23 And said, Whose daughter 24 And she said unto him I am © art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is the daughter of Bethuel the son of there room in thy father's house Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor for us to lodge in?

c ch. 22. 23.

often seen not less than an inch in diam- her as things to be treasured up. The eter; but their weight, although great, material of the bracelets is exceedingly is not commensurate to their size, as they various. Gold is necessarily rare; sil| are usually hollow. The weight which ver is the most common, but many that a woman carries on her arms is, howev-seemed to be silver, we have found to er, not to be estimated by that of a sin- be plated steel. Amber, coral, mothergle pair of bracelets; for no woman of-pearl, and beads, are also used for who can possibly get more is contented bracelets, particularly for the upper with one pair. It is not unusual to see part of the arm, for, whatever be the five or six bracelets on the same arm, material of the others, it is usually decovering it from the wrist nearly to the sired that the one on the wrist should be elbow. These and their other orna- of silver. The poorer sort of women ments form the sole wealth of the bulk are, however, often obliged to content of the women; and they are anxious, themselves with rings of copper, horn, on all occasions, to accumulate it, and common glass beads, and other articles loath to part with it; hence, on com- of inferior description. Estimating the paratively poor women, living and dress-gold by its weight, nearly five ounces, ing meanly, it is not so uncommon to Eliezer's present was altogether very see a considerable quantity of precious valuable.'-Pict. Bible. metal in the ornaments of her head

dress, and of her arms and ankles; and whatever ornaments she possesses are not treasured up to be produced on grand occasions, but are worn daily as parts of her ordinary costume. 'Thus she puts all her bracelets on her arms at once, all her anklets on her legs, and all her ear-rings in her ears. Such ornaments for her whole personal wealth, and on their value she rests her claim to permanent consideration. This is particularly the case with the Bedouin females, who are generally well supplied with all kinds of trinkets of personal or nament; for although the Arab cares little about his own dress, he is anxious to deck his wife as richly as possible, that honor may be reflected upon himself, and his circumstances properly estimated. The use of ornaments on all occasions seems to explain why Eliezer placed the nose-ring at once on the nose of Rebekah, and the bracelets on her hands, instead of giving them to

BRACELETS.

26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. 27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of f his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD s led me to the house of my master's brethren.

28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.

ther, and his name wash Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the ear-ring, and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man, and behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

31 And he said, Come in, i thou blessed of the LORD, wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for

29 T And Rebekah had a bro- the camels.

d ver. 52. Exod. 4.31. e Exod. 18. 10. Ruth 4. 14. 1 Sam. 25. 32, 39. 2 Sam. 18. 28. Luke 1. 68. fch. 32. 10. Ps. 98. 3. g ver. 48.

25. Straw and provender.

h ch. 29. 5. i ch. 26. 29. Judg. 17. 2. Ruth 3. 10. Ps. 115. 15.

The straw right way to take my master's brother's teben, Arab tibn, seems to have been daughter unto his son;' but it is by no cut straw,' to render it more portable. means to be imagined that he would The Septuagint renders it by axvpa, chaff, have spoken those words in her hearing. which is a name applied to straw after It would be difficult to point out a more it has been cut fine by the use of a striking instance of one who ‘acknowchaff-cutter. The 'provender' was, it ledged God in all his ways,' than we bewould seem, a mixture of several kinds hold in this pious domestic. He neither of fodder, cut-straw, barley, beans, &c. takes any step without prayer, nor reso combined as to render the whole ceives any favor without praise.palatable. The original word is DOT Hath not left destitute my master of mispo, which the Septuagint translates his mercy and his truth. Heb. 'Hath by xopraoμara, which is a derivative not left off his mercy and his truth from from_xopros grass, and hence signifies with my lord.' fodder, of which herbage is the princi- 28. And the damsel ran. That is, as pal ingredient. Hay is not made in the intimated above, while Eliezer was East. Cattle continue at the present worshipping.-- Told them of her day to be fed with chopped straw mix-mother's house. Because her mother and ed with barley The common reader the females had apartments or tents would suppose the 'straw' to be for lit- separate from those of the men. Daughter; but straw is never so employed in ters, too, are naturally more familiar the East; dung, dried and pounded, be- with their mothers than their fathers, ing used for that purpose.'-Pict. Bible. | particularly in the East. 27. And he said, Blessed, &c. If this was a vocal, and not a mental prayer, we must suppose that it was uttered while Rebekah was running to inform doing him injustice to suppose that the her family of what had happened. For it appears, from v. 48, that he made use of the expression 'which led me in the

