Lectionary Calendar
Monday, November 25th, 2024
the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Genesis 29:21

Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Betrothal;   Children;   Covetousness;   Dishonesty;   Father-In-Law;   Jacob;   Laban;   Marriage;   Rachel;   Seven;   Wages;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Dowry;   Leah;   Rachel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jacob;   Laban;   Marriage;   Rachel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Dowry;   Incest;   Jacob;   Laban;   Number Systems and Number Symbolism;   Service;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Israel;   Leah;   Marriage;   Tribes of Israel;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Laban ;   Leah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Laban;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Canaan (2);   Leah;   Nahor;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Fulfil;   Law in the Old Testament;   Leah;   Rachel;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Daughter in Jewish Law;   Laban;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed."
Update Bible Version
And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
New Century Version
After seven years Jacob said to Laban, "Give me Rachel so that I may marry her. The time I promised to work for you is over."
New English Translation
Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time of service is up. I want to have marital relations with her."
Webster's Bible Translation
And Jacob said to Laban, Give [me] my wife (for my days are fulfilled) that I may go in to her.
World English Bible
Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."
Amplified Bible
Finally, Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time [of service] is completed, so that I may take her to me [as my wife]."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to Laban, Yyue thou my wijf to me, for the tyme is fillid that Y entre to hir.
Young's Literal Translation
And Jacob saith unto Laban, `Give up my wife, for my days have been fulfilled, and I go in unto her;'
Berean Standard Bible
Finally Jacob said to Laban, "Grant me my wife, for my time is complete, and I want to sleep with her."
Contemporary English Version
Jacob said to Laban, "The time is up, and I want to marry Rachel now!"
Complete Jewish Bible
Ya‘akov said to Lavan, "Give me my wife, since my time is finished, so that I can start living with her."
American Standard Version
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
Bible in Basic English
Then Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife so that I may have her, for the days are ended.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iacob said vnto Laban: geue [me] my wife that I may lye with her, for my dayes are fulfylled.
Darby Translation
And Jacob said to Laban, Give [me] my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
Easy-to-Read Version
After seven years Jacob said to Laban, "Give me Rachel so that I can marry her. My time of work for you is finished."
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Jacob said unto Laban: 'Give me my wife, for my days are filled, that I may go in unto her.'
King James Version (1611)
And Iacob said vnto Laban, Giue me my wife (for my dayes are fulfilled) that I may goe in vnto her.
King James Version
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
New Life Bible
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife so I may go in to her. For my time is finished."
New Revised Standard
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Jacob unto Laban: Come give me my wife, for fulfilled are my days, - that I may go in unto her.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Iaakob sayde to Laban, Giue me my wife, that I may goe in to her: for my terme is ended.
George Lamsa Translation
And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
Good News Translation
Then Jacob said to Laban, "The time is up; let me marry your daughter."
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to Laban: Give me my wife; for now the time is fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
Revised Standard Version
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed."
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her.
English Revised Version
And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
Christian Standard Bible®
Then Jacob said to Laban, “Since my time is complete, give me my wife, so I can sleep with her.”
Hebrew Names Version
Ya`akov said to Lavan, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."
Lexham English Bible
And Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, that I may go in to her, for my time is completed."
Literal Translation
And Jacob said to Laban, Give my wife, for my days are completed. And let me go in to her.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Iacob saide vnto Laban: geue me my wyfe, for the tyme is come that I shulde lye with her.
THE MESSAGE
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife; I've completed what we agreed I'd do. I'm ready to consummate my marriage." Laban invited everyone around and threw a big feast. At evening, though, he got his daughter Leah and brought her to the marriage bed, and Jacob slept with her. (Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as her maid.)
New American Standard Bible
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may have relations with her."
New Living Translation
Finally, the time came for him to marry her. "I have fulfilled my agreement," Jacob said to Laban. "Now give me my wife so I can sleep with her."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my time is completed, that I may go in to her."
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her."

