ouse. And when he had heard the cause of his journey he said:
Thou art my mouth and my flesh.

And when he had been there the space of a month, he demanded Jacob if he
would gladly serve him because he was his cousin, and what hire and
reward he would have. He had two daughters, the more was named Leah, and
the less was called Rachel, but Leah was blear-eyed, and Rachel was fair
of visage and well-favored, whom Jacob loved, and said: I shall serve
thee for Rachel thy younger daughter seven years. Laban answered: It is
better that I give her to thee than to a strange man; dwell and abide
with me, and thou shalt have her. And so Jacob served him for Rachel
seven years, and him thought it but a little while, because of the great
love that he had to her. And at the end of seven years, Jacob said to
Laban: Give to me my wife, for the time is come that I should have her.
Then Laban called all his friends and made a feast for the wedding, and
at night he brought in Leah, the more daughter, and delivered to her an
handmaid named Zilpah. Then Jacob, when the morning came, saw that it
was Leah. He said to Laban her father: What hast thou done? Have I not
served thee for Rachel, why hast thou brought Leah to me? Laban
answered: It is not the usage ne custom of our country to give the
younger first to be wedded, but fulfil and make an end of this marriage
this week, and then shall I give to thee Rachel my daughter for other
seven years that thou shalt serve to me. Jacob agreed gladly, and when
that week was passed, he wedded Rachel to his wife. To whom Laban her
father gave an handmaid named Bilhah. Nevertheless when the wedding of
the younger was finished, because of the great love that he had to her,
him thought that the other seven years were but short.

[And Jacob while he served Laban had these sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi,
Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph.] When
Joseph was born, Jacob said to Laban his wives' father: Give me leave to
depart that I may go in to my country and my land; give to me my wives
and children for whom I have served thee that I may go hence. Thou
knowest what service I have served thee. Laban said to him: I have
founden grace in thy sight; I know it by experience that God hath
blessed me for thee; I have ordained the reward that I shall give to
thee. Then Jacob answered: Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how
much thy possession was in my hands. Thou hadst but little when