Genesis 24:32

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.)

Genesis 24:32 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 24:32

And the man came into the house
Upon the pressing instance made unto him; for so it may be rendered, "wherefore the man came" F11 and he ungirded his camels;
took off their bridles, which hindered them from eating, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi; or loosed their girts and took off their burdens, that they might have rest: this may be interpreted either of the servant and of his men by his order doing this, it being the first thing that travellers do when they come to an inn to take care of their cattle; or rather of Laban, as what follows must be interpreted of him: and gave straw and provender for the camels;
straw for their litter, and provender to eat; this Laban did, or ordered to be done: the Targum of Jonathan expresses his name, and no doubt he is intended, for who should give these but he? and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that [were] with him:
which was usually done to strangers and travellers in those hot countries, see ( Genesis 18:4 ) . The Vulgate Latin version is, "and water to wash the feet of the camels"; which, though it is possible might be done, yet is without any foundation in the text.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 (abyw) "intravit itaque", Tigurine version, Piscator; "quare", Schmidt.

Genesis 24:32 In-Context

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,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.