TRV
Translation
King James Version
Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
Complete Jewish Bible
Finish the marriage week of this one, and we'll give you the other one also in exchange for the work you will do for me during yet another seven years."
Berean Standard Bible
Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”
American Standard Version
Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
World English Bible Messianic
Fulfill the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you will serve with me yet seven other years.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
Fulfill seuen yeeres for her, and we wil also giue thee this for the seruice, which thou shalt serue me yet seuen yeeres more.
Young's Literal Translation
fulfil the week of this one, and we give to thee also this one, for the service which thou dost serve with me yet seven other years.'
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In the KJVVerse 823 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Genesis 29 verses 15–30
15 ¶ And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?
16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
Here is, I. The fair contract made between Laban and Jacob, during the month that Jacob spent there as a guest, Gen 29:14. It seems he was not idle, nor did he spend his time in sport and pastime; but like a man of business, though he had no stock of his own, he applied himself to serve his uncle, as he had begun (Gen 29:10) when he watered his flock. Note, Wherever we are, it is good to be employing ourselves in some useful business, which will turn to a good account to ourselves or others. Laban, it seems, was so taken with Jacob's ingenuity and industry about his flocks that he was desirous he should continue with him, and very fairly reasons thus: "Because thou art my brother, shouldst thou therefore serve me for nought? Gen 29:15. No, what reason for that?" If Jacob be so respectful to his uncle as to give him his service without demanding any consideration for it, yet Laban will not be so unjust to his nephew as to take advantage either of his necessity or of his good-nature. Note, Inferior relations must not be imposed upon; if it be their duty to serve us, it is our duty to reward them. Now Jacob had a fair opportunity to make known to Laban the affection he had for his daughter Rachel; and, having no worldly goods in his hand with which to endow her, he promises him seven years' service, upon condition that, at the end of the seven years, he would bestow her upon him for his wife. It appears by computation that Jacob was now seventy-seven years old when he bound himself apprentice for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep, Hos 12:12. His posterity are there reminded of it long afterwards, as an instance of the meanness of their origin: probably Rachel was young, and scarcely marriageable, when Jacob first came, which made him the more willing to stay for her till his seven years' service had expired.
II. Jacob's honest performance of his part of the bargain, Gen 29:20. He served seven years for Rachel. If Rachel still continued to keep her father's sheep (as she did, Gen 29:9), his innocent and religious conversation with her, while they kept the flocks, could not but increase their mutual acquaintance and affection (Solomon's song of love is a pastoral); if she now left it off, his easing her of that care was very obliging. Jacob honestly served out his seven years, and did not forfeit his indentures, though he was old; nay, he served them cheerfully: They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had to her, as if it were more his desire to earn her than to have her. Note, Love makes long and hard services short and easy; hence we read of the labour of love, Heb 6:10. If we know how to value the happiness of heaven, the sufferings of this present time will be as nothing to us in comparison of it. An age of work will be but as a few days to those that love God and long for Christ's appearing.
III. The base cheat which Laban put upon him when he was out of his time: he put Leah into his arms instead of Rachel, Gen 29:23. This was Laban's sin; he wronged both Jacob and Rachel, whose affections, doubtless, were engaged to each other, and, if (as some say) Leah was herein no better than an adulteress, it was no small wrong to her too. But it was Jacob's affliction, a damp to the mirth of the marriage-feast, when in the morning behold it was Leah, Gen 29:25. It is easy to observe here how Jacob was paid in his own coin. He had cheated his own father when he pretended to be Esau, and now his father-in-law cheated him. Herein, how unrighteous soever Laban was, the Lord was righteous; as Jdg 1:7. Even the righteous, if they take a false step, are sometimes thus recompensed on the earth. Many that are not, like Jacob, disappointed in the person, soon find themselves, as much to their grief, disappointed in the character. The choice of that relation therefore, on both sides, ought to be made with good advice and consideration, that, if there should be a disappointment, it may not be aggravated by a consciousness of mismanagement.