30. When he saw the ear-rings and bracelets, &c. From what we afterwards learn of Laban, it is not perhaps

golden ornaments had great influence in prompting a behavior which had the appearance of being highly disinterest

k

:

32 T And the man came into the house and ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.

34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.

:

35 And the LORD m hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and fore him to eat but he said, I will maid-servants, and camels, and not eat until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.

33 And there was set meat be

kch. 43. 24. Judg. 19. 21. John. 4.34. Eph. 6. 5, 6, 7.

1

1 Job. 23. 12.

asses.

36 And Sarah, my master's wife,

m ver. 1. ch. 13.2.

similar usage occurs 1 Kings 20. 11 Let not him that girdeth on his harness, boast himself as he that putteth it off; Heb. As he that openeth it. Ps. 102.

death; Heb. To open those, &c. Jer. 40. 4, Behold I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand ;' Heb. I open thee.- T Water to wash his feet. See Note on Gen. 18. 4.

ed and generous. His whole history shows him to have been a mercenary man, and quite susceptible to the impressions which the display of great wealth would make upon a covetous 20, To loose those that are appointed to mind. But, whatever were his motives, his treatment of the servant was kind. Finding him at the well, modestly waiting for a farther invitation, he accosts him in language that would have befitted the lips of a much better man; 'Come in, thou blessed of the Lord,' &c. | 32. The man came into the house; and ungirded his camels, &c. A somewhat inaccurate rendering, owing to the fact, undoubtedly, that the Heb. is often wanting in precision in making transitions from one part of a narrative to another. It often omits a nominative where the scope of the context enables the reader easily to supply it. Here there is no doubt that Laban is the subject of the verb, and our translation ought to have inserted 'he' before 'ungirded;' for it would have been a gross lack of civility to have made Eliezer unload and feed his own camels The old Geneva version is more correct:-' And he (to wit, Laban-marg.) unsaddled the camels and brought,' &c. We are to un-says David, 'nor slumber to mine eyederstand, therefore, that Laban, or those lids, till I find out a place for Jehovah, who acted by his orders, performed the an habitation for the mighty God of Jaservice here mentioned. The original cob. A striking illustration of this is for 'ungirded' (yephattah) properly furnished by Mr. Frazer, who, in his signifies he opened, by which is meant work, the 'Kuzzilbash,' and its sequel, the loosing of the travelling gear, and 'The Persian Adventurer,' has noticed taking off the burdens of the camels. Amany oriental usages which were but

33. There was set meat before him. Or, 'he set,' i. e. Laban; as the original has a double reading to afford both senses. Gr. Tаρε0пkεv, he set. Chal. They set.' The word 'meat' or 'food,' which is wanting in the Heb. is to be supplied in rendering.—¶ He said 1 will not eat until, &c. How does the character of this devoted servant brighten with every new circumstance introduced into this beautiful narrative! So full is his heart of his errand, soʻmuch does he prefer his master's interest to his own comfort or gratification, that he will not eat till he has discharged his mission! He esteems his work more to him than his necessary food. Such is the feeling of every true servant of God. 'I will not give sleep to mine eyes,'

ahare ziknathah, after her old age, a very striking expression, emphatically implying her natural incapacity to become a mother. The usual phrase would be in her old age.'- -T Hath he given all that he hath. That is, hath purposed to give: for the actual giving did not occur till some time after this, Gen. 25. 5.

