Genesis 29:27

27 “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 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Genesis 29:27 In-Context

25 But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel! Why have you tricked me?”

26 “It’s not our custom here to marry off a younger daughter ahead of the firstborn,” Laban replied.

27 “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.”

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

29 (Laban gave Rachel a servant, Bilhah, to be her maid.)