Wherefore ate.ndeat thou without l (as if Divine .Providence; 11 proof of the under. bis not ncceptini;: Rebeknh's invitation were lying piety of those descendants of N ahor. almost a reflection on the hospitality of Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and the house of Abraham's kinsmen) for (lit- go,-that the consent of the maiden is not erally, and, in expectation of thine nrrival) asked was not owing to the fact that, ac- I have prepared the ho11Se,-or, put the cording to ancient custom, Oriental women house in order, by clearing it from things in were at the absolute rl.isposal, in respect of confusion (cf. Levit. xiv. 36)-and room (i. e. marriage, of their parents and elder brothers place) for the camels. (Bush), bnt to the circumstance that already Ver. 32.-And the me.n ea.me into the it had been tacitly given by her acceptance house: and he (i. e. Laban) ungirded his of the bridal presents (Kalisch), or, from her (literally, the) camels, e.nd gave straw-cut amiable and pious disposition, might bo up by threshing for fodder (cf. Job xxi. 18; taken for granted, since she, no more than Isa.. xi. 7; lxv. 25)-and provender for the they, would resist the clearly-revealed will camels, and water to we.sh his feet (cf. eh. of Jehovah (Lange, Wordsworth)-and let xviiL 4; xix. 2), e.nd the men's feet that her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord were with him-the first intimation that he.th spoken. Words which again kindled any one accompanied the messenger, though the flame of reverential piety in the old that assistants were necessary is obvious from man's heart, so that he worshipped the Lord, the narrative. bowing him.self to the earth-literally, he Ver. 31!.-And there was set-appositus prostmted himself to the eai·th to Jehovah est (Vulgate) ; i. e. if the first word be taken, (of. ver. 26). as in the Keri, es the hophal of C~b; but Vers. 53, 54.-And the servant brought if the Kethib be preferred, then CW 1!l is the forth jewels-literally, vessels (11m,,1, LXX. ), the idea being that of things finished or fut. Kai of 0~!, signifying, " and he set ; " rrap19q1<EV (LXX. )-meat before him to eat completed; from il~~. to finish (cf. eh. x.i:xi. (the crowning act of an Oriental reception): 37; xlv. 20)-ofeilver, e.ndjewels(orvesscls) but he said, I will not eat, until I he.ve told of gold, and raiment,-covering garments, mine errand. Oriental politeness deferred e. g. the outer robes of O1ieutals (eh. x:xxix. the interrogation of a guest till after he hod 12, 13, 15 ; xlL 42); especially precious supped (' Odyss.' iiL 69); but Abraham's ones (1 Kings xxii. 10)-e.ud ge.ve them to servant hastened to communicate the nature Rebekah-as betrothal present.9, which are of his message before partaking of the offered obsolutely essential, and usually given with hospitality-an instance of self-forgetful much ceremony before witnesses (vide 'Lnud zoal of which Christ wos the hlghest example and Book,' p. 593). He ge.ve also to her (vicle Mark vi. 31 ; John iv. 34). And he brother and to her mother (here mentioned (i. e. Lnban) said, Speak Oll.. for the first timo) precious things. nj;t ~!?- Vars. 34-49.-Avatlmg himself of tho from ,~~. precious, occurring only elsewhere privilege thus accorded, the faithful am- in 2 Chi·on. xxi. 3 nnd Ezek. i. 6 ; both times, bassador recounted tho story of his master's as hero, in connection with gold nnd silver- prosperity, nnd of the birth of Isaac when probnblydescribes vuluable articles in gencrn.l. Snroh his mother wns old (literally, after And (hnving thus fonnolly concluded tho her old age); of tho 011th which he had taken ongngement) they did eat and drink,-i. e. to seek n wife for his master's son among his partook of tho victunls which hod been set mnstor's kindred, and of the singularly before them at nn oorlier stage (vcr. 33)-he providen tin! monuer in which he hnd been and the men that woro with him, and tarried led to tho discovery of the chosen bride. all night ;-litorully, and passed the night Thon with solemn earnestness ho asked for 11 (cf. eh. xix. 2; xxiv. 25)-and they rose up decision. And now if_ 7e will dee.I kindly in the morning (indicntivo of olocrity nml and truly-literally, if ye are dointJ, L e. zcnl), and he said, Send me awe.y unto my are roady or willing to extend kindness and me.star-being impntient to report to .A.bro.- truth (cf. vcr. 27)--with (or, to) my master, ham tho success of his expedition. tell me: and if not, tell me; that I me.y Ver. 55.-A.nd her brother e.nd her mother turn (literally, and I will turn) to the right -Lobnu as usu!l.l (ver. 60) having the first hand, or to the le~-in further prosecution place ; probably because of the prominence of my mission, to seek in soma other family which from this time ho ossumcs in tho a bride for my master's son. theocratic history- se.id, Let the damsel Vers. 50-62.-Then Labe.n e.nd :eethuel a.bide with us n few days, e.t lenst ten. (vide on ver. 2P, answered and said, The Literally, days, at least (Vulgate, saltem); thing prooeedeth from the Lord:-Jehovah as it were (LXX., w11•i); porhnps (Murphy); (vide on vcr. 31)-we ce.nnot spee.k unto or (Fiirst, Ewald, K11lisch); if she wish, with thee be.d or good-1:. e. they could not do- the idea or choi~~ (Gcscuius); a ten, or dccn<lo l!Htr lo n proposal so clearly iwli,·~tc,l by of <lays ; tho i1~'l/ being used as o mcnsnro X 2 808 TIIE BOOK OF GENESIS. [en. XXIV. 29-60.
of time analogous to tlie pi:i~ or hebdomad. distant home ; and accordingly, without That ten montl,s ore meant (Chaldec, more delay, she wns dismissed from her Arabic, Ainsworth) is probably incorrect. mother's tent, attended by a faithful nurse After that sh.i shall go. (eh. xxxv. 8) nnd enriched 1-y tho blessing of Ycrs. 56-60.-Still urging his suit for her pious rclatil•cs, who said unto her, Thou permission to depart, Laban and the mother art our sister, be thou the mother of thou- of Rchckah proposed that the maiden should sands of millions (literally, our suter thou, be left to decide a matter so importnnt for become to thousandis of myriadis, i. e. let her hy her own inclinations. \\'hen con- tliy descendants be very numerous), and let sultee! she expressed her readiness at once to thy seed possess the gate (vidc eh. xxii. 17) accompany the vcncrnblc messenger to his ot those which hate them.