38. But thou shalt go. Heb. 5 bx

אם

little known in this country. The Persian noble, Ishmael Khan, having occasion to claim the protection of an Affghaun chief, who was known to dislike the Persians, was advised to throw himself upon the protection of this formidable person, and claim his safe-conduct as a boon of hospitality. In reply, Ishmael observed, I might take the sanctuary of his table. The Affghauns, 37. My master made me swear. Heb. I believe, regard it as sacredly as we yashbiani, adjured me. Eliezer Persians.' 'No,' replied he, 'that is not did not swear otherwise than in being the Affghaun custom; but they have a sworn. See on v. 3. custom which is of equal sacredness and force; they term it nunnawautee. If you desire to receive a favor from any man among these clans, be he khan or ryot, you must repair before him, and proclaim yourself his guest; but at the same time declare that you will accept | go. of no office of hospitality; that you will neither taste of his salt, nor share an asher hithhallakti lepahis carpet, unless he consents to grant your request; and this request, so demanded, be it for protection only, or for more efficient assistance, he cannot, consistently with Affghaun honor, deny, provided it be at all within the bounds of reason.' Pict. Bible.

35. When she was old. Heb

im lo telek, if thou shalt not go. An imprecatory mode of speech, in which part of the sentence is understood. See the idiom explained in the Note on Gen. 21. 23. Gr. aλλa Topεvoŋ, but thou shalt

40. Before whom I walk. Heb.

nav, before whom I have walked. That is, before whom I have habitually walked in a way of obedience. Gr. w sunpornoα evavriov avrov, whom I have pleased before him. The idea of acceptable walking is undoubtedly implied.

41. Clear from my oath. Heb. mealathi, from my execration or curse

44 And she say to me, Both drink | her face, and the bracelets upon her thou, and I will also draw for thy hands. camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.

48 a And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master 45 X And before I had done Abraham, which had led me in the y speaking in mine heart, behold, right way to take b my master's Rebekah came forth with her pitch-brother's daughter unto his son. er on her shoulder; and she went 49 And now if ye will deal down unto the well, and drew wa- kindly and truly with my master, ter and I said unto her, Let me tell me and if not, tell me; that drink, I pray thee. I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.

47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom she bare unto him: and I put the ear-ring upon

Z

* ver. 15, &c. y 1 Sam. 1. 13. z Ezek. 16. 11. 12.

ορκισμού

C

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and said, d The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

a ver. 25. b ch. 22. 23. © ch. 47. 29. Josh. 2. 14. d Ps. 118. 23. Matt. 21 42. Mark. 12. 11. e ch. 31. 24. fc .20. 15.

Gr. оρkιoμоv id. In the corresponding is calculated to surprise an European passage, v. 8, it is shebuathi, my reader. A servant is sent on a distant oath; but an oath naturally implies an journey, with full powers to select a imprecation of evil to him who fails to wife and conclude a marriage for his perform it. master's son. The servant addresses

48. My master's brother's daughter. | himself to the lady's father and brother, Rebekah was not Abraham's brother's and they agree to his proposals without daughter, but grand-daughter. Here consulting Rebekah. The agent makes too Bethuel, who was Abraham's valuable presents to the lady and her nephew, is called his brother, as Lot was before.

49. That I may turn to the right hand, or to the left. That is, that I may go some other way in order to fulfil the obligation of my oath.

relations, and carries her away, and Isaac and Rebekah meet as man and wife without having ever seen each other before. But all this is most precisely analogous to usages which still prevail in the East, with some small di50. The thing proceedeth from the versity in different nations. We will Lord. Heb.yatzao haddabar, state the process of a marriage of a the word cometh forth from the Lord. It young couple in Persia, which seems, appears to be the divine will and plea- on the whole, to present a very close sure.—¶ Cannot speak unto thee bad or parallel to this patriarchal procedure. good. That is, cannot say any thing When a young man becomes marat all against the measure. Comp. Gen. | riageable, his parents begin to look about 31.24. among their kindred and acquaintance

51, Take her, and go, and let her be, for a suitable partner for him, frequent&c. The whole conduct of this affairly assisting their inquiries or leaving the