the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Updated Bible Version
Genesis 24:50
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Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing has come from the Lord ; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is clearly from the Lord , and we cannot change what must happen.
Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "This is the Lord 's doing. Our wishes are of no concern.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak to thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can't speak to you bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The matter has come from the LORD; so we dare not speak bad or good [to you about it—we cannot interfere].
Laban and Batuel answeriden, The word is gon out of the Lord; we moun not speke ony other thing with thee without his plesaunce.
And Laban answereth -- Bethuel also -- and they say, `The thing hath gone out from Jehovah; we are not able to speak unto thee bad or good;
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "The Lord has done this. We have no choice in the matter.
Lavan and B'tu'el replied, "Since this comes from Adonai , we can't say anything to you either bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from Jehovah: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel said in answer, This is the Lord's doing: it is not for us to say Yes or No to you.
Then aunswered Laban and Bethuel, saying: This saying is proceeded euen of the Lorde, we can not therefore say vnto thee eyther good or bad.
And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from Jehovah: we cannot speak to thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "We see that this is from the Lord , so there is nothing we can say to change it.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said: 'The thing proceedeth from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speake vnto thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord : we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "This thing comes from the Lord. We cannot speak for or against it.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing comes from the Lord ; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel and said, from Yahweh, hath come forth the word, - we cannot speak unto thee ill or well.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, This thing is proceeded of the Lorde: we cannot therefore say vnto thee, neither euill nor good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeded from the LORD; we cannot say anything to you good or bad.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "Since this matter comes from the Lord , it is not for us to make a decision.
And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord: we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
Then Laban and Bethu'el answered, "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer thee bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we have no choice in the matter.
Then Lavan and Betu'el answered, "The thing proceeds from the LORD. We can't speak to you bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and they said, "The matter has gone out from Yahweh; we are not able to speak bad or good to you.
And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing has come from Jehovah; we are not able to speak to you good or evil.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and sayde: This is come of the LORDE, therfore can we saye nothinge agaynst the, nether euell ner good.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is totally from God . We have no say in the matter, either yes or no. Rebekah is yours: Take her and go; let her be the wife of your master's son, as God has made plain."
Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "The matter has come from the LORD; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say.
Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "The matter comes from the LORD; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The matter comes from Yahweh; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
Laban: These seem both to be brothers, of whom Laban was the eldest and chief. The opinion of Josephus appears to be very correct, that Bethuel, the father, had been dead some time. Genesis 24:15, Genesis 24:28, Genesis 24:53, Genesis 24:55, Genesis 24:60
The thing: Psalms 118:23, Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:11
we: Genesis 31:24, Genesis 31:29, 2 Samuel 13:22, Acts 11:17
Reciprocal: Genesis 24:59 - their Genesis 28:2 - Laban 1 Kings 18:21 - answered Acts 5:39 - if
Cross-References
And it came to pass, before he had finished speaking, that, look, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
And the damsel ran, and told her mother's house according to these words.
And the slave brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us [a few] days, at the least ten. After that she shall go.
And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, Our sister, be [the mother] of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those that hate them.
And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream of the night, and said to him, You be careful not to speak to Jacob either good or bad.
It is in the power of my hand to do you harm: but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, You be careful that you don't speak to Jacob either good or bad.
And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
This is Yahweh's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
Jesus says to them, Did you never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes?
