Genesis 29:18
in Genesis 29Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
KJV
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
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This verse in Genesis 29
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy daughter--A proposal of marriage is made to the father without the daughter being consulted, and the match is effected by the suitor either bestowing costly presents on the family, or by giving cattle to the value the father sets upon his daughter, or else by giving personal services for a specified period.
This site's exposition
I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel
on Genesis 29:18-20
Jacob names the daughter twice, by name and by birth order. He has no herds for a bride price, so he offers seven years of his own labour. The years seemed but a few days, out of love for Rachel.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
See in this case too, I ask you, his keen discernment and how he had no desire for accumulating money. Far from haggling with Laban in the manner of a hireling and demanding something more, Jacob remembered his mother and his father's directions and showed his extraordinary meekness in saying, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." You see, on seeing her from the outset at the well, he fell in love with her. See the man's right attitude: He sets a time for himself and by means of this period of years he provides himself with an adequate incentive for his own continence. Why are you surprised, dearly beloved, that he promised to serve seven years for the maiden he loved? To show, in fact, how his great love reduced the labor and the period of time, sacred Scripture says, "Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and in his eyes they were but a few days when measured against his love for her." The period of seven years, it is saying, was counted but a few days because of his surpassing love for the maiden. You see, when someone is smitten with love's desire, far from seeing any problem, he easily puts up with everything, albeit fraught with danger and much difficulty besides, having in view one thing only—obtaining the object of his desire.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Jacob loved Rachel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
he abode a month--Among pastoral people a stranger is freely entertained for three days; on the fourth day he is expected to tell his name and errand; and if he prolongs his stay after that time, he must set his hand to work in some way, as may be agreed upon.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב | vaiyeehav | and he loved | H157 → | 211 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֖ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רָחֵ֑ל | rachel | Rachel | H7354 → | 47 times |
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶֽעֱבָדְךָ֙ | ʾeevadekha | I will serve you | H5647 → | 288 times |
| שֶׁ֣בַע | sheva' | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שָׁנִ֔ים | shanim | years | H8141 → | 877 times |
| בְּרָחֵ֥ל | berachel | for Rachel | H7354 → | 47 times |
| בִּתְּךָ֖ | bitekha | daughter your | H1323 → | 588 times |
| הַקְּטַנָּֽה׃ | haketanah | <the> young | H6996 → | 101 times |
וַיֶּאֱהַ֥בand he loved
vaiyeehavH157 →211 times
יַעֲקֹ֖בJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רָחֵ֑לRachel
rachelH7354 →47 times
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֶֽעֱבָדְךָ֙I will serve you
ʾeevadekhaH5647 →288 times
שֶׁ֣בַעseven
sheva'H7651 →394 times
שָׁנִ֔יםyears
shanimH8141 →877 times
בְּרָחֵ֥לfor Rachel
berachelH7354 →47 times
בִּתְּךָ֖daughter your
bitekhaH1323 →588 times
הַקְּטַנָּֽה׃<the> young
haketanahH6996 →101 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 29:30Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.
it leads to
- Genesis 31:41
Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 31:15
Are we not regarded by him as outsiders? Not only has he sold us, but he has certainly squandered what was paid for us.
- Genesis 29:20
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.
- Matthew 10:37
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me;
- Genesis 44:27
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
- Genesis 31:41
Through
Genesis 31:41Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times!
it leads to
- Genesis 31:7
And although he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, God has not allowed him to harm me.
- 2 Corinthians 11:26
In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger…
- Genesis 31:7
Through
Genesis 34:12Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”
it leads to
- Exodus 22:16–17
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife.
- Exodus 22:16–17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 55.7 and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).