The Meaning of Genesis 29:25 Explained

Genesis 29:25

KJV: And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

YLT: And it cometh to pass in the morning, that lo, it is Leah; and he saith unto Laban, 'What is this thou hast done to me? for Rachel have I not served with thee? and why hast thou deceived me?'

Darby: And it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done to me? Have I not served thee for Rachel? Why then hast thou deceived me?

ASV: And it came to pass in the morning that, behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, that in the morning,  behold, it [was] Leah:  and he said  to Laban,  What [is] this thou hast done  unto me? did not I serve  with thee for Rachel?  wherefore then hast thou beguiled  me? 

What does Genesis 29:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 29:21-35 - Jacob Marries Leah And Rachel
The chief lesson of this paragraph is its illustration of the awful nemesis which accompanies wrongdoing. No thoughtful person can watch the events of history or experience without realizing that we are already standing before the judgment-seat of God, and that His sentences are in process of being executed. Jacob deceived his father, and was himself deceived. "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." What disappointments there are in life! We think that we are to be dowered with Rachel, and lo! Leah is substituted; but in after-days Jacob spoke of Reuben as his might, the beginning of his dignity and excellency. The names of Leah's sons suggest the blessings that accrue through heartbreak. For the Leahs of the world there are great compensations. God remembers and hears them. Brokenhearted and forsaken, they live again in the lives of those whom they have borne either naturally or spiritually. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 29

1  Jacob comes to the well of Haran
9  He becomes acquainted with Rachel
13  Laban entertains him
18  Jacob covenants for Rachel
23  He is deceived by Laban with Leah
28  He marries also Rachel, and serves for her seven years more
32  Leah bears Reuben;
33  Simeon;
34  Levi;
35  and Judah

What do the individual words in Genesis 29:25 mean?

So it came to pass in the morning that behold it [was] Leah and he said to Laban what [is] this you have done to me Was it not for Rachel that I served you then why have you deceived me
וַיְהִ֣י בַבֹּ֔קֶר וְהִנֵּה־ הִ֖וא ! לֵאָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶל־ לָבָ֗ן מַה־ זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֔י ؟ הֲלֹ֤א בְרָחֵל֙ עָבַ֣דְתִּי עִמָּ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה ؟ רִמִּיתָֽנִי

וַיְהִ֣י  So  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַבֹּ֔קֶר  in  the  morning 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וְהִנֵּה־  that  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הִ֖וא  it  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
! לֵאָ֑ה  Leah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לֵאָה  
Sense: daughter of Laban, first wife of Jacob, and mother of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָבָ֗ן  Laban 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לָבָן 
Sense: son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah, and father of Leah and Rachel.
מַה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
זֹּאת֙  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
עָשִׂ֣יתָ  you  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לִּ֔י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
؟ הֲלֹ֤א  Was  it  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְרָחֵל֙  for  Rachel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָחֵל  
Sense: daughter of Laban, wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin.
עָבַ֣דְתִּי  that  I  served 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
וְלָ֖מָּה  then  why 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
؟ רִמִּיתָֽנִי  have  you  deceived  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: רָמָה 
Sense: to cast, shoot, hurl.