Genesis 29:27 kjv
Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
Genesis 29:27 nkjv
Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years."
Genesis 29:27 niv
Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."
Genesis 29:27 esv
Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years."
Genesis 29:27 nlt
"But wait until the bridal week is over; then we'll give you Rachel, too ? provided you promise to work another seven years for me."
Genesis 29 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1-3 | Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country... and I will make of you a great nation..." | God's covenant with Abraham, establishing the lineage. |
| Gen 16:1-6 | Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children... she took Hagar... | Family strife and issues arising from multiple wives. |
| Gen 27:18-29 | Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn."... | Jacob's own previous act of deception against Isaac. |
| Gen 28:13-15 | "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father... behold, I am with you..." | God's covenant and promise to Jacob at Bethel. |
| Gen 29:18 | Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." | The initial agreement that Laban dishonored. |
| Gen 29:25 | And in the morning, behold, it was Leah! And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me?" | Jacob's immediate discovery of Laban's deception. |
| Gen 29:26 | Laban said, "It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn." | Laban's false justification for his deception. |
| Gen 30:1-8 | When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister... | Sibling rivalry and pain caused by polygyny in Jacob's household. |
| Gen 31:7 | "your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times..." | Jacob later recounts Laban's repeated deceit and exploitation. |
| Gen 31:41 | "These twenty years I have been with you; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters..." | Jacob's later summation of his years of service to Laban. |
| Gen 50:20 | "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good..." | God's sovereign hand working through human evil for good purposes. |
| Judg 14:12-17 | "I will propose a riddle to you... the feast lasted seven days..." | A cultural reference to a seven-day wedding feast, similar to "her week." |
| Deut 21:15-17 | "If a man has two wives, the one loved and the other unloved..." | Mosaic Law later addresses the complexities of sons from multiple wives. |
| Hos 12:12 | "Jacob fled to the land of Aram; there Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep." | Prophetic recollection of Jacob's servitude for wives. |
| Num 30:2 | "If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath... he shall not break his word..." | Principle of keeping one's vows, contrasted with Laban's action. |
| Eccl 5:4-5 | "When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools." | Emphasizes the importance of fulfilling solemn promises. |
| Prov 11:1 | "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight." | General principle of justice and integrity, against Laban's deceit. |
| Gal 6:7 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | Connects Jacob's deception by Laban to his earlier deception of Isaac. |
| Rom 5:3-4 | "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance..." | Perseverance cultivated through challenging situations like Jacob's. |
| Heb 12:1-2 | "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus..." | Call to patient endurance, seen in Jacob's willingness to serve. |
| Jas 1:2-4 | "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds... endurance..." | Trials and suffering building Christian character, reflected in Jacob's ordeal. |
Genesis 29 verses
Genesis 29 27 Meaning
Laban presents a condition to Jacob after deceiving him into marrying Leah instead of Rachel. He stipulates that Jacob must first complete Leah's traditional seven-day wedding feast period, after which he will be given Rachel as well, but only in exchange for serving Laban for another seven years. This reveals Laban's manipulative nature, his prioritization of personal gain over contractual integrity, and Jacob's vulnerable position.
Genesis 29 27 Context
Genesis chapter 29 details Jacob's arrival in Haran after fleeing Esau, his meeting with Rachel, and his service for Laban. Having fallen in love with Rachel, Jacob agrees to serve Laban for seven years to earn her as his wife (Gen 29:18). However, after the completion of the seven years, Laban deceitfully substitutes Leah, his elder daughter, for Rachel on the wedding night (Gen 29:21-25). Jacob's angry confrontation with Laban then leads to this verse (Gen 29:27), where Laban proposes a compromise: Jacob can still marry Rachel immediately after completing Leah's nuptial feast, provided he commits to another seven years of service. This reveals Laban as a shrewd, self-serving, and deceptive individual, highlighting the patriarchal family structures where fathers held significant power over marriage arrangements and labor. Historically and culturally, in the ancient Near East, a bride-price (mohar) was customary, often paid in service if not in goods. Marriage feasts often lasted for seven days, a period of intense celebration. Laban leverages both customs and Jacob's love for Rachel to double his profit from Jacob's labor.
