Genesis 24:53

_AND THE SERVANT BROUGHT FORTH JEWELS OF SILVER, AND JEWELS OF GOLD, AND RAIMENT, AND GAVE THEM TO REBEKAH: HE GAVE ALSO TO HER BROTHER AND TO HER MOTHER PRECIOUS THINGS._ Jewels of silver, and ... gold. These, with money, are the usual articles that form a woman's dowry among the pastoral tribes. The marriage being a sort of commercial transaction, the purchase-money was paid in the name of costly presents to the bride's family; and thus Rebekah was betrothed....

29-53 The making up of the marriage between Isaac and Rebekah is told very particularly. We are to notice God's providence in the common events of human life, and in them to exercise prudence and other graces. Laban went to ask Abraham's servant in, but not till he saw the ear-ring, and bracelet upon his sister's hands. We know Laban's character, by his conduct afterwards, and may think that he would not have been so free to entertain him, if he had not hoped to be well rewarded for it. The servant was intent upon his business. Though he was come off a journey, and come to a good house, he would not eat till he had told his errand. The doing our work, and the fulfilling our trusts, either for God or man, should be preferred by us before our food: it was our Saviour's meat and drink, John 4:34. He tells them the charge his master had given him, with the reason of it. He relates what had...

Verse 53. _JEWELS OF SILVER, AND JEWELS OF GOLD_] The word כלי _keley_, which we here translate _jewels_ signifies properly _vessels_ or _instruments_; and those presented by Eliezer might have been of various kinds. What he had given before, Genesis 24:22, was in token of _respect_, what he gave now appears to have been in the way of _dowry_. _PRECIOUS THINGS._] מגדנת _migdanoth_. This word is used to express _exquisite fruits_ or _delicacies_, Deuteronomy 33:13-5; _precious plants_ or _flowers_, Cant. Song of Solomon 4:16;...

- The Marriage of Isaac 26. קרד _qādad_, “bow the head.” השׁתחוה _shâchâh_, “bow the body.” 29. לבן _lābān_, “Laban, white.” 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 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

EXPOSITION GENESIS 24:29 AND REBEKAH HAD A BROTHER, AND HIS NAME WAS LABAN. "White," whose character has been considerably traduced, the Biblical narrative not representing him as "a monster of moral depravity," but rather as actuated by generous imputes and hospitable dispositions (Kalisch). AND LABAN RAN OUT UNTO THE MAN, UNTO THE WELL. That Laban, and not Bethuel, should have the prominence in all the subsequent transactions concerning Rebekah has been explained by the supposition that Bethuel was now dead (Josephus), but _vide _Genesis 24:50; that he was altogether an insignificant character (Lange, Wordsworth); that firstborn sons enjoyed during their father's lifetime a portion of his authority, and even on important occ

AND THE SERVANT BROUGHT FORTH JEWELS OF SILVER, AND JEWELS OF GOLD,.... Ornaments for women, which he had brought along with him for presents, and which were a proof of the riches of his master, and of his generosity and liberality, who had furnished him with such a profusion of rich things to bestow on the person that should be got for his son's wife: AND RAIMENT, AND GAVE [THEM] TO REBEKAH; costly suits of clothes such as in those times were given to persons at their marriage, or in order to it; and which custom still continues among the Arabs, who, as Dr. Shaw says p, have the marriage contract previously made between the parents, wherein is express mention made not only of the "saddock", as they call that particular sum which the bridegroom settles on the bride; but of the several changes of raiment, and the quantity of jewels, and the number of slaves that the bride is to be attend...

CHAPTER 24 THE BRIDE SOUGHT FOR ISAAC _ 1. The commission to the servant (Genesis 24:1)_ 2. The obedience and prayer of the servant (Genesis 24:10) 3. The prayer answered (Genesis 24:15) 4. The gifts of the servant (Genesis 24:22) 5. The servant received (Genesis 24:27) 6. The servant's message (Genesis 24:34) 7. The commission and answered prayer stated ...

GENESIS 24. AT HIS MASTER'S COMMAND, ABRAHAM'S SLAVE BRINGS REBEKAH TO CANAAN AS A WIFE FOR ISAAC. The chapter has generally been assigned to J, but it is probably composite, and has been put together from J and E rather than from two J sources. Close scrutiny discloses features which negative its unity, but the combination has been skilfully effected and the story reads admirably. It is told with great literary skill. Feeling the approach of death, Abraham summons his senior slave and extracts from him a solemn oath, in contact with the organs which are the sacred seat of life, that he would not take a Canaanite woman as wife for Isaac, but would bring one from Abraham's own country. If the woman would not come, he was by no means to defeat God's purpose by taking Isaac to her. God would prosper His mission, but if the woman would not come, the oath would bind him no longer. After takin...

RAIMENT: or garments; i.e. changes of raiment....

The Betrothal of Rebekah 29. _Laban_ Rebekah's brother Laban (cf. Genesis 25:20; Genesis 28:2; Genesis 29:5) takes the part of the chief representative of Rebekah's family. Bethuel, their father, is mentioned along with him only in Genesis 24:50; and their mother in Genesis 24:53_; Genesis 24:55_....