Contextual Overview

15 Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my relative, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what should your wages be?|" 16 Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah's eyes were delicate, but Rachel was beautiful of form and appearance. 18 Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter." 19 And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me." 20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her. 21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in to her." 22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast. 23 Now it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. 24 And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Give me: Matthew 1:18

my days: Genesis 29:18, Genesis 29:20, Genesis 31:41

go in: Genesis 4:1, Genesis 38:16, Judges 15:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 32:22 - his two wives Deuteronomy 22:13 - General Deuteronomy 22:24 - he hath humbled Judges 14:8 - to take her Proverbs 18:22 - findeth a wife

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
Luke 11:51; Hebrews 11:4; 12:24">[xr] Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD."
Genesis 29:18
Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."
Genesis 29:20
So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.
Genesis 31:41
Thus I have been in your house twenty years; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
Genesis 38:16
Then he turned to her by the way, and said, "Please let me come in to you"; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. So she said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"
Judges 15:1
After a while, in the time of wheat harvest, it happened that Samson visited his wife with a young goat. And he said, "Let me go in to my wife, into her room." But her father would not permit him to go in.
Matthew 1:18
Luke 2:1-7">[xr] Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Jacob said unto Laban, give [me] my wife,.... Meaning Rachel, who was his wife by contract; the conditions of her being his wife were now fulfilled by him, and therefore he might challenge her as his wife:

for my days are now fulfilled; the seven years were up he agreed to serve him for his daughter; and therefore it was but just and right she should be given him:

that I may go in unto her; as his lawful wife, and it was high time Jacob had her; for he was now, as the Jewish writers generally say n, and that very rightly, eighty four years of age; and from him were to spring twelve princes, the heads of twelve tribes, which should inhabit the land of Canaan.

n Bereshit Rabba, sect. 70. fol. 63. 1. Jarchi in loc. and others.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- Jacob’s Marriage

6. רחל rāchēl, Rachel, “a ewe.”

16. לאה lê'âh, Leah, “wearied.”

24. זלפה zı̂lpâh, Zilpah, “drop?”

29. בלהה bı̂lhâh, Bilhah, “timidity.”

32. ראוּבן re'uvbēn, Reuben, “behold a son.” A paronomasia in allusion to the phrase בעניי ראה be‛ānyı̂y rā'âh. Derivatives and compounds, being formed by the common speaker, are sometimes founded upon resemblance in sound, and not always on precise forms of the original sentence which prompted them.

33. שׁמעין shı̂m‛ôn, Shim‘on, “hearing, answer.”

34. לוי lêvı̂y, Levi, “junction, union.”

35. יחוּדה yehûdâh, Jehudah, “praised.”

In this chapter and the following, Jacob grows from a solitary fugitive with a staff in his hand Genesis 32:10 to be the father of a large family and the owner of great wealth. He proves himself to be a man of patience and perseverance, and the Lord according to promise is with him.

Genesis 29:1-8

Jacob arrives at the well of Haran. “The land of the sons of the east.” The points of the heavens were defined by the usage of practical life, and not by the standard of a science yet unknown. Hence, the east means any quarter toward the sunrising. Haran was about four degrees east of Beer-sheba, and five and a half degrees north. The distance was about four hundred and fifty miles, and therefore it would take Jacob fifteen days to perform the journey at thirty miles a day. If he reached Bethel the first night, he must have travelled about fifty miles the first day. After this he proceeds on his journey without any memorable incident. In the neighborhood of Haran he comes upon a well, by which lay three flocks. This is not the well near Haran where Abraham’s servant met Rebekah. It is in the pasture grounds at some distance from the town. On its mouth was a large stone, indicating that water was precious, and that the well was the common property of the surrounding natives. The custom was to gather the flocks, roll away the stone, which was too great to be moved by a boy or a female, water the flocks, and replace the stone. Jacob, on making inquiry, learns that Haran is at hand, that Laban is well, and that Rachel is drawing nigh with her father’s flocks. Laban is called by Jacob the son of Nahor, that is, his grandson, with the usual latitude of relative names in Scripture Genesis 28:13. “The day is great.” A great part of it yet remains. It is not yet the time to shut up the cattle for the night; “water the sheep and go feed them.” Jacob may have wished to meet with Rachel without presence of the shepherds. “We cannot.” There was a rule or custom that the flocks must be all assembled before the stone was rolled away for the purpose of watering the cattle. This may have been required to insure a fair distribution of the water to all parties, and especially to those who were too weak to roll away the stone.

Genesis 29:9-14

Jacob’s interview with Rachel, and hospitable reception by Laban. Rachel’s approach awakens all Jacob’s warmth of feeling. He rolls away the stone, waters the sheep, kisses Rachel, and bursts into tears. The remembrance of home and of the relationship of his mother to Rachel overpowers him. He informs Rachel who he is, and she runs to acquaint her father. Laban hastens to welcome his relative to his house. “Surely my bone and my flesh art thou.” This is a description of kinsmanship probably derived from the formation of the woman out of the man Genesis 2:23. A month here means the period from new moon to new moon, and consists of twenty-nine or thirty days.

