Genesis 24:49

49 Wherefore if ye do mercy and truth with my lord (So if ye shall do mercy and truth to my lord), show ye to me; else if (an)other thing pleaseth (thee), also say ye this, (so) that I (know to) go to the right side, or to the left side.

Genesis 24:49 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 24:49

And now, if you deal kindly and truly with my master, tell
me
The servant directs himself to more than one, to the whole family, especially to Laban and Bethuel; if you will do my master a kindness, and grant him the favour he requests, that a damsel of this family may be given for a wife to his son; and, if you are hearty and sincere in granting this, tell me at once: and if not, tell me:
if you do not choose to gratify my master, and are not hearty in this matter, let me know: that I may turn to the right hand or to the left;
look out elsewhere among the daughters of some of the other sons of Nahor; for he had seven more which Milcah bare to him besides Bethuel, as well as four others by a concubine, ( Genesis 22:20-24 ) ; though some of the Jewish writers

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 by "the right hand" understand the daughters of Ishmael, that dwelt to the right, and by "the left [hand]" the daughters of Lot, who were to the left, which is not likely: it seems to be only a proverbial expression, that, if they did not choose to attend to his proposal in his master's name, he must take some other method, as he might be directed; he knew not for the present which way, whether he should steer his course to the right or left, but some way he must take. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,

``to the south or to the north;''

because when a man stands with his face to the east, the south is on his right hand, and the north on his left.
F15 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 60. fol. 53. 1. Jarchi in loc.

Genesis 24:49 In-Context

47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? Which answered, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah childed to him. And so I hanged earrings to adorn her face, and I put bands of the arm in her hands (and I put bands on her wrists),

48 and low-like I worshipped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which God led me by the right way, that I should take the daughter of the brother of my lord to his son. (and I bowed low before the Lord, and I blessed the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which God led me by the right way, so that I should find the daughter of the brother of my lord for his son.)

49 Wherefore if ye do mercy and truth with my lord (So if ye shall do mercy and truth to my lord), show ye to me; else if (an)other thing pleaseth (thee), also say ye this, (so) that I (know to) go to the right side, or to the left side.

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, The word is gone out of the Lord; we may not speak any other thing with thee without his pleasance. (And Laban and Bethuel answered, This thing is from the Lord; we shall not say anything to thee other than what pleaseth him.)

51 Lo! Rebecca is before thee; take thou her, and go forth, and be she [the] wife of the son of thy lord, as the Lord spake.