When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
Parallel Translations
-
When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
-
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
-
And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying: 'Thus spoke the man unto me,' that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the fountain.
Cross-references
No cross-references for this verse.
Explain this verse (6 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain For he waited on God’s hand, who had now…
For he waited on God’s hand, who had now heard his prayer.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 24:30 And it came to pass, when he…
Gen 24:30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
Ver. 30. When he saw the earring and bracelets.] These were the boons that Laban looked after; these drew the churl forth, and made him so courteous. Worldlings in serving God, serve themselves of God; they follow him for loaves more than for love. Vix diligitur Iesus propter Iesum. Hypocrites would use Christ as a bridge to get to heaven by; which if they could compass, let Christ sink or swim for them, they would not much care. Their love is meretricious, their obedience mercenary; they work only for wages. {a} Fac me pontificem, et ero Christianus, said one Pammachius, a heathen, to the Pope. Those degenerate priests would fain have had priests’ places, when something was to be got, but might not. {Ezr 2:61-62}
Read full note →
{a} These make earth their throne, heaven their footstool. - August.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And it came to pass, when he saw the…
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring, and bracelets upon his sister's hands,.... From whence he concluded that he was a rich and generous man she had met with, and might hope to receive a gift also upon giving him an invitation to his house; or however might judge he should be no loser by receiving him kindly and entertaining him generously; therefore it was that he made haste, and ran to him to bring him in; for that Laban was of a covetous disposition, appears from the whole story of him:
and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, thus spake the man unto me; inquiring whose daughter she was, and whether there was any room in her father's house for him and those that were with him to lodge in:
Read full note →
that he came unto the man; made haste and ran till he came to him:
and, behold, he stood by the camels at the wall; he did not follow Rebekah, but kept still at the well, expecting somebody would come out of the house and give him an invitation into it, upon Rebekah's representation of him.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 30. When he saw… and when he heard —…
30. When he saw… and when he heard — What he saw and heard, no doubt, had special influence on his action, and made the blessings and welcome (of Gen_24:31) doubly emphatic.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 30. when he saw the ring] With a slight…
30. when he saw the ring] With a slight touch of ironical humour, the first hint is thus given of Laban’s avaricious character. The sight of the gold seems to stimulate his courtesy to the servant.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And it cams to pass, when he saw the…
And it cams to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister"s hands (vide ver. 22), and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man (this explains the cause of the action mentioned in the previous verse); and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
HOMILIES BY F. HASTINGS Ver. 30.
Read full note →
Laban"s eye of greed.
when he saw the bracelets," &c. One thing moved Laban to offer hospitality to a stranger the vision of gold on his sister"s form. ;
I COVETOUSNESS MAKES A MAN CALCULATING WHEN APPEARING TO BE GENEROUS. Laban had not been so pressingly urgent in his invitation if he had not cherished a hope of further advantages. He was a churlish man. He said, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord," &c., because he saw that which was to him the greatest sign of blessing wealth. Laban helped the more readily to ungird Eliezer"s camels because he hoped thereby to loosen the girdle-purse of his visitor. ;
He had the eye of greed. He could not see anything valuable belonging to another without wishing to possess it.
II COVETOUSNESS MAKES A MAN, GENERALLY, SHORTSIGHTED WITH RESPECT TO HIS OWN BEST INTERESTS. Laban gave Eliezer a bad impression of himself. The latter would soon see through such a man as Laban. He showed this when he gave presents not only to the sister and mother, but to the brother (ver. 53). He knew that it would not he advisable to overlook Laban. Eliezer knew he could be bought. Laban, when treating with Jacob, was just as short-sighted. He gave Leah and Rachel to Jacob as wives only after years of service for which he stipulated. He changed Jacob"s wages ten times. Through his greed he at last lost Jacob. He confessed how great a helper Jacob had been. "The Lord hath blessed me for thy sake". (Gen_30:27) Jacob would not tarry with him, and even the daughters were glad enough to get away from such a father. Covetousness is opposed to our temporal and eternal interests. We lose by it the respect of others here and of God hereafter.
III COVETOUSNESS IS EVER INDIFFERENT TO THE RIGHTFUL CLAIMS OF OTHERS. It will ignore those claims altogether, if possible.
1. We find Laban thus ignored the influence of his father throughout the whole transaction. Perhaps Bethuel was infirm or aged, but he is, consistently with the character of Laban, thrust into the back-ground. Laban also takes all presents, and there is no mention of any being given to his father.
2. We find also he was in great measure indifferent to the happiness of his sister. He was subtle in tongue, and spoke of the Lord arranging things, but he believed in the arrangement because his family was the gainer. A good chance is offered by the Damascene stranger, and Rebekah soon saw that it was a foregone conclusion that she should go with him. Covetousness will make parents careless as to the physical, mental, and moral well-being of their children, and employers care- less of the state of their servants. It is covetousness also that leads many to spread temptations, too strong to be resisted, before others, and one nation to get rich out of that which is sapping the life-blood of another.
IV COVETOUSNESS NEVER SATISFIES, AND OFT MAKES MEN MOST MISERABLE. "He that is greedy of gain troubleth his house." "Envy is rottenness to the bones." Misers perish in the midst of plenty.
Riches possessed, the desire for more is generally intensified. The desire is no more checked than a lamp is extinguished by added oil.
V COVETOUSNESS IS SURE, SOONER OR LATER, TO BE REBUKED. The greed in Laban"s eye which glistened at the sight of the golden ornaments on his sister"s form deepened with the passage of years. At last, in his pursuit of Jacob, he was rebuked by God in a vision, and afterwards by the man he had wronged. Learn, therefore, that medium prosperity is better than great riches gained by greed. Despise not the comforts of life, but live for something higher. What is gained in the world is speedily gone. If we gain much and ruin our souls, we shall not only be rejected by God, but shall bitterly condemn ourselves. H.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.