18
JacobיַעֲקֹבlovedוַיֶּאֱהַבRachel,אֶת רָחֵלand he said,וַיֹּאמֶר“I will serve youאֶעֱבָדְךָsevenשֶׁבַעyearsשָׁנִיםfor Rachelבְּרָחֵלyour youngerהַקְּטַנָּהdaughter.”בִּתְּךָ
Genesis 29:18
Study it in the app“Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.””
Seven years of work seem like a few days to Jacob, for love of RachelDating and Marriage
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 29:18, word by word
- Jacobיַעֲקֹבyaakov
Jacob
Jacob, the younger son of Isaac and Rebekah, twin brother of Esau and father of the twelve tribes. In Hebrew "Yaakov" sounds like "heel" and "supplant" (Genesis 25:26; 27:36). God later gave him the name Israel; the name also stands for his descendants, the people of Israel.
Where else “yaakov” appears- lovedיֶּאֱהַבyeehav
love
To care for someone from the heart and seek their good.
Where else “yeehav” appears- Rachelרָחֵלrachel
Rachel
Rachel, younger daughter of Laban, Jacob's beloved wife; mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Her name means "ewe".
Where else “rachel” appears- and he saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- “I will serve youאֶעֱבָדְeevad
serve
To serve a person.
Where else “eevad” appears- sevenשֶׁבַעsheva
seven
Seven, the number of fullness; also "seven times".
Where else “sheva” appears- yearsשָׁנִיםshanim
year
Each full turn of the seasons, by which time is counted.
Where else “shanim” appears- your youngerקְּטַנָּהketana
youngest
The youngest son or daughter of the family, the last one born.
Where else “ketana” appears- daughterבִּתְּbit
daughter
A girl or woman born of her parents, who belongs to her father's house.
Where else “bit” appears
The context
17Leah’s eyes were tender, but Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.
18 · This verse (above)
19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I give her to another man; stay with me.”
To study Genesis 29 in a group
1. What it says
What happened when Jacob’s seven years of service were over, and what did he say to Laban (vv. 20-28)?
2. What it means
What irony is there in Jacob, who deceived his father, now being deceived by Laban (v. 25)?
3. How I live it
How can you stay honest with others even when the opposite would suit you better?