And Rebecca had a brother, named Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the well.
Abraham's servant waits by a spring, and Rebekah has run home with his news. The verse names the man who comes out to meet him — her brother Laban — and commentators find a great deal in that small detail: who ran, why he ran, and what God did through a man whose later record is far from clean.
One writer notes how fast she moved, and then notes who acts on her news: her brother, not her father.
The young woman was quick to see that the crisis had come for her, and ran to tell "her mother's house." That was the proper thing to do. Her father, though, stays oddly in the background all through. Some have even dared to think that the name after Laban's in verse 50 may have been a younger brother rather than the father. What is certain is that Laban is the active leading man of the house from first to last. Here he ran out to the man by the well or spring.
One reference work leaves that puzzle open, and points to something else behind Laban's welcome:
Laban was the son of Bethuel, the brother of Rebekah, and the father of Leah and Rachel. His quick hospitality towards Abraham's servant shows a heart the Lord had made willing, in answer to prayer. Why he took the lead instead of his father Bethuel is not told us. In his dealings with Jacob, Laban was scheming and dishonest.
The next verse gives the trigger: Laban had seen gold on his sister's hands. One writer weighs that welcome against what Laban later turned out to be:
The history shows later on that Laban was a grasping man and an idolater. So the language used here forces us to one conclusion. The sight of the jewels given to his sister, and the man's words about his master, had a powerful effect on a man whose motives were far from unselfish. His greeting was winning, though — he called the traveller blessed of the Lord and told him the house and room for the camels were ready.
Another writer agrees, and adds a proverb that explains why the gifts opened the door:
Laban, with whom Rebekah had grown up, was a crafty, knowing, worldly man. It is plain that, when Eliezer visited, he had been moved only by the gifts. They made a ready way for Abraham's servant; as we read, "A man's gift makes room for him" (Proverbs 18:16). Laban was clearly the busy, active, important one in his father Bethuel's house. He had a taste for occasions that called for management.
The gold Laban saw came from the servant himself. Hamilton Smith notes what those ornaments did for Rebekah:
Having found the appointed bride, the servant at once sets her apart from all others by adorning her with the golden earrings and the bracelets. The hand and the face bear witness to the work of grace.
The servant had prayed at this spring, and the door opened. J. N. Darby traces that through to the family's consent, and draws a rule from it:
Laban and Bethuel heard Abraham's servant tell the whole story. They then admit that the matter comes from the Lord, and say, "We cannot speak to you bad or good" (verse 50). So, if we act in complete dependence on God through the circumstances of our Christian life, He will make our way plain. He will even soften our enemies, because of the dependence on Him in which we live. Because we have set the Lord before us, He will always be at our right hand.
Naming Laban as her brother tells us the home Rebekah grew up in. One writer draws a sober lesson from that:
Abraham and Sarah left their father's house to walk with God, and they carried the foul, unclean arrangement between them along with them. In the same way, Rebekah carried this family character, this Laban-leaven, with her. After our conversion we still have nature in its corruption with us. We have our own traits of the flesh, as well as the corruption common to all. And we have to rebuke them sharply, so that we may be sound — that is, morally healthy — in the faith (Titus 1:13).
- Ran — Rebekah ran home with the news, and Laban ran out to the spring; both moved at the speed of a crisis.
- Gifts — the gold on her hands spoke before the servant did; hand and face bore witness to grace at work.
- Motives — his welcome sounded warm and godly, yet writers read it as the eagerness of a man moved by what he could gain.
- Dependence — the servant had prayed, and God made his way plain, softening even those whose hearts were not with Him.
- Leaven — the verse names Laban as her brother for a reason. Rebekah carried that family character with her, and conversion does not silence the old nature.
And it came to pass when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's hand, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me -- that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels, by the well.
Abraham's servant has found the woman he prayed for. Rebekah runs home, and her brother Laban runs out to the well. What brings Laban out is not an argument. It is a sight and a report: gold on his sister's arms, and her account of what the stranger said.
The jewels are the first thing named. Before Laban hears a word about Abraham, Isaac, or the errand, he sees something. One writer reads the servant's gift as a picture of the Spirit's work in a believer:
The servant has found the appointed bride. He is not content with a work of grace that he can see. He marks the bride out in public from all others by adorning her with the golden earrings and the bracelets of gold, which others can see. The Spirit is here to produce a work of grace in the believer. But the fruits of being sealed by the Spirit should also show in the believer — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These precious jewels would become a witness to others, and distinguish the believer from the world around.
The ornaments also said something about the giver, whom the household had never met. A verse rendering of the scene draws that out:
In Haran the relatives of Rebekah looked on in wonder at the new splendour given her; rich bracelets circled her arms, and hanging on her face shone the weighty proof of Isaac's generosity, beyond question in its value. And could she doubt — could anyone doubt who saw her decked with these — his covenanted love and generous heart, of whom they were the sparkling messengers?
Laban's reaction follows directly from what he saw. Another writer sees a pattern here: the gifts are noticed, then the messenger is welcomed in. He adds that this does not always follow:
The Holy Spirit adorns the bride-to-be (Gen. 24:22; Gal. 5:22), as a pledge of what is to come, with symbols of betrothal. When Laban saw the gifts, "he said, Come in, you blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." This result is natural and frequent, but not universal (1 Peter 2:12). At least, it is the order of things we should desire. Those among whom the believer lives should notice these spiritual adornments, and welcome the ministering Spirit into their own hearts and homes "in the day of visitation."
Commentators differ on what was in Laban's heart. One reads the order of the verse — jewels first, then words — as exposing a self-interested man:
It is no chance detail that Laban offered hospitality so readily. He saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and he heard her report of what Abraham's messenger said to her. He came at once to the man, who was still standing by the camels at the spring. His welcome was as warm as it was religious — such people talk that way when honour and advantage are certain. The history later shows that Laban was a grasping man and an idolater. So the words used here force us to conclude one thing. The sight of the jewels given to his sister, and the man's words about his master, worked powerfully on a man whose motives were far from unselfish.