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then Laban and Bethuel answered,.... The order of the words in the original is, "then answered Laban and Bethuel"; the word for "answered" is in the singular number, from whence it may be concluded, that Laban gave the answer in the name of Bethuel, he consenting to it, who might be an old man, and left the management of his family affairs to his son, who, Aben Ezra thinks, excelled his father in wisdom and honour; but Jarchi represents him as a wicked and impudent man, who took upon him to speak before his father: but some have thought that this Bethuel was not old Bethuel, the father of Rebekah, but young Bethuel his son, the younger brother of Laban and Rebekah, their father Bethuel being dead, as Josephus says, before observed; and this seems to be countenanced by Genesis 24:59, where they are represented as blessing Rebekah, and calling her their sister:
and said, the thing proceedeth from the Lord: that Rebekah should be given to Isaac, as the Targum of Jonathan adds: this matter appears to be according to his will and pleasure, he seems to have appointed it in his decree, and to be bringing it about by his providence; for these men, though they were in part idolaters yet had some good notions of the true God, and of his government of the world, and of his ordering all things in it according to the counsel of his will:
we cannot speak unto thee good or bad; cannot deny the request; the thing was so plain that they had not anything to object to it.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- The Marriage of Isaac
26. ×§×¨× qaÌdad, âbow the head.â ×ש×ת××× shaÌchaÌh, âbow the body.â
29. ××× laÌbaÌn, âLaban, white.â
In this circumstantial account of the marriage of Isaac, we have a beautiful picture of ancient manners in the East, the living original of which the present customs of that cradle of mankind are a striking copy.
Genesis 24:1-9
Abraham binds the chief servant of his house to seek a wife for his son Isaac among his kindred. The first movement in this matrimonial arrangement is on the part of the father, who does not consult his son, but the chief manager of his household affairs. Abraham is now a hundred and forty years of age, and Sarah has been three years dead. Isaac seems to have been of an easy, sedate turn of mind, and was not in circumstances to choose a partner for life such as his father would approve. The promise of a numerous offspring by the son of Sarah is before the mind of the patriarch. All these considerations impel him to look out for a suitable wife for his son, and the blessing of the Lord encourages him to proceed. The person whom Abraham intrusted with this delicate task has a threefold designation. First, he is âhis servantâ or minister. Secondly, he is the old man, ancient, or elder of his house. Here the term âelderâ approaches its official signification. In early times age was taken into account, along with good conduct and aptitude, as the qualification for services of trust. Thirdly, he âruled over all that he had.â He was therefore a master as well as a minister. If this be Eliezer of mascus Genesis 15:2, he was the steward of Abraham before the birth of Ishmael fifty-four Years ago. âUnder my thigh.â The thigh was the seat of generative power, and the region of sacramental consecration, and to put the hand under the thigh was to acknowledge and pledge obedience to him who requires the oath.
Genesis 24:3-4
The appeal is to God as âYahweh, God of heaven and God of the earth.â Yahweh is the personal name of God, which is properly used by those who are in fellowship with him. He is the Author of all being, and therefore of heaven and earth; and hence the arbiter of the destiny of the oath-taker, both in spiritual and material things, both in this life and in what is to come. âNot of the daughters of the Kenaanite,â a race sinking fast into ungodliness and unrighteousness, doomed to extirpation, to whom the promised seed is to succeed. The kindred of Abraham were Shemites, Hebrews, and still retained some knowledge of the true God, and some reverence for him and his will. The experienced elder of Abrahamâs house does not wish to bind himself by an oath to what it may be impossible to fulfill. He makes the supposition of the unwillingness of the bride whom he may select, and obtains a quittance from his oath in that ease. The patriarch, however, charges him not to bring his son back to the land of his fathers, and expresses his confidence in the God of promise, that he will direct his servant to the suitable wife for his son. âHis angelâ Genesis 16:7. This is the Lord in the function of an angel or messenger opening the way for the servant of Abraham. He does not make any appearance to the servant, though a superintending Providence is strikingly displayed in the whole affair. The faithful elder now understands and takes the required oath.