IV. The excuse and atonement Laban made for the cheat. 1. The excuse was frivolous: It must not be so done in our country, Gen 29:26. We have reason to think there was no such custom of his country as he pretends; only he banters Jacob with it, and laughs at his mistake. Note, Those that can do wickedly and then think to turn it off with a jest, though they may deceive themselves and others, will find at last that God is not mocked. But if there had been such a custom, and he had resolved to observe it, he should have told Jacob so when he undertook to serve him for his younger daughter. Note, As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceeds from the wicked, Sa1 24:13. Those that deal with treacherous men must expect to be dealt treacherously with 2. His compounding the matter did but make bad worse: We will give thee this also, Gen 29:27. Hereby he drew Jacob into the sin, and snare, and disquiet, of multiplying wives, which remains a blot in his escutcheon, and will be so to the end of the world. Honest Jacob did not design it, but to have kept as true to Rachel as his father had done to Rebekah. He that had lived without a wife to the eighty-fourth year of his age could then have been very well content with one; but Laban, to dispose of his two daughters without portions, and to get seven years' service more out of Jacob, thus imposes upon him, and draws him into such a strait by his fraud, that (the matter not being yet settled, as it was afterwards by the divine law, Lev 18:18, and more fully since by our Saviour, Mat 19:5) he had some colourable reasons for marrying them both. He could not refuse Rachel, for he had espoused her; still less could he refuse Leah, for he had married her; and therefore Jacob must be content, and take two talents, Kg2 5:23. Note, One sin is commonly the inlet of another. Those that go in by one door of wickedness seldom find their way out but by another. The polygamy of the patriarchs was, in some measure, excusable in them, because, though there was a reason against it as ancient as Adam's marriage (Mal 2:15), yet there was no express command against it; it was in them a sin of ignorance. It was not he product of any sinful lust, but for the building up of the church, which was the good that Providence brought out of it; but it will by no means justify the like practice now, when God's will is plainly made known, that one man and one woman only must be joined together, Co1 7:2. The having of many wives suits well enough with the carnal sensual spirit of the Mahomedan imposture, which allows it; but we have not so learned Christ. Dr. Lightfoot makes Leah and Rachel to be figures of the two churches, the Jews under the law and the Gentiles under the gospel: the younger the more beautiful, and more in the thoughts of Christ when he came in the form of a servant; but he other, like Leah, first embraced: yet in this the allegory does not hold, that the Gentiles, the younger, were more fruitful, Gal 4:27.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 15–30. Public domain.
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Hebrew Questions on Genesis
(Chapter 29, Verse 27) Complete therefore this week, and I will give you this also. After Jacob was deceived by Laban and took Rachel as his wife instead of Leah, it is said that Laban told him to fulfill seven days after the wedding of the first sister, and then he could have Rachel, for whom he would serve another seven years. Therefore, contrary to what some think, Rachel did not become Jacob's wife after another seven years, but after seven days from the wedding of the first wife. And afterward he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. (Gen. XXIX, 30).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 29:27 records Laban's calculated and deceptive proposal to Jacob, delivered immediately after Jacob's discovery that he had been tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. Laban cunningly insists that Jacob first complete the customary seven-day wedding feast for Leah, after which he promises to give Rachel to Jacob, but only on the condition that Jacob serves him for an additional seven years, effectively doubling Jacob's original commitment and securing further labor under the guise of tradition.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Laban's statement in Genesis 29:27, "Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years," reveals his manipulative character and the ancient customs at play.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative of Genesis 29:27 is rich in literary devices that enhance its meaning and impact. Irony is prominent, as Laban, who himself is a master of deception, chastises Jacob for his presumed lack of adherence to custom, while simultaneously using custom as a pretext for his own deceit. There is also strong Characterization of Laban as a shrewd, manipulative, and avaricious individual, contrasting sharply with Jacob's initial earnestness, yet subtly mirroring Jacob's own past deceptions. The phrase "yet seven other years" functions as Foreshadowing, signaling the extended period of toil and conflict that will characterize Jacob's relationship with Laban, and hinting at the ongoing struggles within Jacob's own household due to the rivalry between Leah and Rachel. The entire exchange is a dramatic instance of Conflict, not only between Jacob and Laban but also hinting at the internal conflict Jacob faces between his desire for Rachel and his new, unexpected marital bond with Leah.