And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
Ver. 18. I will serve thee seven years.] He had nothing to endow her with; he would therefore earn her with his hard labour: which, as it shows Laban's churlishness to suffer it, and his baseness to make a prize and a prey of his two daughters, so it sets forth Jacob's meekness, poverty, patience, and hard condition here, mentioned many years after by the prophet Hosea. Hos 12:12 He was a man of many sorrows; and from him therefore the Church hath her denomination: neither were the faithful ever since called Abrahamites but Israelites.