Genesis

Genesis 29:15–20

¹⁵Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters; the older was named Leah, and the younger was named Rachel. ¹⁷Leah had weak eyes,^a but Rachel was shapely and beautiful. ¹⁸Since Jacob loved Rachel, he answered, “I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.”

¹⁹Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.” ²⁰So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, yet it seemed but a few days because of his love for her.

Footnotes

a 29:17 Or had delicate eyes

Read all of Genesis 29

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 29:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Laban	לָבָן֙	lā·ḇān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3837 Laban
said	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to him	לְיַעֲקֹ֔ב	lə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
Just because	הֲכִי־	hă·ḵî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
you are	אַ֔תָּה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
my relative	אָחִ֣י	’ā·ḥî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H251 brother
should you work	וַעֲבַדְתַּ֖נִי	wa·‘ă·ḇaḏ·ta·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H5647 work, serve
for nothing	חִנָּ֑ם	ḥin·nām	Adverb	H2600 out of favour
Tell	הַגִּ֥ידָה	hag·gî·ḏāh	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H5046 be conspicuous
me	לִּ֖י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
what	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
your wages should be	מַּשְׂכֻּרְתֶּֽךָ׃	maś·kur·te·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H4909 wages

Genesis 29:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now Laban	וּלְלָבָ֖ן	ū·lə·lā·ḇān	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3837 Laban
had two	שְׁתֵּ֣י	šə·tê	Number - feminine dual construct	H8147 two
daughters	בָנ֑וֹת	ḇā·nō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1323 daughter
the older	הַגְּדֹלָה֙	hag·gə·ḏō·lāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H1419 great
was named	שֵׁ֤ם	šêm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H8034 name
Leah	לֵאָ֔ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
and the younger	הַקְּטַנָּ֖ה	haq·qə·ṭan·nāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
was named	וְשֵׁ֥ם	wə·šêm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H8034 name
Rachel	רָחֵֽל׃	rā·ḥêl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel

Genesis 29:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Leah	לֵאָ֖ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
had weak	רַכּ֑וֹת	rak·kō·wṯ	Adjective - feminine plural	H7390 tender, delicate, soft
eyes	וְעֵינֵ֥י	wə·‘ê·nê	Conjunctive waw; Noun - cdc	H5869 eye
but Rachel	וְרָחֵל֙	wə·rā·ḥêl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
was	הָֽיְתָ֔ה	hā·yə·ṯāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
shapely	יְפַת־	yə·p̄aṯ-	Adjective - feminine singular construct	H3303 fair, beautiful
and beautiful	וִיפַ֥ת	wî·p̄aṯ	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - feminine singular construct	H3303 fair, beautiful

Genesis 29:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Since Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֖ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
loved	וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב	way·ye·’ĕ·haḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H157 love
Rachel	רָחֵ֑ל	rā·ḥêl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
he answered	וַיֹּ֗אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I will serve	אֶֽעֱבָדְךָ֙	’e·‘ĕ·ḇā·ḏə·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve
you seven	שֶׁ֣בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
years	שָׁנִ֔ים	šā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H8141 year
for your younger	הַקְּטַנָּֽה׃	haq·qə·ṭan·nāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H6996 small, young, unimportant
daughter	בִּתְּךָ֖	bit·tə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1323 daughter
Rachel	בְּרָחֵ֥ל	bə·rā·ḥêl	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel

Genesis 29:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Laban	לָבָ֗ן	lā·ḇān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3837 Laban
replied	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Better	ט֚וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
that I give	תִּתִּ֣י	tit·tî	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
her	אֹתָ֣הּ	’ō·ṯāh	Direct object marker; third person feminine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
to you	לָ֔ךְ	lāḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular
than	מִתִּתִּ֥י	mit·tit·tî	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
to another	אַחֵ֑ר	’a·ḥêr	Adjective - masculine singular	H312 another
Stay here	שְׁבָ֖ה	šə·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
with me	עִמָּדִֽי׃	‘im·mā·ḏî	Preposition; first person common singular	H5978 along with

Genesis 29:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So Jacob	יַעֲקֹ֛ב	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
served	וַיַּעֲבֹ֧ד	way·ya·‘ă·ḇōḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve
seven	שֶׁ֣בַע	še·ḇa‘	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
years	שָׁנִ֑ים	šā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H8141 year
for Rachel	בְּרָחֵ֖ל	bə·rā·ḥêl	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
yet it seemed	וַיִּהְי֤וּ	way·yih·yū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a few	אֲחָדִ֔ים	’ă·ḥā·ḏîm	Number - masculine plural	H259 one
days	כְּיָמִ֣ים	kə·yā·mîm	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine plural	H3117 day
because of his love	בְּאַהֲבָת֖וֹ	bə·’a·hă·ḇā·ṯōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H160 love
for her	אֹתָֽהּ׃	’ō·ṯāh	Direct object marker; third person feminine singular	H853 mark of the accusative