And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave [them] to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
53. jewels silver gold raiment ] The word “jewels” in the original is indefinite, and might be rendered “vessels,” as LXX and Lat. vasa. The servant’s first act is to ratify the betrothal by making the betrothal gifts to the bride. Oriental custom required that, at the betrothal, gifts should be made to the parents or nearest representative relations of the bride. Mention of marriage gifts ( mohar) to the bride’s family is found also in Gen 34:12; Exo 22:16-17; Deu 22:19 ; 1Sa 18:25. The custom must be regarded as a remnant of still earlier times, when the bride was purchased, and the marriage ceremony consisted chiefly of a financial transaction. In this verse, the “precious things,” given by the servant to Rebekah’s brother and mother, constitute the customary mohar to the bride’s family. This custom is also mentioned in the Code of Hammurabi, 159 161.
It is noticeable that the “precious things” are given, not to Rebekah’s father, Bethuel, but to her brother and mother. This is an important point in favour of the view, mentioned above, that Bethuel’s name in Gen 24:50 is an interpolation (see note on Gen 24:15).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 53. Jewels of silver, and jewels of gold] The word keley, which we here translate jewels signifies properly vessels or instruments; and those presented by Eliezer might have been of various kinds. What he had given before, Ge 24:22, was in token of respect, what he gave now appears to have been in the way of dowry.
Precious things.] migdanoth. This word is used to express exquisite fruits or delicacies, De 33:13-16; precious plants or flowers, Cant. Son 4:16; Son 7:13. But it may mean gifts in general, though rather of an inferior kind to those mentioned above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The precious fruits of the land from which he came; see Deu 33:13, &c.; or in general, other rare and excellent things. In those days men gave portions for their wives, as now they have portions with them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
53. And the servant brought forthjewels of silver, and . . . goldThese are the usual articles,with money, that form a woman’s dowry among the pastoral tribes.Rebekah was betrothed and accompanied the servant to Canaan.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold,…. Ornaments for women, which he had brought along with him for presents, and which were a proof of the riches of his master, and of his generosity and liberality, who had furnished him with such a profusion of rich things to bestow on the person that should be got for his son’s wife:
and raiment, and gave [them] to Rebekah; costly suits of clothes such as in those times were given to persons at their marriage, or in order to it; and which custom still continues among the Arabs, who, as Dr. Shaw says p, have the marriage contract previously made between the parents, wherein is express mention made not only of the “saddock”, as they call that particular sum which the bridegroom settles on the bride; but of the several changes of raiment, and the quantity of jewels, and the number of slaves that the bride is to be attended with when she first waits upon her husband; a gold and silver “sarmah”, he says q, which is a thin flexible plate of gold or silver, of a triangular shape, artfully cut through and engraven in imitation of lace; one or two sets of earrings bracelets and shekels, a gold chain to hang over their breasts, with half a dozen vests, some of brocades, others of rich silk, were usually the wedding clothes of a lady of fashion. And so in Barbary, the man buys his bride a suit of apparel, earrings, bracelets, a chest, c. and gives the father a considerable sum of money, according to the qualities and circumstances of the parties r:
and he gave also to her brother, and to her mother, precious things things of worth and value, which were part of the good things he brought with him from Abraham, Ge 24:10; the word being sometimes used for fruit, Jarchi interprets it of various kinds of the fruits s of the land of Israel; but it is not likely that these should be carried by him on so long a journey; much better Aben Ezra understands by them honourable and costly raiment; and it is observed by some t, that the word in general signifies everything valuable and excellent, as gold, silver, c. no mention being made of her father, only of her brother Laban, and of her mother, seems to confirm the notion of Josephus that he was dead or however he concerned himself no further in this affair than to give his consent to the marriage, and left everything else to his wife and son to take care of, and therefore the presents are only made to them.
p Travels, p. 239. q Ib. No. 9. p. 229. r Ockley’s Account of Southwest Barbary, c. 6. p. 76. s So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed. fol. 76. 1. Aruch in voce . t Ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(53) Jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.Heb., vessels. In ancient times a wife had to be bought (Gen. 34:12), and the presents given were not mere ornaments and jewellery, but articles of substantial use and value. Quickly indeed in a country of such ceremonial politeness the purchase took a more honourable form, but Orientals do not let their courtesy interfere with their interests, and the relatives would take care that the freewill offerings did not fall below the usual standard. These went partly to the bride, and partly to her relatives: and as they are described here as going exclusively to the brother and mother, Jewish tradition has invented the story that Bethuel was ill at the time, and died on the day of the servants arrival. But the manner in which Isaac speaks of him in Gen. 28:2 does not allow us to suppose that he was either dead at the time of her departure, or that he was a person of no ability or importance. Possibly, therefore, polygamy had led to the custom of the purchase presents going to the mothers tent.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
53. Jewels of silver Rather, vessels of silver . Costly presents from the great accumulations of Abraham, amassed through many years . Comp . Gen 13:2; Gen 20:16.
Precious things Choice gifts of various kinds, such as he knew would be pleasing .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave [them] to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
Ver. 53. And gave them to Rebekah: he gave also.] Note, that the custom was then, to give gifts to the bride and her friends. Now it is otherwise. Yet in Hungary their women have no portion, they say, a but a new coat at their wedding. Moris est apud Thraces (saith Solinus, cap. 14), ut nupturae non parentum arbitratu transeant ad matiros; sed quae prae coeteris specie valent, subhastari volunt; et licentia taxationis admissa, non moribus nubunt, sed proemiis.
a Heyl., Geog.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
raiment: or garments; i.e. changes of raiment.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
jewels: Heb. vessels, The original word denotes vessels, utensils, instruments, furniture, or dress; and these presented by Abraham’s servant might have been of various kinds. Exo 3:22, Exo 11:2, Exo 12:35
brother: No mention is made of her father.
precious: This term, rendered “precious things,” as may be seen in the parallel texts, is used to express exquisite fruits or delicacies, and precious plants or flowers, but here it may mean gifts in general, though rather of an inferior kind to those mentioned above. Deu 33:13-16, 2Ch 21:3, Ezr 1:6, Son 4:13, Isa 39:2
Reciprocal: Gen 24:47 – I put Gen 24:50 – Laban Gen 24:59 – their Gen 34:12 – dowry Jdg 8:24 – give me Job 42:11 – every man Isa 3:19 – the bracelets Isa 61:10 – with her Jer 2:32 – a maid Eze 16:11 – I put 1Ti 2:9 – not 1Pe 3:3 – that