Genesis 24:50

50 And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer thee bad or good.

Genesis 24:50 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 24:50

Then Laban and Bethuel answered
The order of the words in the original is, "then answered Laban and Bethuel"; the word for "answered" is in the singular number, from whence it may be concluded, that Laban gave the answer in the name of Bethuel, he consenting to it, who might be an old man, and left the management of his family affairs to his son, who, Aben Ezra thinks, excelled his father in wisdom and honour; but Jarchi represents him as a wicked and impudent man, who took upon him to speak before his father: but some have thought that this Bethuel was not old Bethuel, the father of Rebekah, but young Bethuel his son, the younger brother of Laban and Rebekah, their father Bethuel being dead, as Josephus says, before observed; and this seems to be countenanced by ( Genesis 24:59 Genesis 24:60 ) , where they are represented as blessing Rebekah, and calling her their sister: and said, the thing proceedeth from the Lord:
that Rebekah should be given to Isaac, as the Targum of Jonathan adds: this matter appears to be according to his will and pleasure, he seems to have appointed it in his decree, and to be bringing it about by his providence; for these men, though they were in part idolaters yet had some good notions of the true God, and of his government of the world, and of his ordering all things in it according to the counsel of his will: we cannot speak unto thee good or bad;
cannot deny the request; the thing was so plain that they had not anything to object to it.

Genesis 24:50 In-Context

48 And being well-pleased I worshipped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has prospered me in a true way, so that I should take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
49 If then ye deal mercifully and justly with my lord, , and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.
50 And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of thy master, as the Lord has said.
52 And it came to pass when the servant of Abraam heard these words, he bowed himself to the Lord down to the earth.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.