A reference work reads the same welcome more kindly. It links it to the servant's prayer earlier in the chapter:
His prompt hospitality towards Abraham's servant shows a heart made ready by the Lord in answer to prayer. But we are not told why he took the lead instead of Bethuel, his father. In his dealings with Jacob, Laban was scheming and unscrupulous.
Whatever Laban's motive, the man left standing outside now comes in. One writer presses the application:
It is good to take this great question home to ourselves: "Is there room?" Are we willing to put ourselves out to make room for the Holy Spirit? The flesh and the Spirit "are contrary the one to the other" (Gal. 5:17). We cannot entertain the Spirit while ministering to the flesh... The house of Bethuel made "room" and "provision" for the servant of Abraham. So the servant is able to speak of Isaac, to engage Rebekah's affections with Isaac, and to lead her to Isaac.
The welcome is not the goal. It opens the door to the message. Once inside, the servant speaks about Isaac:
Having come into the house (v. 32), the first thing the servant does is to bear witness to Isaac. He reveals his master's mind about Isaac. In doing so he takes the things of Isaac and shows them to Rebekah. He speaks of all his master's wealth, and then says his master has given all this wealth to Isaac: "to him he has given all that he has." And we know well that the Father has given all His things to Christ. So the Lord can say, "All that the Father has is mine," and then, speaking of the Holy Spirit, can add, "He will take what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:15).
- Gift — The servant's gold was never private. It marked Rebekah out in public, as the Spirit's fruit marks out a believer.
- Sight — Laban saw before he heard. Others read the ornaments first, and only then listen to the words.
- Motive — Writers differ. One sees a grasping man moved by the sight of wealth. Another sees a heart the Lord made ready in answer to prayer.
- Room — The welcome brought the messenger from outside the door into the house. The same question faces us: do we make room for the Spirit or for the flesh?
- Witness — Only once inside does the servant speak of Isaac. Hospitality was the doorway; the message about the son was the point.
And he said, Come in, blessed of Jehovah! why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
Abraham's servant has just met Rebekah at the well and given her gold. Now her brother Laban runs out and invites him home. The greeting sounds warm and even religious. So what moved Laban to say it? And what does an open door have to do with the servant's errand?
The invitation comes right after the sight of gold. One commentator finds the welcome warm in tone, but not free of self-interest:
It is no accident that Laban offered hospitality at once. He had seen the ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands. He had also heard her report of what Abraham's messenger said to her. He went straight out to the man, who still stood by the camels at the spring. His welcome was warm, and religious too. That is how such people speak when they are sure of honour and gain coming their way. The history later shows that Laban was a grasping man and an idolater. The words he uses here point to one conclusion. The sight of the jewels given to his sister, and the man's words about his master, worked strongly on a man whose motives were far from unselfish. His greeting was winning all the same.
The servant, Eliezer, deals with Rebekah in one order and with Laban in another:
With Rebekah, Eliezer gives the jewels first. With Laban, it is going into the house first, and the jewels after. The Spirit alone acts in the power and confidence of grace. Laban was a legalist.
Laban opens his door because of what he can see on his sister's hands. One writer takes those ornaments as a picture of what the Spirit gives a believer to wear:
The Holy Spirit adorns the bride-to-be (Gen. 24:22; Gal. 5:22) with the tokens of engagement, as a pledge of what is to come: "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." When Laban saw the gifts he said, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD." This is the natural and frequent result, though not the universal one (1 Peter 2:12). At least it is the order of things we should want. Those among whom the believer lives should notice these spiritual adornments. They should welcome into their own hearts and homes the serving Spirit "in the day of visitation."
Laban had room ready, for the man and for his camels. One writer turns that word "room" into a question for us:
It is well to take this great question home to ourselves: "Is there room?" Are we prepared to put ourselves out to make room for the Holy Spirit? The flesh and the Spirit "are opposed to each other" (Gal. 5:17). We cannot entertain the Spirit while serving the flesh. Are we prepared to refuse the indulgence of the flesh in the passing things of time, so that the Spirit can lead us into the deep and eternal things of God? … The house of Bethuel made "room" and "provision" for Abraham's servant. The result was that the servant could speak about Isaac, engage Rebekah's affections with Isaac, and lead her to Isaac.
The door opens, and the servant did nothing to arrange it. One writer sees here God's usual way with those who delight in Him:
Notice, in passing, that God arranges everything according to Eliezer's desire. This is bound to happen to everyone who delights in the Lord. All the wheels of God's providence move in the direction of His will, which I am carrying out. The Holy Spirit, through the word, gives me the knowledge of His will. That is all I need.
One writer gives Laban's words to believers, to welcome a new believer into the gathering of God's people:
When we are not engaged in the worship of God with fellow believers, we should seek, in season and out of season, to carry the blessed gospel of God to those outside. Then they believe and receive the gospel, and the Holy Spirit comes to live within them. We would love to see them in the heart of God's Assembly. We will gladly say, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside?" (Gen. 24:31).
- Seen — Laban acts the moment he sees the gold on Rebekah's hands. Ornaments on show are what open the door.
- Welcomed — the greeting is warm and religious. Yet Kelly says later history shows Laban to be grasping and an idolater, so the motive was not pure.
- Room — Laban had room ready for the man and his camels. The real question is whether we make room for the Holy Spirit.
- Provision — the flesh and the Spirit are opposed. Feed the one and there is no room left for the other.
- Result — where there is room, the servant can speak of Isaac, and God's providence moves along the line of His will.