For she [had] said unto the servant, What man [is] this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant [had] said, It [is] my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
65. It is my master ] Referring to Isaac. The expression favours the suggestion that, according to the original version of the story, Abraham’s death had been mentioned after Gen 24:9 (see note); the servant’s master was no longer Abraham.
took her veil ] According to Oriental custom the bride was brought veiled into the presence of the bridegroom: cf. Gen 29:23; Gen 29:25.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 65. She took a veil] hatstsaaif. This is the first time this word occurs, and it is of doubtful signification; but most agree to render it a veil or a cloak. The former is the most likely, as it was generally used by women in the east as a sign of chastity, modesty, and subjection.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In token of modesty, reverence, and subjection. See Gen 20:16; 1Co 11:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
65. she took a veil, and coveredherselfThe veil is an essential part of female dress. Incountry places it is often thrown aside, but on the appearance of astranger, it is drawn over the face, as to conceal all but the eyes.In a bride it was a token of her reverence and subjection to herhusband.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For she [had] said unto the servant,…. As soon as she saw a man walking towards them, who she thought with herself might be Isaac:
what man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? for by the course he steered, she perceived that he was coming towards them, and so concluded it must be one of the family, and probably the person she was to be married to; for otherwise, had he not by his look and motion discovered that he knew the servant, and was coming towards them, she would have took no notice of him
and the servant [had] said, it is my master: meaning not Abraham, but his son, who also was his master:
therefore she took a veil, and covered herself; both out of modesty, and as a token of subjection to him: for the veil was put on when the bride was introduced to the bridegroom, as among the Romans x in later times. The Arab women always have veils when they appear in public, so that their faces cannot be seen; and though in the summer months they walk abroad with less caution, yet then, upon the approach of a stranger, they put on their veils y.
x Vid. Lucan. l. 2. & Martial. Epigr. l. 2. 74. y See Shaw’s Travels, p. 228. Tertullian. de Virgin. Veland, c. 17.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(65) She took a vail, andcovered herself.Brides are usually taken to the bridegroom enveloped in a vail, which covers the whole body, and is far larger than that ordinarily worn. At the present time the bride-vail is usually red, the ordinary vail blue or white. By wrapping herself in this vail Rebekah notified that she was the bride. After marriage it was seldom worn at this early period, and so both the Egyptians and Abimelech saw Sarahs beauty.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
65. For she had said Rather, and she said . There is no need of interpolating had in either of the two places in which it occurs in this verse .
Took a vail Hebrews, took the vail; the vail proper to be used in such a case, “the long cloak-like vail, with which the Eastern women covered their faces . ”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 24:65. Therefore she took a vail, &c. This was done either in conformity to the general custom in ancient times, or it may refer to the particular custom of the nuptial veil, worn by the bride when she was first introduced to her husband. This was also a fashion among the Heathens; and Tertullian very reasonably infers, from this passage, that it was of great antiquity. It is remarkable, that of the ancients the Spartans alone suffered their virgins to appear without veils in public; but when married, they were never suffered to appear without them.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
a veil: Gen 20:16, 1Co 11:5, 1Co 11:6, 1Co 11:10, 1Ti 2:9
Reciprocal: Gen 29:23 – brought her Isa 3:23 – veils