Genesis 29:30

Genesis 29:30 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
• New International Version (NIV)Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. And he served with Laban still another seven years.

Context of Genesis 29:30

28That’s what Jacob did. He finished the week with Leah. Then Laban gave his daughter Rachel to him as his wife. 29(Laban had given his slave Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her slave.) Jacob slept with Rachel too. He loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years. 31When the Lord saw Leah was unloved, he made it possible for her to have children, but Rachel had none. 32Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben [Here’s My Son], because she said, “Certainly, the Lord has seen my misery; now my husband will love me!”

Genesis 29:30 word by word

וַיָּבֹא֙ גַּ֣ם אֶל־רָחֵ֔ל וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב גַּֽם־אֶת־רָחֵ֖ל מִלֵּאָ֑ה וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ד עִמּ֔וֹ ע֖וֹד שֶֽׁבַע־שָׁנִ֥ים אֲחֵרֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he went inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• also unto Rachelרָחֵלrâchêl · RachelH7354
• and he lovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• more than Leahלֵאָהlê'âh · LeahH3812
• and servedעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
• with him yet sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• otherאַחֵר'achêr · anotherH312
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141

Cross-references for Genesis 29:30

• Genesis 29:20Jacob worked seven years in return for Rachel, but the years seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her.
• Genesis 44:20We answered, ‘We have a father who is old and a younger brother born to him when he was already old. The boy’s brother is dead, so he’s the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
• Deuteronomy 21:15A man might have two wives and love one but not the other. Both wives might have children, and the firstborn son might belong to the wife that the man doesn’t love.
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth.
• Matthew 10:37“The person who loves his father or mother more than me does not deserve to be my disciple. The person who loves a son or daughter more than me does not deserve to be my disciple.
• Luke 14:26“If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples.
• John 12:25Those who love their lives will destroy them, and those who hate their lives in this world will guard them for everlasting life.
• Genesis 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. So he offered, “I’ll work seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”
• Genesis 30:25After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Let me go home to my own country.
• Genesis 31:15Doesn’t he think of us as foreigners? Not only did he sell us, but he has used up the money that was paid for us.
• 1 Samuel 18:17Finally, Saul said to David, “Here is my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you as your wife if you prove yourself to be a warrior for me and fight the Lord’s battles.” (Saul thought, “I must not lay a hand on him. Let the Philistines do that.”)
• Hosea 12:12Jacob fled to the country of Syria. Israel worked to get a wife; he took care of sheep to pay for her.

Commentaries on Genesis 29:30

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-35Verses 1-35 - 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 re'uvbēn Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-30Verses 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. Inferior relations must not be imposed upon; it is our duty to reward them. Jacob made known to Laban the affection he had for his daughter Rachel. And having no wordly goods with which to endow her, he promises seven years' service Love makes long and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30he loved Rachel more than Leah: This kind of favoritism (showing special love to one person over others) caused ongoing trouble in his family (see 25:28; 37:3). Jacob’s favoritism had lasting effects. His family was often divided, and their descendants (the tribes of Israel) were rarely united.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-351. Then Jacob went, &c.--Hebrew, "lifted up his feet." He resumed his way next morning with a light heart and elastic step after the vision of the ladder; for tokens of the divine favor tend to quicken the discharge of duty (Ne 8:10). and came into the land, &c.--Mesopotamia and the whole region beyond the Euphrates are by the sacred writers designated "the East" (Jud 6:3; 1Ki 4:30; Job 1:3). Between the first and the second clause of this verse is…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 29:30

• Betrothal
• Children
• Contracts
• Covetousness
• Dishonesty
• Family
• Favoritism
• Incest
• Jacob
• Laban
• Lovers
• Marriage
• Polygamy
• Rachel
• Seven
• Wages
• Wife

In the dictionaries

• Leah
• Rachel
• Marriage
• Serve
• Wages
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism
• Father
• Genealogy
• Genesis
• Law in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Genesis 29

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings