Genesis 29 20

Genesis 29:20 kjv

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Genesis 29:20 nkjv

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

Genesis 29:20 niv

So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Genesis 29:20 esv

So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

Genesis 29:20 nlt

So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.

Genesis 29 verses

Genesis 29 20 meaning

Genesis 29:20 portrays Jacob's extraordinary dedication, demonstrating that profound love has the power to transform arduous labor into joyful, fleeting moments. Despite serving seven long years for Rachel, his deep affection for her made the demanding period seem brief, highlighting the potent influence of love as a motivator for sustained commitment and perseverance.

Genesis 29 20 Context

This verse is nestled within the larger narrative of Jacob's flight from Esau to Haran, his maternal uncle Laban's homeland, to seek a wife. After encountering Rachel at the well (Gen 29:1-14), Jacob falls deeply in love with her. In a society where a mohar (bride price) was customarily paid to the bride's father, Jacob, being on the run with no possessions, offered his labor as payment. Laban, being shrewd, agrees to Jacob serving him seven years for Rachel (Gen 29:15-19). Verse 20 directly follows this agreement, describing Jacob's experience of fulfilling this initial commitment. The chapter proceeds to reveal Laban's deception, substituting Leah for Rachel (Gen 29:21-25), which leads to Jacob working an additional seven years for Rachel, a testimony to his profound and unwavering affection. The historical context reflects ancient Near Eastern marriage customs where labor often substituted for or augmented material dowry. Literarily, it highlights Jacob's intense personal desire, contrasting it with the material-focused negotiations and setting up the future deceptions he will face, mirroring his own earlier deceptive acts. It also indirectly presents a polemic against loveless or purely transactional marriages, highlighting the extraordinary nature of genuine affection.

Genesis 29 20 Word analysis

• So Jacob (וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ד יַעֲקֹב֙, wa-yaʿăvōḏ Yaʿaqōv):
  • Jacob: The patriarch whose life is marked by wrestling with God and man. This period of labor signifies a stage in his development, learning patience and dedication.
  • served (וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ד, wa-yaʿăvōḏ): From the Hebrew verb עָבַד (ʿāḇaḏ). This word means "to work," "to serve," "to labor," and can also imply "to be a slave" or "to worship." Here, it specifically denotes arduous physical labor as a form of indentured service. The use of this versatile term can subtly elevate the nature of his work from mere toil to a devoted act of service motivated by love, akin to how service to God is framed.
• seven years (שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, sheva shanim):
  • Seven: A number often signifying completion, perfection, or fullness in biblical numerology. Here, it denotes a complete, arduous cycle of time, a significant and full term of labor. It underscores the depth of Jacob's commitment and the sheer duration of his waiting.
  • years: Emphasizes the length and duration of the effort. This was not a quick task but a long-term commitment.
• for Rachel (בְּרָחֵֽל, be-Rachel):
  • for Rachel: The direct object and singular focus of Jacob's labor. His motivation is profoundly personal and relational, not purely economic.
• and they seemed (וַיִּהְי֤וּ, wa-yihyū):
  • seemed: Implies subjective perception rather than objective reality. The actual time period was long, but Jacob's experience of it was radically different. It refers to the seven years themselves becoming like a few days to him.
• to him (בְעֵינָיו, b'ênâv):
  • to him: Literally, "in his eyes." This reinforces the subjective, internal nature of his experience. It was his personal perspective that transformed the labor.
• but a few days (כְּיָמִים אֲחָדִים֙, kê-yāmîm ăḥādîm):
  • but: Intensifies the contrast.
  • a few days: Hebrew יָמִים אֲחָדִים (yamim ahadim), "some days" or "a small number of days." This phrase highlights the brevity, suggesting the time flew by.
• because of his love for her (בְּאַהֲבָתֹ֖ו אֹתָֽהּ, bĕʾahavātō ʾōtāh):
  • because of: Explicitly states the causality. The powerful influence of his affection.
  • his love (אַהֲבָתוֹ, ahavato): From the root אָהַב (ʾāhaḇ), meaning "to love." This is a deep, passionate affection, characteristic of covenant love or deep romantic love. This term, ʾaḥa̱bāh, conveys not just emotion but a committed devotion that overrides hardship and perceived time. It signifies more than just infatuation but a binding affection.
  • for her: Reinforces Rachel as the recipient and source of this deep affection.

Words-group Analysis

• "So Jacob served seven years for Rachel": This phrase encapsulates Jacob's dedicated and arduous commitment. It sets the objective reality of the prolonged labor, providing the foundational sacrifice made for a beloved person. It speaks to intentional, focused effort towards a specific goal.
• "and they seemed to him but a few days": This clause reveals the psychological and emotional transformation of time. The immense duration of his service was experientially diminished. It's a testament to how motivation can alter perception, turning burdensome tasks into lighter ones.
• "because of his love for her": This final clause serves as the ultimate explanation and the verse's central theme. It establishes the potent and transcendent power of deep affection as the primary force that alters the subjective experience of time and toil, highlighting love as the supreme motivator for endurance and sacrifice. It shows that internal disposition significantly outweighs external circumstances.

Genesis 29 20 Bonus section

The concept of Jacob paying for his bride through labor, specifically noted by the word ʿāḇaḏ (service), establishes a parallel to the idea of Christ "buying" His Church not with money but with His life and suffering (Eph 5:25, Acts 20:28). This suggests that true belonging and covenant are not cheap or effortless, but established through deep, sacrificial devotion. Jacob's passionate, enduring love serves as a foundational quality in the progenitor of Israel, implying that God's covenant with His people is likewise rooted in an unchanging, steadfast affection that outlasts difficulty. Furthermore, this verse also provides insight into the "waiting" theme prevalent throughout Scripture. God's promises often require periods of patient waiting and persevering effort, during which the waiting period can be endured because of the strength of hope and the love for what is promised. Jacob's dedication, despite the ensuing deception from Laban, exemplifies a spirit of unyielding commitment to the object of his love.

Genesis 29 20 Commentary

Genesis 29:20 stands as a poignant testament to the extraordinary power of profound love and devotion. Jacob's commitment to seven years of arduous labor for Rachel, a period objectively long and demanding, was subjectively transformed into what felt like a brief moment. This highlights that when an action is fueled by deep affection, hardship is minimized, and endurance becomes a natural outgrowth of passion. Jacob's willingness to serve reflects not a burdensome duty, but a joyful privilege derived from his emotional attachment to Rachel.

This verse offers a glimpse into a form of dedicated service where the heart's true desire overrides the physical cost and the passage of time. It illustrates a love so strong it acts as an internal compass and motivation, making external pressures diminish. For Jacob, the worth of Rachel completely overshadowed the work required. This narrative foreshadows deeper biblical truths: just as Jacob served intensely for his beloved bride, Christ's love for His Church led Him to willingly endure immense suffering, transforming the agony of the cross into joy "for the joy set before Him" (Heb 12:2). Similarly, believers are called to serve God and others with a love that makes their labor a joy, perceiving the fleeting nature of their struggles in light of the eternal prize of their devotion.

Examples for practical usage:

• A parent joyfully caring for a sick child for days on end, feeling the burden lightened by love.
• A missionary dedicating years to a challenging field, finding strength and enduring joy in their love for the people and for God's call.
• A follower of Christ enduring trials or discipline, seeing them as brief in light of their ultimate hope and love for God.