Genesis 24:10-14
He proceeds on his journey. âTook ten camels.â These are designed for conducting the bride and her companions home to his master. âAll the best belonging to his master in his hand.â This refers to the presents for the bride and her friends, and to the accommodations for her comfort on the journey. âAram-Naharaim.â Aram was an extensive area, embracing not only the country west of the Frat and north of Palestine, but the northern part of Mesopotamia, or the country between the Frat and the Dijlah. The latter region is for the sake of distinction called Aram of the two rivers. It did not include the southern part of Mesopotamia, which was called Shinar Genesis 11:2, and probably extended only to the Chaboras, Khabour. The part of it in which Haran was situated was called Padan-aram Genesis 28:2. âThe city of Nahor.â It is probable that Nahor accompanied his father, Terah, to Haran Genesis 11:31. If not, he must have followed him very soon.
Genesis 24:11
Made the camels kneel, - for repose. âThe time when the maidens that draw water come out.â The evening was the cool part of the day. The simple maidens of primitive days attended personally to domestic affairs. The experienced steward might therefore naturally expect to see the high-born damsels of the land at the public well, which had probably given rise to the neighboring town. The prayer of the aged servant is conceived in a spirit of earnest, childlike faith. The matter in hand is of extraordinary importance. A wife is to be found for the heir of promise. This was a special concern of God, and so the single-hearted follower of Abraham makes it. He takes upon himself the choice of a maiden among those that come to draw, to whom he will make the request of a particular act of kindness to a stranger, and he prays God that the intended bride may be known by a ready compliance with his request. The three qualifications, then, in the mind of the venerable domestic for a bride for his masterâs son, are a pleasing exterior, a kindly disposition, and the approval of God.
Genesis 24:15-21
The answer is immediate and direct. âHe had not yet done speaking,â when the answer came. A damsel âvery fair to look upon,â satisfying the taste of the old man, appears. He thereupon prefers his request, with which she promptly complies. The old man waits in wonder and silence to see if the Lordâs approval will follow.
Genesis 24:22-28
Rebekah makes herself known in reply to his inquiries. âA ring of gold.â The single ring was worn in the nose, the side cartilage of which was pierced for the purpose. This is a custom of the East. âA bekaâ was half a shekel, somewhat less than a quarter of an ounce. âTen of gold in weight.â Ten bekas would be about two ounces and a quarter. If shekels, however, be understood, the weight will be double. These were merely a reward for her kindness and courtesy to a stranger. Two questions are now asked by the stranger - the one relating to her kindred, and the other to the means and the inclination they had to entertain a stranger, when inns were not yet in existence. She announces herself to be the daughter of his masterâs nephew, and assures him of the requisite accommodation.
Genesis 24:26-27
Bowed his head and worshipped. - The bowing of the head and of the body are here combined to indicate the aged servantâs deep thankfulness for the guidance of the Lord. The utterance of the mouth accompanies the external gesture of reverence. âHer motherâs house;â those who were in the department of the females. We may imagine with what excitement and alacrity Rebekah would communicate the extraordinary intelligence.
Genesis 24:29-33
The reception of Abrahamâs servant. Laban now comes on the scene. He is ready to run with his sister to find the man, and invite him, as a matter of course, to his fatherâs house. âWhen he saw the ring.â The presents to his sister assure him that this is the envoy of some man of wealth and position. âThou blessed of the Lord.â The name of Yahweh was evidently not unfamiliar to Labanâs ears. He calls this stranger âblessed of Yahweh,â on account of his language, demeanor, and manifest prosperity. The knowledge and worship of the living God, the God of truth and mercy, was still retained in the family of Nahor. Being warmly invited, the man enters the house. âAnd he ungirded the camels.â Laban is the actor here, and in the following duties of hospitality. âThe menâs feet that were with him.â It comes out here, incidentally, as it was reasonable to infer from the number of camels, that Abrahamâs steward had a retinue of servants with him. The crowning act of an Eastern reception is the presenting of food. But the faithful servant must deliver his message before partaking of the friendly meal.
Verse 34-49
The servantâs errand is told. He explains his business in a singularly artless and pleasing manner. He then leaves the matter in the hands of the family. âGiven unto him all that he hath.â His children by Hagar and Keturah were dismissed with portions during his life, and the main bulk of his property was conveyed to Isaac.
