ֔תָּה וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי חִנָּ֑ם הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מַה־מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃

Laban said to Jacob, after the passage of a month: Merely because you are my brother, kinsman, shall you work for me for nothing? Since you wish to labor, let us set up a formal arrangement. Tell me, what is your salary?

וּלְלָבָ֖ן שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֑וֹת שֵׁ֤ם הַגְּדֹלָה֙ לֵאָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה רָחֵֽל׃

Here the Torah notes: Laban had two daughters: The name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

וְעֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכּ֑וֹת וְרָחֵל֙ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃

Leah’s eyes were delicate, there was some problem with her eyes. Perhaps they were sensitive, not allowing her to shepherd outside. It is also possible that she had blue eyes, which were considered more sensitive to the rays of the sun. And Rachel was of fine form, and beautiful.