Genesis 24:31

Gen 24:31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

Ver. 31, 32. And he ungirded his camels.] Laban did. Si spes lucri affulserit, &c. Sing but a song of "Utile," and many will dance after it, yea, stoop to any drudgery almost.

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.

Gen_24:31

Come in, thou blessed of the Lord

Confession of Christ; or, persuasives to church fellowship

As Laban said I have prepared the house, so Christ has ordained the Church and provided it with all things necessary for the refreshment, repose, and invigoration of His people.

As Abrahams servant was invited to enter, so the ministers and stewards of Gods word, and all the members of His Church, should bless those whom the Lord has blessed, and affectionately invite them to participate in all the privileges of the Lords house.

I. WHO ARE THE BLESSED OF THE LORD? The Lord Jesus answered our question in the very first sentences of His great sermon on the mount. He opened His mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit. The Lord also said, Blessed are they that mourn. The Lord also said, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. These are blessed of the Lord.

II. Let us inquire WHY THOSE WHO ARE BLESSED OF THE LORD SHOULD ACCEPT THE INVITATION of the Church to come in, by personal confession of Christ.

1. The Lord commands it (Mat_10:32-33; Mar_8:38).

2. The Church solicits it. A Christian who never confesses Christ and who holds aloof from fellowship with the Church, might as well not exist, so far as the interests of the Church are concerned.

3. The world needs it. The stronger the Church the more potent is the influence at work for the worlds good.

4. Your own spiritual welfare requires it. The value of association is recognized in other things. And thus church fellowship is useful in strengthening the convictions of those who share in a common faith and love towards Christ. An additional safeguard is thus furnished in seasons of temptation.

III. Let us now examine SOME OF THE EXCUSES adduced by those who, though blessed of the Lord, yet stand without. Some are ashamed of Christ, and shrink from the ridicule or enmity which confession might bring upon them. But these are not blessed of the Lord, for He says to them: He that is ashamed of Me, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed. Some keep outside that they may be free from the restraints of membership, and have more liberty for sin, or at least for folly. Others keep outside because they resolve to postpone repentance. But why do any who really trust in Jesus and who desire to love and obey Him stand without? They are hindered by unscriptural obstacles, erroneous opinions, or misapplied humility. (Newman Hall, LL. B.)

The blessed of the Lord

I. WHAT IT IS THAT CONSTITUTES REAL HAPPINESS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. It is being blessed of the Lord.

II. WHO ARE THEY THAT MAY BE SAID TO RE EMPHATICALLY BLESSED?

1. They who are justified in the sight of God.

2. Those who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

III. IN WHAT RESPECT AWE THEY BLESSED?

1. In their souls.

2. In their trials and sorrows.

3. In their mercies and prosperity.

4. In their labours.

5. In their relationship.

6. Throughout all eternity.

IV. And those, in the next place, who are thus blessed of the Lord, may TEST THE REALITY of their having that benediction by what they do for, or distribute amongst others, to whom the knowledge of that blessing has long been strange. He who is most blessed of God is always the greatest blessing to those that are about him. The greatest receiver of spiritual things is always the greatest giver; and the more he gives the more he gets, till he learns, by blessed and practical experience, it is more blessed to give than to receive. (J. Cumming, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 24:31. Come in, thou blessed of the Lord — Such was the beautiful language of those ancient times, whereby a sense of God was constantly kept up in their minds. How little is this language used in our day! Perhaps, because they heard from Rebekah of the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, they concluded that he was a good man, and therefore blessed of the Lord.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 31. Thou blessed of the Lord] Probably a usual mode of wishing prosperity, as he that is blessed of the Lord is worthy of all respect; for, enjoying the Divine favour, he is in possession of the sum of happiness.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(31) Come in, thou blessed of the Lord.—This hospitality was in the East almost a matter of course, though Laban’s earnestness may have been increased by the sight of his sister’s golden ornaments. More remarkable is it that Laban addresses the servant as “blessed of Jehovah;” for we learn in Jos_24:2 that the monotheism of Nahor and his family was by no means pure. Still, neither were they idolaters, and the “other gods” whom they served were probably teraphim, as certainly were the gods of Laban mentioned in Gen_31:30. Even to the last these household gods seem to have retained a hold upon the affections of the nation (Hos_3:4); and probably most uneducated minds, even when their religion is in the main. true, have nevertheless a tendency to add on to it some superstitions, especially in the way of fashioning for themselves some lower mediator.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. thou blessed of the Lord] Cf. Gen_26:29. Laban’s reference to Jehovah probably implies that he too, as a member of Abraham’s kindred, was a worshipper of Jehovah the God of Abraham.

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.

