Verse

Genesis 29:20

ESV So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.
NIV So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
NASB So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days because of his love for her.
CSB So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
NLT So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days.
KJV And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
NKJV So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

What does Genesis 29:20 mean?

This is among the most romantic verses in the Bible. Certainly, it's one of the most romantic in Genesis. Jacob was sent to this region to find a wife (Genesis 28:1–2), as well as to keep away from his vengeful twin brother (Genesis 27:41). He managed to locate his uncle, Laban, and fall in love with the younger of Laban's two daughters, Rachel (Genesis 29:16–17). After a month of work, Laban had asked what wages Jacob expected, and Jacob offered much more than he needed to in order to secure Rachel's hand in marriage. Laban, always looking for a bargain, quickly accepted Jacob's proposal: seven years of free labor!

Jacob doesn't seem to have regretted it for a moment. He was so crazy in love with Rachel that seven years seemed to him to be only a few days. The years flew by. Love can do that to a man. Those years would quickly slow down, however. Jacob's history is one of deception and fraud (Genesis 25:29–34; 27:33–36), and Laban is actually plotting a scheme using Jacob's great love for Rachel.
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