Genesis 29:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jacob did so, and completed her week. Then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

NIV: And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

NASB: Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

CSB: And Jacob did just that. He finished the week of celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

NLT: So Jacob agreed to work seven more years. A week after Jacob had married Leah, Laban gave him Rachel, too.

KJV: And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

NKJV: Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.

Jacob's name literally means "usurper," or "leg-puller" (Genesis 25:26). When he manipulated his older brother out of a birthright, and stole a blessing from his father through deception, he lived up to his name (Genesis 27:34–36). Fallout from those acts of deceit are a major reason Jacob was forced to flee Canaan, in order to live with Laban (Genesis 27:41; Genesis 28:1–2). In what seemed like a stroke of luck, at least for Jacob, he found a woman he loved so much that he was willing to work seven years for the right to marry her: Rachel, the younger daughter of Laban (Genesis 29:16–20).

In a deeply ironic twist, however, Jacob the cheater has run into a true master manipulator in Laban. Having tricked Jacob into consummating a legal marriage with the older daughter, Leah, instead of Rachel (Genesis 29:23–25), he has made Jacob a new offer: Agree to work for me another seven years, and you can marry Rachel next week (Genesis 29:27).

Laban's excuse (Genesis 29:26) and updated offer are both abusive and completely unfair. And yet, Jacob agrees. He's not only stuck, to some extent, he's also still desperately in love with Rachel. A week after what he thought would be the beginning of a new life with Rachel, he will find himself married to both his true love and her sister. And, unfortunately, on the hook for another seven years of free labor for his uncle.

Genesis 29:1–30 describes Jacob's arrival at his uncle's household. Laban is happy to see his nephew, likely for the first time. Jacob falls in love with Laban's more attractive daughter, Rachel, and agrees to work for Laban seven years to marry her. On the wedding night, however, Laban treacherously switches Rachel for her older sister Leah. Jacob agrees to marry Rachel the next week, but now must work another seven years.

Jacob's journey from his home brings him to his uncle's household in Haran. He falls in love with Laban's younger daughter Rachel and agrees to work for Laban for seven years to marry her. When the time comes, Laban switches out Rachel for her older, less attractive sister Leah. Jacob is surprised to find he has consummated the marriage with the wrong sister. Manipulative Laban assures Jacob he can still marry Rachel the next week, as long as he will work another seven years. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah, but with the Lord's help, unloved Leah bears Jacob his first four sons.

The previous chapter described Jacob fleeing from home to seek his uncle in Mesopotamia. This was both to escape the rage of his brother, Esau, and to look for a suitable wife. Now Jacob arrives and falls in love with his uncle's daughter Rachel. After working seven years to marry her, Jacob is tricked by his uncle into marrying the older daughter, Leah, instead. Laban allows Jacob to marry Rachel, as well, in exchange for another seven years' work. Though she is unloved by Jacob, the Lord notices Leah's heartbreak and allows her to bear four sons. In the next chapter, Rachel's jealousy sets off something of a birth war, as she and Leah compete to obtain children.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.