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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Genesis 29:18

GENESIS—NOTE ON Genesis 29:18 I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel. In the ancient Near East it was customary for a prospective husband to give the bride’s father a substantial gift of money, known as the bride-price. Jacob offers to work for Laban to give the equivalent of seven years’ wages for Rachel.

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See also Genesis 29:18 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - Jacob’s Marriage 6. רחל _rāchēl_, Rachel, “a ewe.” 16. לאה _lê'âh_, Leah, “wearied.” 24. זלפה _zı̂lpâh_, Zilpah, “drop?” 29. בלהה _bı̂lhâh_, Bilhah, “timidity.” 32. ראוּבן

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 29 JACOB WITH LABAN _ 1. Jacob's arrival at Padan-aram (Genesis 29:1)_ 2. His service for Rachel (Genesis 29:15) 3. Laban's deception (Genesis 29:21) 4. Jacob receives Rachel ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB SERVES SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL. LABAN SUBSTITUTES LEAH AND SECURES FOURTEEN YEARS'SERVICE IN EXCHANGE FOR THE TWO. Apart from bits of P (Genesis 29:24; Genesis 29:28_ b_, Genesis 29:29) the secti...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Jacob's Marriage with Leah and Rachel 15. _Because … brother_ Lit. "art thou a brother, and shouldest thou serve me for nothing?" For "brother," see note on Genesis 29:12. Laban asks Jacob to state o...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _I will serve … Rachel_ He has no money to offer; he is ready to give seven years" service without wages, in order to win Rachel as his bride. He cannot as bridegroom, or suitor, offer the usual gifts...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. _Jacob's Double Marriage_ (Genesis 29:13-30). _The Meeting with Laban._ When Laban heard of Jacob's presence, _he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house._ T...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND JACOB LOVED RACHEL; AND SAID, I WILL SERVE THEE SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL THY YOUNGER DAUGHTER._ I will serve thee seven years - a proposal of marriage is made to the father without the daughter be...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Jacob had no rich gif ts to offer for Rachel, such as Abraham sent for Rebekah (Genesis 24:53). He therefore offered his services. Kitto says that 'personal servitude to the father is still in some pl...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB IN MESOPOTAMIA WITH LABAN The divine care and blessing promised to Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:15) are illustrated in the narrative of the sojourn of the patriarch at Haran, which apparently las...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 29 JACOB MEETS RACHEL V1 Then Jacob continued his journey. He came to the land where the people in the east lived. V2 As he looked, he saw a well...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE TÔLDÔTH ISAAC (Genesis 25:19 to Genesis 35:29). THE BIRTH OF ISAAC’S SONS. Abraham begat Isaac — The _Tôldôth_ in its original form gave probably a complete genealogy of Isaac, tracing up his des...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    I WILL SERVE THEE SEVEN YEARS FOR RACHEL THY YOUNGER DAUGHTER. — Heb., _thy daughter, the little one,_ just as Leah, in Genesis 29:16, is called the _great one._ (See Note on Genesis 9:24.) So in Gene...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֶּאֱהַ֥ב יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת ־רָחֵ֑ל וַ יֹּ֗אמֶר

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JACOB IN LABAN'S HOME Genesis 29:1 Well might Jacob lift up his feet! See margin. When we are sure of God we receive strength that enables us to _run_ with patience the race that is set before us. Th...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Pursuing his journey after his experience at Luz, now called Beth-el, Jacob came into "the land of the children of the east." Here the next twenty years of his life were to be spent, during which he a...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    THE DECEIVER IS DECEIVED When Jacob came to a well in a field in northern Mesopotamia, he inquired where he was. He learned he was near Haran and soon met Rachel, his uncle Laban's daughter, who was c...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    How striking is that scripture, in which the Holy Ghost takes notice of this event: Hosea 12:12. Reader! do not overlook in this precious lesson, what interest a covenant God takes, in even the seemin...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Having already shown the position of Isaac, I resume briefly with the remark that he stands before us clearly as the representative of the Son, and this too as dead, risen, and in heaven. All will und...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    18._I will serve thee seven years_. The iniquity of Laban betrays itself in a moment; for it is a shameful barbarity to give his daughter, by way of reward, in exchange for Jacob’s services, making he...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 29 THROUGH 35. I have no doubt that in the two wives, as I have said, we have the Gentiles and Israel: Rachel first loved on the earth, but not possessed; but...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND JACOB LOVED RACHEL,.... As he seems to have done from the moment he saw her at the well, being beautiful, modest, humble, affable, diligent, and industrious: AND HE SAID, I WILL SERVE THEE SEVEN...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Ver. 18. _I will serve thee seven years._] He had nothing to endow her with; he would therefore earn h...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iacob commeth to the well of Haran. 9 He taketh acquaintance of Rachel. 13 Laban enterteineth him. 18 Iacob couenanteth for Rachel. 23 He is deceiued with Leah. 28 He marrieth also Rachel, and...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, thy younger daughter, this service taking the place of the customary dowry and the presents given to the relatives....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Jacob Serves Laban for Rachel...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SECOND SECTION _Jacob’s wives and children. Jacob and Rachel, Laban’s youngest daughter. First and second treaty with Laban. His involuntary consummation of marriage with Leah. The double marriage. L...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    JACOB MEETS RACHEL AND LABAN After many days of travel Jacob came to the land of his relatives. He could not phone to find his directions to their home, nor did he have any street and house number, bu...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    15-30 During the month that Jacob spent as a guest, he was not idle. Wherever we are, it is good to employ ourselves in some useful business. Laban was desirous that Jacob should continue with him. I...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    QUEST. Who was this? ANSW. 1. Shem, as the Jews and many others think, who probably was alive at this time, and, no doubt, a great prince. But neither is it probable that Shem should be a king among t...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    These Chapter s present to us the history of Jacob at least, the principal scenes in that history. The Spirit of God here sets before us the deepest instruction, first, as to God's purpose of infinite...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 29:18 Jacob H3290 loved H157 (H8799) Rachel H7354 said H559 (H8799) serve H5647 (H8799) seven...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And Jacob loved Rachel and he said, “I will serve you for seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” ' Jacob replies that he has made his choice as to which daughter he wants. He is prepared to o...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jacob and Laban, two bargain makers, meet. CHARACTERS: Jacob, Laban, Rachael, Leah, Reuben, Levi, Judah. CONCLUSION: The believer who has erred may not be forsaken of God, but he is permit...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 29:1. _Jacob went on his journey._ Our version fails here to express the lively sense of the Hebrew, as in most versions. _Levabit pedes;_ he tripped along with light feet, being now assured t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Jacob served seven years for Rachel_ JACOB’S LOWLY ESTATE I. ITS EVIDENCE. 1. He is obliged to accept a position of servitude. 2. He is obliged to prostitute the most sacred affections by consent...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 29:15. Because thou art my brother.] That is, my kinsman. This word, like “sister,” “son,” etc., is used with great latitude in the sacred writings. GENESIS 29:17. LEAH WAS T...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 29:15 AND LABAN SAID UNTO JACOB (probably at the month's end), BECAUSE THOU ART—literally, _is it not that_._ thou art _(cf. Genesis 27:36;...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Then Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. And he looked, behold there was a well in the field, and, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    loved. Genesis 29:20 Genesis 29:30 I will serve. Genesis 31:41 Genesis 34:12...

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