Genesis 29 27 Word analysis
- Fulfill (מלא - mālē): To complete, fill up, finish entirely. It implies seeing the specified period through to its conclusion, not just starting it. In this context, it refers to the full duration of Leah's wedding celebration.
- her week (שְׁבֻעַ - šāḇuaʿ): Literally "her seven." This refers to the customary seven-day wedding feast or celebration following a marriage, particularly the period of intense festivities and possibly the bridal seclusion. It's not a week of work but a period of marital celebration and consummation. This period for Leah was to be observed before Jacob could marry Rachel.
- and we will give you (וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ - wənāṯattî ləḵā): Laban's authoritative declaration and promise to Jacob. The act of "giving" the daughter signified the completion of the marriage arrangements from the father's side.
- this one also (גַּם־זֹאת - gam zōʾṯ): "Also this one." The word "gam" (also) is key, implying that Rachel will be given in addition to Leah, making Jacob a polygamist. This emphasizes Jacob's original desire and Laban's recognition of it, albeit under new, burdensome terms. It underscores Laban's exploitation by getting both daughters married and extending Jacob's service.
- for the service which you shall serve with me (בַּעֲבֹדָה אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲבֹד עִמָּדִי - baʿăḇōḏāh ʾăšer taʿăḇōḏ ʿimmādî): This phrase highlights the payment model Laban employed. Jacob's labor is explicitly stated as the bride-price. Laban’s focus is on continued service and exploitation of Jacob's strong work ethic and deep desire for Rachel.
- yet another seven years (עוֹד שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים אֲחֵרוֹת - ʿōwḏ šeḇaʿ šānîm ʾaḥērôṯ): Specifies the duration of the additional labor required. "Yet another" (ʿōwḏ... ʾaḥērôṯ) explicitly marks this as a second seven-year period, effectively doubling Jacob's promised servitude to Laban for the original one wife, turning it into service for two.
Genesis 29 27 Bonus section
- The implicit approval of polygyny at this early stage of biblical history, as evidenced by Laban's offer and Jacob's acceptance, serves as a backdrop to the later challenges within Jacob's own family (strife between Leah and Rachel, the children born to the concubines). This practice, while common in the ancient Near East, later leads to complications and heartache in the lives of many biblical figures and is ultimately addressed or restricted by Mosaic Law.
- Laban's actions directly contradict the spirit of generosity and truthfulness expected in covenant relationships, foreshadowing the complex and often strained relationship between Jacob and Laban for the next thirteen years. This prolonged period of service and deceit strengthens Jacob's character and his reliance on God, albeit through challenging circumstances.
Genesis 29 27 Commentary
Genesis 29:27 encapsulates Laban's cunning and self-interest, manipulating the cultural custom of marrying the elder daughter first into a scheme to extend Jacob's service and secure marriages for both his daughters. He twists an ethical principle (the right of the firstborn) into an opportunity for economic gain. Jacob, consumed by his desire for Rachel, agrees, revealing his profound love and patience, even in the face of gross injustice. This arrangement led to a total of twenty years of service for Jacob with Laban (fourteen for the wives and six for flocks), marked by further deceits by Laban. This episode vividly illustrates the principle of sowing and reaping, as Jacob, who once deceived his own father for a blessing, now finds himself deceived and exploited by Laban. Yet, in God's sovereignty, this arduous period became crucial for the multiplication of Jacob's family and the formation of the twelve tribes of Israel, ultimately working for His divine purposes despite human treachery. It highlights that God can redeem difficult and unjust situations to fulfill His greater plan.
- Practical usage: This narrative warns against deception, showcasing its often bitter consequences for both the deceiver (Laban's character deterioration, later conflict with Jacob) and the deceived. It also illustrates the value of patience and perseverance in hardship when striving towards a greater, God-ordained purpose.