Genesis 29:15-20

Jacob serves seven years for Rachel. “What shall thy wages be?” An active, industrious man like Jacob was of great value to Laban. “Two daughters.” Daughters in those countries and times were also objects of value, for which their parents were accustomed to receive considerable presents Genesis 24:53. Jacob at present, however, is merely worth his labor. He has apparently nothing else to offer. As he loves Rachel, he offers to serve seven years for her, and is accepted. Isaac loved Rebekah after she was sought and won as a bride for him. Jacob loves Rachel before he makes a proposal of marriage. His attachment is pure and constant, and hence the years of his service seem but days to him. The pleasure of her society both in the business and leisure of life makes the hours pass unnoticed. It is obvious that in those early days the contact of the sexes before marriage was more unrestrained than it afterward became.

Genesis 29:21-30

Jacob is betrayed into marrying Leah, and on consenting to serve other seven years obtains Rachel also. He claims his expected reward when due. “Made a feast.” The feast in the house of the bride’s father seems to have lasted seven days, at the close of which the marriage was completed. But the custom seems to have varied according to the circumstances of the bridegroom. Jacob had no house of his own to which to conduct the bride. In the evening: when it was dark. The bride was also closely veiled, so that it was easy for Laban to practise this piece of deceit. “A handmaid.” It was customary to give the bride a handmaid, who became her confidential servant Genesis 24:59, Genesis 24:61. In the morning Jacob discovers that Laban had overreached him. This is the first retribution Jacob experiences for the deceitful practices of his former days. He expostulates with Laban, who pleads the custom of the country.

It is still the custom not to give the younger in marriage before the older, unless the latter be deformed or in some way defective. It is also not unusual to practise the very same trick that Laban now employed, if the suitor is so simple as to be off his guard. Jacob, however, did not expect this at his relative’s hands, though he had himself taken part in proceedings equally questionable. “Fulfill the week of this.” If this was the second day of the feast celebrating the nuptials of Leah, Laban requests him to Complete the week, and then he will give him Rachel also. If, however, Leah was fraudulently put upon him at the close of the week of feasting, then Laban in these words proposes to give Rachel to Jacob on fulfilling another week of nuptial rejoicing. The latter is in the present instance more likely. In either case the marriage of Rachel is only a week after that of Leah. Rather than lose Rachel altogether, Jacob consents to comply with Laban’s terms.

Rachel was the wife of Jacob’s affections and intentions. The taking of a second wife in the lifetime of the first was contrary to the law of nature, which designed one man for one woman Genesis 2:21-25. But the marrying of a sister-in-law was not yet incestuous, because no law had yet been made on the subject. Laban gives a handmaid to each of his daughters. To Rebekah his sister had been given more than one Genesis 24:61. Bondslaves had been in existence long before Laban’s time Genesis 16:1. “And loved also Rachel more than Leah.” This proves that even Leah was not unloved. At the time of his marriage Jacob was eighty-four years of age; which corresponds to half that age according to the present average of human life.

Genesis 29:31-35

Leah bears four sons to Jacob. “The Lord saw.” The eye of the Lord is upon the sufferer. It is remarkable that both the narrator and Leah employ the proper name of God, which makes the performance of promise a prominent feature of his character. This is appropriate in the mouth of Leah, who is the mother of the promised seed. “That Leah was hated” - less loved than Rachel. He therefore recompenses her for the lack of her husband’s affections by giving her children, while Rachel was barren. “Reuben” - behold a son. “The Lord hath looked on my affliction.” Leah had qualities of heart, if not of outward appearance, which commanded esteem. She had learned to acknowledge the Lord in all her ways. “Simon” - answer. She had prayed to the Lord, and this was her answer. “Levi” - union, the reconciler. Her husband could not, according to the prevailing sentiments of those days, fail to be attached to the mother of three sons. “Judah” - praised. Well may she praise the Lord; for this is the ancestor of the promised seed. It is remarkable that the wife of priority, but not of preference, is the mother of the seed in whom all nations are to be blessed. Levi the reconciler is the father of the priestly tribe. Simon is attached to Judah. Reuben retires into the background.

Reuben may have been born when Jacob was still only eighty-four, and consequently Judah was born when Jacob was eighty-seven.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Genesis 29:21. My days are fulfilled — My seven years are now completed, let me have my wife, for whom I have given this service as a dowry.


 
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