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Laban's actions in Genesis 29:27 powerfully illustrate the pervasive nature of human sin and deception, even within familial relationships. Yet, this narrative also profoundly demonstrates God's unwavering sovereignty, working through the complexities and imperfections of human choices to advance His divine purposes. Despite Laban's manipulative schemes, God ensures that both Leah and Rachel become mothers of the twelve tribes, foundational to the nation of Israel, thereby fulfilling His covenant promises to Abraham and Isaac through Jacob. This highlights God's ability to redeem even the most challenging and unjust circumstances, transforming human evil into divine good.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 29:27 offers profound insights into navigating life's inevitable encounters with injustice and manipulation. Jacob's experience reminds us that even when faced with exploitation and broken promises, our response can be a testament to our character and our reliance on God's ultimate justice and faithfulness. It challenges believers to consider how they respond when circumstances are unfair or plans go awry, encouraging perseverance and trust in a sovereign God who can redeem even the most difficult situations. This narrative invites us to reflect on the nature of our commitments, the cost of our desires, and the unwavering truth that God remains faithful to His promises, often working through imperfect means and flawed individuals to accomplish His perfect will. We are called to cultivate integrity and patience, trusting that God's overarching plan will prevail, even when human actions seem to derail our immediate hopes.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Laban insist on Jacob fulfilling Leah's week before giving him Rachel?
Answer: Laban's insistence on "fulfilling her week" was a clever manipulation of a genuine ancient Near Eastern custom. The seven-day wedding feast was a period of celebration and the formal establishment of a marriage. By demanding Jacob complete this period with Leah, Laban solidified Leah's position as Jacob's legitimate wife and, crucially, delayed the marriage to Rachel. This delay served Laban's primary purpose: to secure an additional seven years of Jacob's valuable labor by making Rachel's hand contingent on this extended service. It was a strategic move to maximize his personal gain under the guise of upholding tradition.
Did Jacob have any choice but to agree to Laban's terms?
Answer: From a practical and emotional standpoint, Jacob was in an extremely vulnerable position, which Laban ruthlessly exploited. He was far from his family in Canaan, deeply in love with Rachel, and had already invested seven years of his life in service for her. Laban, as the head of the household and Rachel's father, held immense power. Refusing Laban's terms would have meant not only losing Rachel, the woman he adored, but also the potential for a family and lineage as promised by God, and a long, difficult journey home with nothing to show for his years of toil. While a choice technically existed, Jacob's agreement, though coerced, reflects the depth of his commitment to Rachel and, implicitly, his trust that God's promises regarding his descendants would still come to fruition through this complex situation. His love for Rachel, as noted in Genesis 29:30, was the driving force behind his remarkable endurance.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Jacob's arduous service for his bride, marked by deception and extended labor, serves as a poignant, albeit imperfect, foreshadowing of Christ's unparalleled sacrifice and unwavering commitment to His bride, the Church. Just as Jacob endured fourteen years of toil and deceit for the women who would become mothers of the twelve tribes of Israel, so Christ, the true Bridegroom, willingly endured immense suffering, humiliation, and ultimately the cross, to redeem and sanctify His Church, making her spotless and pure (Ephesians 5:25-27). Furthermore, God's sovereign hand, working through Laban's deceit to bring about the lineage of Christ through both Leah and Rachel, powerfully illustrates that human sin and imperfection cannot thwart His ultimate plan of salvation. This divine orchestration, even amidst human brokenness, culminates in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, who came to fulfill all righteousness and establish His eternal covenant, making a way for all who believe to be united with Him as His beloved bride (Revelation 19:7-9).