†. Gen 24:23-25 . . Pray tell me; he said: whose daughter are you? Is
there room in your father's house for us to spend the night? She
replied: I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she
bore to Nahor. And she went on: There is plenty of straw and feed at
home, and also room to spend the night.
That did it. The identity of Becky's family was the final chop that felled the
tree. Abraham's steward had no more doubts about the Lord's providence.
At this point, he put the ring in Becky's nose and the bands on her arms.
How utterly astounded she must have been throughout the entire incident.
†. Gen 24:26-28 . .The man bowed low in homage to The Lord and
said: Blessed be The Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has
not withheld His steadfast faithfulness from my master. For I have
been guided on my errand by The Lord, to the house of my master's
kinsmen. The maiden ran and told all this to her mother's household.
After hearing the man's prayer, and seeing his faith in Yhvh, and his loyalty
to Abraham, (her dad's uncle), and the jewelry he gave her for doing
nothing more than giving him and his camels some water; Becky bolted for
home to tell everybody what just happened out at the spring. Becky told the
story to her mom's side of the family, which suggests that her dad Bethuel
may have kept a concubine as well as a wife.
Here's a possible scenario of what happened next.
Becky's mom (whose name isn't given) has become anxious-- it's getting
late, and her baby hasn't returned yet with the evening water supply. Then,
WHAM! as sudden and unexpected as a California earthquake: an excited,
out of breath Becky-girl comes crashing through the door with a shriek and a
squeal; dropping her jug on the floor with a thud, sloshing water over the
floor, accompanied by the incomprehensible jabbering of a flock of magpies
- gasping for air, lungs burning; she spits her tale as arms flash with gold,
and the ring in her nose sparkles like a glimmering salmon lure every time
she turns her head; which is quite often.
At first, in dazed silence, everyone is paralyzed and nobody moves. Then,
BOOM! the whole place erupts and people start scrambling. Chairs get
knocked over, tables bumped out of their places, lamps teeter, and doors
slam with the whump and concussion of incoming mortar rounds. People out
in the courtyard are barking orders to the servants at the tops of their
voices; as everyone bolts off from ground-zero in ten different directions like
panicked North Koreans making emergency preparations to put Kim Jong Un
up for the night.
Meanwhile, Becky's brother Laban (who just happens to be infected with a
severe case of unbridled avarice) ignites the afterburners and sails out the
door at Mach 2 on his way to fetch Abraham's steward.
†. Gen 24:29-30a . . Now Rebecca had a brother whose name was
Laban. He ran out to the man at the spring when he saw the nose
ring and the bands on his sister's arms, and when he heard his sister
Rebecca say: Thus the man spoke to me.
There's no record that Laban ever actually met Abraham in person, but
Bethuel surely must have talked about him around the dinner table-- how
the god of Noah had called uncle Abram to leave Mesopotamia and head
south to the frontier. And caravans arriving from Egypt surely passed
through Abraham's region, picking up news and information about the great
sheik's exploits and the fact that Abraham's camp was very large; a
community of at least a thousand people. Then; Shazaam! Abraham's
steward seemingly materializes out of nowhere-- totally unexpected like
Forrest Gump's friend Jenny after a long absence --with samples of
Abraham's prosperity. That must have been really exciting: akin to news
from early-day Texas oilfields.
†. Gen 24:30b-31a . . He went up to the man, who was still standing
beside the camels at the spring. He said: Come in, O blessed of The
Lord;
The word for "Lord" is actually yhvh and is the very name of Divinity the
steward used in his prayer. Laban didn't actually worship Yhvh nor serve
Him either. The steward's god was Yhvh; so for now, Yhvh would be Laban's
god too. Becky's brother was a flexible, clever manipulator. By feigning
respect for the steward's god; Laban no doubt hoped it would work to
advantage. Later we're going to discover that Laban's own personal religion
was actually idolatry. He kept a supply of divine figurines in his home-- little
statuettes called teraphim.
†. Gen 24:31b . . why do you remain outside, when I have made
ready the house and a place for the camels?
Unlike Abraham's home, where Abraham ruled supreme, the daddy in
Becky's home doesn't seem to have much voice or power in it. Bethuel's
son, is the principle spokesman. He and his mom together seemed to run
the place. Some husbands are happy with that kind of an arrangement so
what the hey, if it works for them? It could be too that the daddy's health
was not all that good and so he preferred letting his family manage the
home.
†. Gen 24:32 . . So the man entered the house, and the camels were
unloaded. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was
brought to bathe his feet and the feet of the men with him.
In those days, when somebody "entered the house" they actually entered a
gateway into a courtyard bordered by living quarters and stables.
Who took care of the animals? Probably servants. Which would indicate that
Bethuel had done pretty well for himself in life. His home was spacious
enough to shelter the servant and his detachment; plus he had enough
provender and bedding for at least ten camels. Hmmmm. Makes you wonder
why Becky was out there fetching water. Why did she have to do it if they
had servants? Well, I don't think she really had to; but Isaac's future bride
was no narcissistic prima donna: she was one of those people who don't
mind pitching in and getting their hands dirty. Privileged or no privileged;
that girl was something.
†. Gen 24:33a . . But when food was set before him, he said: I will
not eat until I have told my tale.
Always one for business, the man got straight to the point.
†. Gen 24:33b . . He said: Speak, then.
Who said: speak? Well, the nearest antecedent is Laban. You know, that boy
reminds me of Sonny Corleone; the eldest brother in Mario Puzo's book "The
Godfather". Sonny was headstrong, outspoken, and a slave to his passions;
just like ol' Laban.
