KJV ORIGINAL
And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he said to her father, 'I will work for you for seven years in exchange for marrying Rachel, your younger daughter.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Jacob was so deeply in love with Rachel that he willingly committed to seven years of labor just to marry her.
📚 Historical Context
In ancient Middle Eastern culture, it was customary for a groom to pay a bride price to the father of the bride, often in the form of money, livestock, or service. Jacob had fled his homeland with nothing after deceiving his brother Esau, so he had no wealth to offer as a traditional bride price. Working for seven years was his way of earning the right to marry Rachel.
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