Genesis 24:33
New International Version
Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.” “Then tell us,” Laban said.

New Living Translation
Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.” “All right,” Laban said, “tell us.”

English Standard Version
Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”

Berean Standard Bible
Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”

King James Bible
And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

New King James Version
Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”

New American Standard Bible
But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have stated my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”

NASB 1995
But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”

NASB 1977
But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have spoken my words.” And he said, “Speak!”

Amplified Bible
But when food was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have stated my business.” And Laban said, “Speak on.”

Christian Standard Bible
A meal was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A meal was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak."”

American Standard Version
And there was set food before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And they placed food before them, and he said, “I shall not eat until I speak my words;” they were saying to him, “Speak.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he set before them loaves to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.

Contemporary English Version
After that, they brought in food. But the servant said, "Before I eat, I must tell you why I have come." "Go ahead and tell us," Laban answered.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.

English Revised Version
And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the food was put in front of him, he said, "I won't eat until I've said what I have to say." "Speak up," Laban said.

Good News Translation
When food was brought, the man said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." Laban said, "Go on and speak."

International Standard Version
But when they had prepared a meal and set it in front of him, he said, "I'm not eating until I've spoken." "Speak up!" Laban exclaimed.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And there was set food before him to eat; but he said: 'I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.' And he said: 'Speak on.'

Literal Standard Version
and sets before him to eat; but he says, “I do not eat until I have spoken my word”; and he says, “Speak.”

Majority Standard Bible
Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”

New American Bible
But when food was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my story.” “Go ahead,” they replied.

NET Bible
When food was served, he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I want to say." "Tell us," Laban said.

New Revised Standard Version
Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.” He said, “Speak on.”

New Heart English Bible
Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."

Webster's Bible Translation
And there was set food before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.

World English Bible
Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”

Young's Literal Translation
and setteth before him to eat; but he saith, 'I do not eat till I have spoken my word;' and he saith, 'Speak.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Rebekah is Chosen
32So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions. 33Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.” 34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.…

Cross References
Genesis 24:32
So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.

Genesis 24:34
"I am Abraham's servant," he replied.

Judges 19:21
So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.


Treasury of Scripture

And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.

Job 23:12
Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Psalm 132:3-5
Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed; …

Proverbs 22:29
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

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Genesis 24
1. Abraham swears his servant.
10. The servant's journey.
12. His prayer.
14. His sign.
15. Rebekah meets him;
18. fulfils his sign;
22. receives jewels;
23. shows her kindred;
25. and invites him home.
26. The servant blesses God.
29. Laban entertains him.
34. The servant shows his message.
50. Laban and Bethuel approve it.
58. Rebekah consents to go, and departs.
62. Isaac meets and marries her.














(33) I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.--Two points in Oriental manners are here brought into view: the first, that hospitality, so necessary in a country where there are no inns, was, and still is, a religion to the Bedouin; the second, that consequently he will concede anything rather than have his hospitality refused. Aware of this feeling, Abraham's servant will not partake of Laban's bread and salt until he has told his request. After he had become Laban's guest, Laban would have been free to do as he liked; but he must now grant what is asked, or the stranger would decline to enter his dwelling.

Mr. Fraser (Historical Description of Afghanistan Genesis 11 p. 424: Edinburgh, 1834) and Ferrier (L'Af ghanistan, Genesis 11, p. 119: ed. 1842) mention a remarkable custom connected with Afghan hospitality which admirably illustrates the behaviour of Abraham's servant. It is called menawati, from two words signifying I am come in. Any one who has a favour to ask goes to the tent or house of the person from whom he expects it, but refuses to sit on his carpet or partake of his food until he has granted the required boon. And custom makes it a point of honour to concede it, if it be in the power of the person thus appealed to.

Verse 33. - And there was set - appositus eat (Vulgate); i.e. if the first word be taken, as in the Keri, as the hophal of שׂוּם; but if the Kethib be preferred, then וַיַּישֶׂם is the fur. Kal of יָשַׂם, signifying, "and he set;" παρέθηκεν (LXX.) - meat before him to eat (the crowning act of an Oriental reception): but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. Oriental politeness deferred the interrogation of a guest till after he had supped ('Odyss.' 3:69); but Abraham's servant hastened to communicate the nature of his message before partaking of the offered hospitality - an instance of self-forgetful zeal of which Christ was the highest example (vide Mark 6:31; John 4:34). And he (i.e. Laban) said, Speak on.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then a meal was set
וַיּוּשַׂ֤ם (way·yū·śam)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3455: To place, in, to be placed

before [the man],
לְפָנָיו֙ (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

but he said,
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I will not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

eat
לֶאֱכֹ֔ל (le·’ĕ·ḵōl)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 398: To eat

until
עַ֥ד (‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

I have told you
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי (dib·bar·tî)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

what I came to say.”
דְּבָרָ֑י (də·ḇā·rāy)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

So Laban said,
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Please speak.”
דַּבֵּֽר׃ (dab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue


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OT Law: Genesis 24:33 Food was set before him to eat (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 24:32
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