Cont.
/
there room in your father's house for us to spend the night? She
replied: I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she
bore to Nahor. And she went on: There is plenty of straw and feed at
home, and also room to spend the night.
That did it. The identity of Becky's family was the final chop that felled the
tree. Abraham's steward had no more doubts about the Lord's providence.
At this point, he put the ring in Becky's nose and the bands on her arms.
How utterly astounded she must have been throughout the entire incident.
†. Gen 24:26-28 . .The man bowed low in homage to The Lord and
said: Blessed be The Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has
not withheld His steadfast faithfulness from my master. For I have
been guided on my errand by The Lord, to the house of my master's
kinsmen. The maiden ran and told all this to her mother's household.
After hearing the man's prayer, and seeing his faith in Yhvh, and his loyalty
to Abraham, (her dad's uncle), and the jewelry he gave her for doing
nothing more than giving him and his camels some water; Becky bolted for
home to tell everybody what just happened out at the spring. Becky told the
story to her mom's side of the family, which suggests that her dad Bethuel
may have kept a concubine as well as a wife.
Here's a possible scenario of what happened next.
Becky's mom (whose name isn't given) has become anxious-- it's getting
late, and her baby hasn't returned yet with the evening water supply. Then,
WHAM! as sudden and unexpected as a California earthquake: an excited,
out of breath Becky-girl comes crashing through the door with a shriek and a
squeal; dropping her jug on the floor with a thud, sloshing water over the
floor, accompanied by the incomprehensible jabbering of a flock of magpies
- gasping for air, lungs burning; she spits her tale as arms flash with gold,
and the ring in her nose sparkles like a glimmering salmon lure every time
she turns her head; which is quite often.
At first, in dazed silence, everyone is paralyzed and nobody moves. Then,
BOOM! the whole place erupts and people start scrambling. Chairs get
knocked over, tables bumped out of their places, lamps teeter, and doors
slam with the whump and concussion of incoming mortar rounds. People out
in the courtyard are barking orders to the servants at the tops of their
voices; as everyone bolts off from ground-zero in ten different directions like
panicked North Koreans making emergency preparations to put Kim Jong Un
up for the night.
Meanwhile, Becky's brother Laban (who just happens to be infected with a
severe case of unbridled avarice) ignites the afterburners and sails out the
door at Mach 2 on his way to fetch Abraham's steward.
†. Gen 24:29-30a . . Now Rebecca had a brother whose name was
Laban. He ran out to the man at the spring when he saw the nose
ring and the bands on his sister's arms, and when he heard his sister
Rebecca say: Thus the man spoke to me.
There's no record that Laban ever actually met Abraham in person, but
Bethuel surely must have talked about him around the dinner table-- how
the god of Noah had called uncle Abram to leave Mesopotamia and head
south to the frontier. And caravans arriving from Egypt surely passed
through Abraham's region, picking up news and information about the great
sheik's exploits and the fact that Abraham's camp was very large; a
community of at least a thousand people. Then; Shazaam! Abraham's
steward seemingly materializes out of nowhere-- totally unexpected like
Forrest Gump's friend Jenny after a long absence --with samples of
Abraham's prosperity. That must have been really exciting: akin to news
from early-day Texas oilfields.
†. Gen 24:30b-31a . . He went up to the man, who was still standing
beside the camels at the spring. He said: Come in, O blessed of The
Lord;
The word for "Lord" is actually yhvh and is the very name of Divinity the
steward used in his prayer. Laban didn't actually worship Yhvh nor serve
Him either. The steward's god was Yhvh; so for now, Yhvh would be Laban's
god too. Becky's brother was a flexible, clever manipulator. By feigning
respect for the steward's god; Laban no doubt hoped it would work to
advantage. Later we're going to discover that Laban's own personal religion
was actually idolatry. He kept a supply of divine figurines in his home-- little
statuettes called teraphim.
†. Gen 24:31b . . why do you remain outside, when I have made
ready the house and a place for the camels?
Unlike Abraham's home, where Abraham ruled supreme, the daddy in
Becky's home doesn't seem to have much voice or power in it. Bethuel's
son, is the principle spokesman. He and his mom together seemed to run
the place. Some husbands are happy with that kind of an arrangement so
what the hey, if it works for them? It could be too that the daddy's health
was not all that good and so he preferred letting his family manage the
home.
†. Gen 24:32 . . So the man entered the house, and the camels were
unloaded. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was
brought to bathe his feet and the feet of the men with him.
In those days, when somebody "entered the house" they actually entered a
gateway into a courtyard bordered by living quarters and stables.
Who took care of the animals? Probably servants. Which would indicate that
Bethuel had done pretty well for himself in life. His home was spacious
enough to shelter the servant and his detachment; plus he had enough
provender and bedding for at least ten camels. Hmmmm. Makes you wonder
why Becky was out there fetching water. Why did she have to do it if they
had servants? Well, I don't think she really had to; but Isaac's future bride
was no narcissistic prima donna: she was one of those people who don't
mind pitching in and getting their hands dirty. Privileged or no privileged;
that girl was something.
†. Gen 24:33a . . But when food was set before him, he said: I will
not eat until I have told my tale.
Always one for business, the man got straight to the point.
†. Gen 24:33b . . He said: Speak, then.
Who said: speak? Well, the nearest antecedent is Laban. You know, that boy
reminds me of Sonny Corleone; the eldest brother in Mario Puzo's book "The
Godfather". Sonny was headstrong, outspoken, and a slave to his passions;
just like ol' Laban.
Cont.
/
