Genesis 24:28-38

28 And so the damsel ran, and told in the house of her mother all (the) things which she had heard.

29 Soothly Rebecca had a brother, Laban by name, which went out hastily to the man, where he was withoutforth.

30 And when he had seen the earrings, and bands of the arm in the hands of his sister, and had heard all the words of her, telling, The man spake to me these things, he came to the man that stood beside the camels, and nigh the well of water, (For when he had seen the earrings, and the bands on his sister's wrists, and had heard all of her words, saying, The man spoke these and these things to me, he went out hastily to the man who was standing beside the camels, and near the water well,)

31 and said to him, Enter thou, the blessed of the Lord; why standest thou withoutforth? I have made ready the house, and a place to thy camels. (and said to him, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; why standest thou outside? I have prepared the house, and there is a place for thy camels.)

32 And he brought him into the inn, and unsaddled the camels, and gave provender, and hay, and water to wash the feet of the camels, and (the feet) of (the) men that came with him. (And he brought him into the house, and unsaddled the camels, and gave provender and hay to them, and then brought water to the man, and to the men who came with him, so that they could wash their feet.)

33 And bread was set forth in his sight, the which said, I shall not eat till I speak my words. He answered to the man, Speak thou. (And bread was set before the man, but he said, I shall not eat until I speak my words. And Laban said to the man, Speak thou.)

34 And the man said, I am the servant of Abraham,

35 and the Lord hath blessed my lord greatly, and he is made great; and God gave to him sheep, and oxen, silver, and gold, servants, and handmaids, and camels, and asses. (and the Lord hath greatly blessed my lord, and he is a great man; and God hath given him sheep, and oxen, silver, and gold, male and female slaves, and camels, and donkeys.)

36 And Sarah, my lord's wife, childed a son to my lord in his eld (age), and Abraham, my lord, hath given all things that he had to that son. (And Sarah, my lord's wife, bare a son for my lord in her old age, and Abraham, my lord, hath given all the things that he hath to his son.)

37 And my lord charged me greatly, and said, Thou shalt not take to my son a wife of the daughters of Canaan, in whose land I dwell, (And my lord greatly charged me, and said, Thou shalt not get a wife for my son from among the daughters of Canaan, in whose land I live,)

38 but thou shalt go to the house of my father, and of my kindred thou shalt take a wife to my son. (but thou shalt go to my father's house, and thou shalt get a wife from my family for my son.)

Genesis 24:28-38 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 24

This chapter shows Abraham's concern to get a suitable wife for his son Isaac, for which purpose he commits the affair into the hands of his eldest servant, and makes him swear that he will not take one from among the Canaanites, but out of his own country, and from among his own kindred, Ge 24:1-4; which his servant agreed to, after having the nature of his charge, and of the oath, explained to him, Ge 24:5-9; upon which he departed to Mesopotamia, and coming to the city of Nahor, and to a well near it, he prayed for success, and desired direction by a token, which was granted him, Ge 24:10-22; and inquiring of the damsel, who answered to the token, whose daughter she was, and whether they had room for him and his in their house; and an agreeable answer being returned, he gave thanks to God that had directed him, and had so far made his journey prosperous, Ge 24:23-27; the damsel acquainting her parents whom and what she met with at the well, a brother of her steps out, and invites the servant in, and makes him welcome, Ge 24:28-33; but before he would eat anything, he tells his errand he was come upon, at the instance of his master; how, he had prayed for direction, and was heard, and for which he had given thanks, Ge 24:34-48; and then treats with the relations of the damsel about her marriage to his master's son, to which they agreed, Ge 24:49-51; and after having blessed God, and given his presents he brought with him to the damsel, and her family, and ate and drank with them, was for departing the next morning, Ge 24:52-54; but the friends of the damsel being desirous of her stay with them some few days, and he urgent to be gone, the affair was referred to her, and she agreed to go with him directly, Ge 24:55-58; upon which they dismissed her with their blessing, Ge 24:59,60; who being met by Isaac in the way, was received and introduced into his mother's tent, and married by him, Ge 24:61-67.