Genesis 29:18

And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

I will serve thee seven years - a proposal of marriage is made to the father without the daughter being consulted, and the match is effected by the suitor either bestowing costly presents on the family, or by giving cattle to the value the father sets upon his daughter, or else by giving personal services for a specified period, as a compensation to the father for the loss of his daughter's services.

Serving as a labourer in various departments of work to purchase a wife is quite common in the East still, and Sir H. Rawlinson, speaking of the Persian army, mentions that in more than one instance known to him, 'a man, in order to obtain a young woman as a bride, served as a substitute for her brother.

As to the particular term of seven years, it seems to have been regarded in early times as a full and complete period of service (cf. Exodus 21:2). Even after betrothal, the contact of the parties is restricted. The Arabs will not allow them to see each other; but the Hebrews were not so stringent, nor, perhaps, the people in Mesopotamia. At all events, with Jacob the time went rapidly away; because even severe and difficult duties become light when love is the spring of action.