(Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring.

“Agreed!” said Laban, “It will be as you say.”

Laban overtook Jacob, and when Jacob pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead, Laban and his relatives set up camp there too.

Jacob became angry and argued with Laban. “What did I do wrong?” he demanded of Laban. “What sin of mine prompted you to chase after me in hot pursuit?

(32:1) Early in the morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters goodbye and blessed them. Then Laban left and returned home.

So Laban invited all the people of that place and prepared a feast.

Three days later Laban discovered Jacob had left.

When Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and the sheep of his uncle Laban, he went over and rolled the stone off the mouth of the well and watered the sheep of his uncle Laban.

Now then, my son, do what I say. Run away immediately to my brother Laban in Haran.

So he said to them, “Do you know Laban, the grandson of Nahor?” “We know him,” they said.

Then Laban said to him, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” So Jacob stayed with him for a month.

Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work for me for nothing because you are my relative? Tell me what your wages should be.”

(Now Laban had two daughters; the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel.

Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. Stay with me.”

Finally Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her.”

(Laban gave his female servant Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her servant.)

“It is not our custom here,” Laban replied, “to give the younger daughter in marriage before the firstborn.

(Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.)

But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, for I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.”

But if the animals were weaker, he did not set the branches there. So the weaker animals ended up belonging to Laban and the stronger animals to Jacob.