Bereshis 24:49

49 And now if ye will do chesed and emes to adoni, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to yamin, or to smol.

Bereshis 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.

Bereshis 24:49 In-Context

47 And I asked her, and said, Whose bat art thou? And she said, Bat Beituel Ben Nachor, the ben whom Milcah bore unto him: and I put the nezem upon her face, and the tzemidim upon her wrists.

48 And I bowed down my head, and worshiped Hashem, and I said a brocha to Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, which had led me on the derech emes to take bat achi adoni for bno.

49 And now if ye will do chesed and emes to adoni, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to yamin, or to smol.

50 Then Lavan and Beituel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from Hashem; we cannot speak unto thee rah or tov.

51 Hinei, Rivkah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be isha for ben adonecha, just as Hashem hath spoken.