And he said, come in, thou blessed of the Lord,.... Both with temporal and spiritual blessings; he concluded he was blessed with the former by the presents he had made to his sister, and by the men that attended him, and the number of camels that were with him; and with the latter by his devotion, his worshipping of God, and thankfulness to him, which Rebekah had observed and related: some Jewish writers say (h), he thought he was Abraham, and therefore gave him this title and this invitation to come into the house:

wherefore standest thou without? this he said either as reproving him that he did not follow his sister upon her invitation, or rather as pressing him to make no more delay:

for I have prepared the house: swept it clean, or ordered it to be so, as the word (i) signifies; had fitted and furnished it with everything convenient for him and those with him: Jonathan and Jarchi interpret it of purging the house from idols and strange worship, which he knew would be offensive to Abraham, or any that belonged to him; but the former sense is best:

and room for the camels; he had ordered the stable to be cleansed also, and everything provided there fit for the camels; so that some time elapsed between Rebekah's return home and Laban's coming to the well, though no doubt everything was done with as much dispatch as possible.

(h) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 60. fol. 52. 4. Targ. Jon. in loc. (i) "repurgavi", Drusius; "verri", Schmidt.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Come in, thou blessed of the Lord, i.e. whom God hath so eminently favoured and blessed.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord. hwO; hy (cf. Gen_26:29; Num_24:9) the usual form being hwOhyl (vide Gen_14:19; Rth_2:20; 1Sa_15:13) Though Laban was an idolater, (Gen_31:30) it seems more satisfactory to regard him as belonging to a family in which the worship of Jehovah had originated, and by which it was still retained (Murphy, Wordsworth), than to suppose that he first learnt the name Jehovah from the servant"s address (Keil, Lange, Hengstenberg). Wherefore standest thou without? (as if his not accepting Rebekah"s invitation were almost a reflection on, the hospitality of the house of Abraham"s kinsmen) for (literally, arid, in expectation of thine arrival) I have prepared the house, or, put the house in order, by clearing it from things in confusion (cf. Lev_14:36) and room ( i.e. place) for the camels.

Laban, the solicitous host.

standest thou without?" The character of Laban has been well explained by Blunt in his "Coincidences." It is one of consistent greed. He was sincere in inviting Eliezer because he saw the bracelets on his sister"s hand, and expected still further favors from a guest who can so lavishly bestow gifts. Christ asks us to enter his kingdom, but he expects nothing from us in return but love. We may adapt this inquiry of Laban to souls as yet outside the Church.

I THE POSITION OCCUPIED. "Without." Probably they have no realized pardon, no enjoyment in religion, no future prospects of joy. Life is a dread mystery to them. They are saying, "Who will show us any good?" They may be just awakened spiritually, like the Philippian jailor. They may be under the condemnings of law and conscience, and in dread of the consequences of sin. Those within the true Church know in whom they have believed, and rejoice in forgiveness and the prospect of heaven. They are no longer outside the gates of mercy. We may be in a visible Church without being of Christ"s fold. It is penitence, faith, and character that determine our position, and not birth, rank, or ceremonial observances.

II THE REASONS WHEREFORE MANY RETAIN A POSITION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.

1. Accustomed to the state, and unwilling to change. They are like the prisoner who, after many years" imprisonment in the Bastile, was liberated, and went forth only to find all his friends gone and himself a mere burden

2. to society. He went back and entreated to be allowed to retain his cell until he should pass out of the world.

3. Many, because they are ignorant of the fullness of Divine mercy.

1. Others, because they think there is so much to be done ere they can be fitted to be received within, and are looking to their own efforts to prepare themselves.

2. Many, because they fear their opportunity of admittance is past.

3. Others, because undecided as to whether they shall give up the pleasures of the world for the privileges of Christian fellowship.

4. Others, because they lack faith in their faith and its power to justify.

5. Many stand outside because they think themselves as secure outside as within. They forget that Christ demands open confession, and that to be united openly, to his Church is one way of confessing his name before men. Let there be a personal and searching inquiry, "Wherefore standest thou without?" The invited guest passed within, and found his highest expectations more than realized, because God had prospered his journey. H.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Come in thou blessed of the Lord - Perhaps, because they heard from Rebekah, of the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth, they concluded him a good man, and therefore blessed of the Lord.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Come, you

"Come in, you" or "Enter, you"

you blessed of Yahweh

"you whom Yahweh has blessed"

you

Here the word "you" refers to Abraham's servant. (See: Forms of You)

Why are you standing outside?

Laban used this question to invite Abraham's servant into his house. This question can be translated as a statement. AT: "You do not need to stay outside." (See: Rhetorical Question)

So the man came to the house

The word "came" can be translated as "went." (See: Go and Come)

he unloaded the camels

It is not clear who did this work. This may be stated in active form. AT: "Laban's servants unloaded the camels" or "the camels were unloaded" (See: Active or Passive)

The camels were given straw and feed, and water was provided

This does not say who did the work. If you state this in active form use "Laban's servants" as the subject. AT: "Laban's servants gave straw and feed to the camels, and they provided water" (See: Active or Passive)

to wash his feet ... him

"for Abraham's servant and the men who were with him to wash their feet"

translationWords

Laban

bless

Yahweh

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

פניתי הבית I HAVE CLEARED THE HOUSE of idols (Genesis Rabbah 60:7).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

'ויאמר בא ברוך ה, he meant that he could see that G’d had blessed Eliezer with wealth and therefore

פניתי הבית, for you and your men, מקום לגמלים, and I have also cleared space to accommodate the camels.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.