29:28 Jacob did as Laban said. 4 When Jacob 5 completed Leah’s bridal week, 6 Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 7 29:29 (Laban gave his female servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her servant.) 8 29:30 Jacob 9 had marital relations 10 with Rachel as well. He loved Rachel more than Leah, so he worked for Laban 11 for seven more years. 12
1 tn Heb “fulfill the period of seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as “my older daughter” for clarity.
sn Bridal week. An ancient Hebrew marriage ceremony included an entire week of festivities (cf. Judg 14:12).
2 tn Heb “this other one.”
3 tn Heb “and we will give to you also this one in exchange for labor which you will work with me, still seven other years.”
sn In exchange for seven more years of work. See C. H. Gordon, “The Story of Jacob and Laban in the Light of the Nuzi Tablets,” BASOR 66 (1937): 25-27; and J. Van Seters, “Jacob’s Marriages and Ancient Near Eastern Customs: A Reassessment,” HTR 62 (1969): 377-95.
4 tn Heb “and Jacob did so.” The words “as Laban said” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
5 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Heb “the seven of this one.” The referent of “this one” has been specified in the translation as Leah to avoid confusion with Rachel, mentioned later in the verse.
7 tn Heb “and he gave to him Rachel his daughter for him for a wife.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “and Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his female servant, for her for a servant.”
9 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Heb “went in also to Rachel.” The expression “went in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse, i.e., the consummation of the marriage.
11 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Heb “and he loved also Rachel, more than Leah, and he served with him still seven other years.”