Genesis

Genesis 29:23–27

²³But when evening came, Laban took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and he slept with her. ²⁴And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maidservant.

²⁵When morning came, there was Leah! “What have you done to me?” Jacob said to Laban. “Wasn’t it for Rachel that I served you? Why have you deceived me?”

²⁶Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older. ²⁷Finish this week’s celebration, and we will give you the younger one in return for another seven years of work.”

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 29:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But when	וַיְהִ֣י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
evening came	בָעֶ֔רֶב	ḇā·‘e·reḇ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6153 (sun)set, evening
Laban took	וַיִּקַּח֙	way·yiq·qaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
his daughter	בִתּ֔וֹ	ḇit·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1323 daughter
Leah	לֵאָ֣ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
and gave	וַיָּבֵ֥א	way·yā·ḇê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
her	אֹתָ֖הּ	’ō·ṯāh	Direct object marker; third person feminine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
to Jacob	אֵלָ֑יו	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
and he slept with	וַיָּבֹ֖א	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
her	אֵלֶֽיהָ׃	’ê·le·hā	Preposition; third person feminine singular	H413 motion to

Genesis 29:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And Laban	לָבָן֙	lā·ḇān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3837 Laban
gave	וַיִּתֵּ֤ן	way·yit·tên	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
his servant girl	שִׁפְחָת֑וֹ	šip̄·ḥā·ṯōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8198 maid, maid-servant
Zilpah	זִלְפָּ֖ה	zil·pāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H2153 Zilpah
to his daughter	בִתּ֖וֹ	ḇit·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1323 daughter
Leah	לְלֵאָ֥ה	lə·lê·’āh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
as her maidservant	שִׁפְחָֽה׃	šip̄·ḥāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8198 maid, maid-servant

Genesis 29:25

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When morning	בַבֹּ֔קֶר	ḇab·bō·qer	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
came	וַיְהִ֣י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
there	וְהִנֵּה־	wə·hin·nêh-	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
was Leah	לֵאָ֑ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
What	מַה־	mah-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you done	עָשִׂ֣יתָ	‘ā·śî·ṯā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
to me	לִּ֔י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
Jacob said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Laban	לָבָ֗ן	lā·ḇān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3837 Laban
Wasn’t	הֲלֹ֤א	hă·lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
it for Rachel	בְרָחֵל֙	ḇə·rā·ḥêl	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
that I served	עָבַ֣דְתִּי	‘ā·ḇaḏ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H5647 work, serve
you	עִמָּ֔ךְ	‘im·māḵ	Preposition; second person feminine singular	H5973 with
Why	וְלָ֖מָּה	wə·lām·māh	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
have you deceived me	רִמִּיתָֽנִי׃	rim·mî·ṯā·nî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular; first person common singular	H7411 cast, shoot

Genesis 29:26

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Laban	לָבָ֔ן	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
It is not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
our custom	יֵעָשֶׂ֥ה	yê·‘ā·śeh	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
here	בִּמְקוֹמֵ֑נוּ	bim·qō·w·mê·nū	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H4725 standing, spot, condition
to give the younger daughter	הַצְּעִירָ֖ה	haṣ·ṣə·‘î·rāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H6810 little, insignificant, young
in marriage	לָתֵ֥ת	lā·ṯêṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5414 give, put, set
before	לִפְנֵ֥י	lip̄·nê	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
the older	הַבְּכִירָֽה׃	hab·bə·ḵî·rāh	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H1067 first-born

Genesis 29:27

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Finish	מַלֵּ֖א	mal·lê	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
this	זֹ֑את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
week’s celebration	שְׁבֻ֣עַ	šə·ḇu·a‘	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7620 period of seven
and we will give	וְנִתְּנָ֨ה	wə·nit·tə·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H5414 give, put, set
you	לְךָ֜	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
the younger one	זֹ֗את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
in return for	תַּעֲבֹ֣ד	ta·‘ă·ḇōḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve
another	אֲחֵרֽוֹת׃	’ă·ḥê·rō·wṯ	Adjective - feminine plural	H312 another
seven	שֶֽׁבַע־	še·ḇa‘-	Number - feminine singular	H7651 seven
years	שָׁנִ֥ים	šā·nîm	Noun - feminine plural	H8141 year
of work	בַּעֲבֹדָה֙	ba·‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H5656 labour, service