Genesis

Genesis 29:25–32

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.”

²⁸And Jacob did just that. He finished the week’s celebration, and Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife. ²⁹Laban also gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant.

³⁰Jacob slept with Rachel as well, and indeed, he loved Rachel more than Leah. So he worked for Laban another seven years.

³¹When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³²And Leah conceived and gave birth to a son, and she named him Reuben,^b for she said, “The LORD has seen my affliction. Surely my husband will love me now.”

Footnotes

b 29:32 Reuben means Look, a son and also sounds like the Hebrew for He has seen my misery.

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 29:25

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

Genesis 29:28

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And Jacob	יַעֲקֹב֙	ya·‘ă·qōḇ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3290 Jacob
did	וַיַּ֤עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
just that	כֵּ֔ן	kên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
He finished	וַיְמַלֵּ֖א	way·mal·lê	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4390 be full, fill
the week’s celebration	שְׁבֻ֣עַ	šə·ḇu·a‘	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7620 period of seven
and Laban gave	וַיִּתֶּן־	way·yit·ten-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
him	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
his daughter	בִּתּ֖וֹ	bit·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1323 daughter
Rachel	רָחֵ֥ל	rā·ḥêl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
as his wife	לְאִשָּֽׁה׃	lə·’iš·šāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H802 woman, wife, female

Genesis 29:29

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Laban also	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
Bilhah	בִּלְהָ֖ה	bil·hāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1090 Bilhah
to his daughter	בִּתּ֔וֹ	bit·tōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1323 daughter
Rachel	לְרָחֵ֣ל	lə·rā·ḥêl	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
as her	לָ֖הּ	lāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular
maidservant	לְשִׁפְחָֽה׃	lə·šip̄·ḥāh	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular	H8198 maid, maid-servant

Genesis 29:30

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Jacob slept with	וַיָּבֹא֙	way·yā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
Rachel	רָחֵ֔ל	rā·ḥêl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
as well	גַּ֣ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
and indeed	גַּֽם־	gam-	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
he loved	וַיֶּאֱהַ֥ב	way·ye·’ĕ·haḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H157 love
Rachel	רָחֵ֖ל	rā·ḥêl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
more than Leah	מִלֵּאָ֑ה	mil·lê·’āh	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
So he worked	וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ד	way·ya·‘ă·ḇōḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5647 work, serve
for	עִמּ֔וֹ	‘im·mōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5973 with
Laban	ע֖וֹד	‘ō·wḏ	Adverb	H5750 a going round, continuance
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

Genesis 29:31

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
saw	וַיַּ֤רְא	way·yar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
that	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
Leah	לֵאָ֔ה	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
was unloved	שְׂנוּאָ֣ה	śə·nū·’āh	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H8130 hate
He opened	וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח	way·yip̄·taḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6605 open
her womb	רַחְמָ֑הּ	raḥ·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H7358 womb
but Rachel	וְרָחֵ֖ל	wə·rā·ḥêl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H7354 Rachel
barren	עֲקָרָֽה׃	‘ă·qā·rāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H6135 barren

Genesis 29:32

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And Leah	לֵאָה֙	lê·’āh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3812 Leah
conceived	וַתַּ֤הַר	wat·ta·har	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H2029 conceive, become pregnant
and gave birth to	וַתֵּ֣לֶד	wat·tê·leḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
a son	בֵּ֔ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
and she named him	וַתִּקְרָ֥א	wat·tiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Reuben	רְאוּבֵ֑ן	rə·’ū·ḇên	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H7205 Reuben
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
she said	אָֽמְרָ֗ה	’ā·mə·rāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
The LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has seen	רָאָ֤ה	rā·’āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
my affliction	בְּעָנְיִ֔י	bə·‘ān·yî	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H6040 affliction, poverty
Surely	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
my husband	אִישִֽׁי׃	’î·šî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H376 man
will love me	יֶאֱהָבַ֥נִי	ye·’ĕ·hā·ḇa·nî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singular	H157 love
now	עַתָּ֖ה	‘at·tāh	Adverb	H6258 now