29:15 Then Laban said to Jacob, “Should you work 6 for me for nothing because you are my relative? 7 Tell me what your wages should be.” 29:16 (Now Laban had two daughters; 8 the older one was named Leah, and the younger one Rachel. 29:17 Leah’s eyes were tender, 9 but Rachel had a lovely figure and beautiful appearance.) 10 29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with 11 Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.” 29:19 Laban replied, “I’d rather give her to you than to another man. 12 Stay with me.” 29:20 So Jacob worked for seven years to acquire Rachel. 13 But they seemed like only a few days to him 14 because his love for her was so great. 15
1 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Heb “and he told to Laban all these things.” This might mean Jacob told Laban how he happened to be there, but Laban’s response (see v. 14) suggests “all these things” refers to what Jacob had previously told Rachel (see v. 12).
3 tn Heb “indeed, my bone and my flesh are you.” The expression sounds warm enough, but the presence of “indeed” may suggest that Laban had to be convinced of Jacob’s identity before permitting him to stay. To be one’s “bone and flesh” is to be someone’s blood relative. For example, the phrase describes the relationship between Abimelech and the Shechemites (Judg 9:2; his mother was a Shechemite); David and the Israelites (2 Sam 5:1); David and the elders of Judah (2 Sam 19:12,); and David and his nephew Amasa (2 Sam 19:13, see 2 Sam 17:2; 1 Chr 2:16-17).
4 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Heb “a month of days.”
6 tn The verb is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; the nuance in the question is deliberative.
7 tn Heb “my brother.” The term “brother” is used in a loose sense; actually Jacob was Laban’s nephew.
8 tn Heb “and to Laban [there were] two daughters.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a prepositional phrase) provides supplemental material that is important to the story. Since this material is parenthetical in nature, vv. 16-17 have been set in parentheses in the translation.
9 tn Heb “and the eyes of Leah were tender.” The disjunctive clause (introduced here by a conjunction and a noun) continues the parenthesis begun in v. 16. It is not clear what is meant by “tender” (or “delicate”) eyes. The expression may mean she had appealing eyes (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT), though some suggest that they were plain, not having the brightness normally expected. Either way, she did not measure up to her gorgeous sister.
10 tn Heb “and Rachel was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance.”
11 tn Heb “Jacob loved.”
12 tn Heb “Better my giving her to you than my giving her to another man.”
13 tn Heb “in exchange for Rachel.”
14 sn But they seemed like only a few days to him. This need not mean that the time passed quickly. More likely it means that the price seemed insignificant when compared to what he was getting in the bargain.
15 tn Heb “because of his love for her.” The words “was so great” are supplied for stylistic reasons.