Genesis 29:27

27 Finish the marriage week of this one, and we'll give you the other one also in exchange for the work you will do for me during yet another seven years."

Genesis 29:27 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 29:27

Fulfil her week
Not Rachel's week, or a week of years of servitude for her, but Leah's week, or the week of seven days of feasting for her marriage; for a marriage feast used to be kept seven days, according to the Jewish writers ^F20, and as it seems from ( Judges 14:17 ) ; and the Targum of Jerusalem fully expresses this sense,

``fulfil the week of the days of the feast of Leah;''

and to the same sense the Targum of Jonathan, Aben Ezra and Jarchi:

and we will give this also;
meaning Rachel that stood by; and the sense is, that he and his wife, if he had any, or his friends about him, would give to Jacob Rachel also to be his wife, upon the following condition:

for the service which thou shall serve with me yet seven other years;
which shows the avaricious temper of the man.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 T. Hieros. Moed Katon, fol. 80. 4. Pirke Eliezer, c. 16, 36.

Genesis 29:27 In-Context

25 In the morning Ya'akov saw that he was with Le'ah, and he said to Lavan, "What kind of thing is this that you've done to me? Didn't I work for you for Rachel? Why have you deceived me?"

26 Lavan answered, "In our place that isn't how it's done, to give the younger daughter before the firstborn.

27 Finish the marriage week of this one, and we'll give you the other one also in exchange for the work you will do for me during yet another seven years."

28 Ya'akov agreed to this, so he finished her week, and Lavan gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.

29 Lavan also gave to his daughter Rachel his slave-girl Bilhah as her slave-girl.