Genesis 24:49

49 quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo indicate mihi sin autem aliud placet et hoc dicite ut vadam ad dextram sive ad sinistram

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 interrogavique eam et dixi cuius es filia quae respondit filia Bathuelis sum filii Nahor quem peperit illi Melcha suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem eius et armillas posui in manibus

48 pronusque adoravi Dominum benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham qui perduxisset me recto itinere ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio eius

49 quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo indicate mihi sin autem aliud placet et hoc dicite ut vadam ad dextram sive ad sinistram

50 responderunt Laban et Bathuel a Domino egressus est sermo non possumus extra placitum eius quicquam aliud tecum loqui

51 en Rebecca coram te est tolle eam et proficiscere et sit uxor filii domini tui sicut locutus est Dominus