e to be honorable and gave it the name of Bethel, which, in the
Greek, is interpreted, The House of God.

4. So he proceeded on his journey to Mesopotamia, and at length came to
Haran; and meeting with shepherds in the suburbs, with boys grown up,
and maidens sitting about a certain well, he staid with them, as wanting
water to drink; and beginning to discourse with them, he asked them
whether they knew such a one as Laban, and whether he was still alive.
Now they all said they knew him, for he was not so inconsiderable a
person as to be unknown to any of them; and that his daughter fed her
father's flock together with them; and that indeed they wondered that
she was not yet come, for by her means thou mightest learn more exactly
whatever thou desirest to know about that family. While they were saying
this the damsel came, and the other shepherds that came down along with
her. Then they showed her Jacob, and told her that he was a stranger,
who came to inquire about her father's affairs. But she, as pleased,
after the custom of children, with Jacob's coming, asked him who he
was, and whence he came to them, and what it was he lacked that he came
thither. She also wished it might be in their power to supply the wants
he came about.

5. But Jacob was quite overcome, not so much by their kindred, nor by
that affection which might arise thence, as by his love to the damsel,
and his surprise at her beauty, which was so flourishing, as few of the
women of that age could vie with. He said then, "There is a relation
between thee and me, elder than either thy or my birth, if thou be the
daughter of Laban; for Abraham was the son of Terah, as well as Haran
and Nahor. Of the last of whom [Nahor] Bethuel thy grandfather was the
son. Isaac my father was the son of Abraham and of Sarah, who was the
daughter of Haran. But there is a nearer and later cement of mutual
kindred which we bear to one another, for my mother Rebeka was sister
to Laban thy father, both by the same father and mother; I therefore and
thou are cousin-germans. And I am now come to salute you, and to renew
that affinity which is proper between us." Upon this the damsel, at the
mention of Rebeka, as usually happens to young persons, wept, and that
out of the kindness she had for her father, and embraced Jacob, she
having learned an account of Rebeka from her father, and knew that her
parents loved to hear her named; and when she had saluted him, she
said that "he b