¹⁸ Jacob was in love with Rachel^(A) and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”^(B)

¹⁹ Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” ²⁰ So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel,^(C) but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.^(D)

³¹ “What shall I give you?” he asked.

“Don’t give me anything,” Jacob replied. “But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them:

³⁸ “I have been with you for twenty years now.^(A) Your sheep and goats have not miscarried,^(B) nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. ³⁹ I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen^(C) by day or night.^{(D) 40} This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes.^{(E) 41} It was like this for the twenty years^(F) I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters^(G) and six years for your flocks,^(H) and you changed my wages^(I) ten times.^(J)