Genesis 24:50-61
The servantâs return with Rebekah. So plain an interposition of Providence admits of no refusal on the part of those who revere the Lord. Bethuel now appears as a concurring party. Laban, as the full brother of Rebekah, has a voice in the disposal of her hand; but the father only has the power to ratify the contract. The patriarchâs servant first bows in acknowledgment to the Lord, who had now manifested his approval of the choice he had made, and then proceeds to distribute costly gifts to the bride, and to her brother and mother. Now at length the thankful guest partakes of the fare set before him along with his entertainers, and after the nightâs repose requests to be dismissed. âA few days;â perhaps a week or ten days. The mother and brother naturally plead for a little time to prepare for parting with Rebekah. They could not expect the servant, however, to stay months.
âInquire at her mouth.â This is the only free choice in the matter that seems to be given to Rebekah. Her consent may have been modestly indicated, before her family ratified the contract. It is plain, however, that it was thought proper that the parents should receive and decide upon a proposal of marriage. The extent to which the maidenâs inclinations would be consulted would depend very much on the custom of the country, and the intelligence and good feeling of the parents. In later times the custom became very arbitrary. Rebekahâs decision shows that she concurred in the consent of her relatives. âAnd her nurse.â Her name, we learn afterward Genesis 35:8, was Deborah. The nurse accompanied the bride as her confidential adviser and faithful attendant, and died in her service; a beautiful trait of ancient manners. The blessing consists in a boundless offspring, and the upper hand over their enemies. These are indicative of a thin population, and a comparatively rude state of society. âAnd her damsels.â We here learn, again, incidentally, that Rebekah had more female attendants than her nurse.
Genesis 24:62-67
Isaac receives his bride. He had been at Beer-lahai-roi, the scene of the interview of Hagar with the angel of the Lord - a spot calculated to awaken thoughts of an overruling Providence. âTo meditate.â This is a characteristic of Isaacâs retiring, contemplative mood. Abraham was the active, authoritative father; Isaac was the passive, submissive son. To meditate was to hold converse with his own thoughts, to ponder on the import of that never-to-be-forgotten scene when he was laid on the altar by a fatherâs hand, and a ram caught in the thicket became his substitute, and to pour out his soul unto the God of his salvation. In this hour of his grave reflection comes his destined bride with her faithful escort upon his view. Rebekah lights off the camel. Doubtless the conversation by the way with the elder of Abrahamâs house had made her aware of their approach to the residence of her future husband.
She concludes at once that this must be he, and, alighting, asks if it be. On being informed by the servant that this is his young master, she puts on the veil, which covers the head, and hangs down gracefully both behind and before. The aged servant reports the success of his mission, and presents Rebekah. Isaac brings his cousinâs daughter into the apartments formerly occupied by his mother, and accepts her as his wife. The formalities of the interview, and of her presentation to Abraham as his daughter-in-law, are all untold. âAnd he loved her.â This is the first mention of the social affections. It comes in probably because Isaac had not before seen his bride, and now felt his heart drawn toward her, when she was presented to his view. All things were evidently done in the fear of God, as became those who were to be the progenitors of the seed of promise. We have here a description of the primeval marriage. It is a simple taking of a woman for a wife before all witnesses, and with suitable feelings and expression of reverence toward God, and of desire for his blessing. It is a pure and holy relation, reaching back into the realms of innocence, and fit to be the emblem of the humble, confiding, affectionate union between the Lord and his people.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 24:50. Laban and Bethuel — These seem both to be brothers, of whom Laban was the eldest and chief; for the opinion of Josephus appears to be very correct, viz., that Bethuel, the father, had been some time dead. Genesis 24:28; Genesis 24:28.
Bad or good — We can neither speak for nor against; it seems to be entirely the work of God, and we cordially submit: consult Rebekah; if she be willing, take her and go. Genesis 24:58; Genesis 24:58.
