Genesis 24:55

_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 her brother and her mother. Although Bethuel was alive (Genesis 24:15; Genesis 24:50), he acts a most insignificant part, or rather is ignored in this transaction; and 'whether he was incapable from years or imbecility to manage his own affairs, it is of course impossible to say; but something of this kind seems to be implied in all that relates to him. The narrative represents him in a light totally different from the very active part which Laban took in the matrimonial arrangements of his daughters' (Blunt's 'Undesigned Coincidences'). LET THE DAMSEL ABIDE WITH US A FEW DAYS, AT THE LEAST TEN, [Hebrew, _ YAAMIYM_ ...

54-67 Abraham's servant, as one that chose his work before his pleasure, was for hastening home. Lingering and loitering no way become a wise and good man who is faithful to his duty. As children ought not to marry without their parents' consent, so parents ought not to marry them without their own. Rebekah consented, not only to go, but to go at once. The goodness of Rebekah's character shows there was nothing wrong in her answer, though it be not agreeable to modern customs among us. We may hope that she had such an idea of the religion and godliness in the family she was to go to, as made her willing to forget her own people and her father's house. Her friends dismiss her with suitable attendants, and with hearty good wishes. They blessed Rebekah. When our relations are entering into a new condition, we ought by prayer to commend them to the blessing and grace of God. Isaac was well...

Verse 55. _LET THE DAMSEL ABIDE WITH US A FEW DAYS, AT THE LEAST_ _TEN_] The original is very abrupt and obscure, because we are not acquainted with the precise meaning of the _form of speech_ which is here used; ימים או עשור _yamim o asor_ DAYS or TEN, probably meaning a _year_ or _ten months_, as the margin reads it, or a _week_ or _ten_ _days_. This latter is the most likely sense, as there would be no propriety after having given their consent that she should go, in detaining her for a _year_ or _ten months_. In matters of simple phraseology, or in those which concern peculiar customs, the _Septuagint_ translation, especially in the Pentateuch, where it is most accurate and pure, may be considered a legitimate judge; this translation renders the words ἡμερας ὡσει δεκα, _about ten_ _days_. Houbigant contends strongly that instead of the words ימים או עשור _yamim o asor_, days or te...

- 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 HER BROTHER AND HER MOTHER SAID,.... Here her brother Laban is set before his mother, as above before his father, being the chief speaker and the principal manager of business: LET THE DAMSEL ABIDE WITH US [A FEW] DAYS, AT THE LEAST TEN; which was but a reasonable request; and if no more time is intended, it is much the servant should object, and not readily agree to it; but in the margin it is, "a full year" or "ten months"; and so Onkelos and Jonathan, and other Jewish writers u, who say it was customary for a virgin to have twelve months allowed her to furnish herself with ornaments; and therefore if a full year could not be admitted of, it is requested that at least ten months would be granted: this by many is thought to be unreasonable, that a servant should be desired to stay so long from his master, and especially it would not be asked, when it was perceived he was in such ha...

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...

TEN. Seven days. a week, but ten or. _decad_ (1/3 of. month) sometimes reckoned as. longer, but strictly defined period. Compare Exodus 12:3.Leviticus 16:29....

Abraham's Servant brings Rebekah to Isaac 55. _her brother and her mother_ LXX and Lat. read "her brothers and her mother." a few _days, at the least ten_ Heb. "days or ten," or, as we should say, "a week or ten days"; the word "or" meaning "or rather." LXX ἡμέρας ὡσεὶ δέκα, Lat. _saltem decem dies_. The Syriac Peshitto, "a month in days." A possible conjecture based on these variations is that of Olshausen, "a month of days, or ten....