Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/203

 The Wooing of Kc be kali

185

greeted then and dismounted from our horses, they l)rought us water.

and also watered our horses. in *other

districts

Similar attentions had been sIkjwii

me

also".

V.

Maidens

18.

in

the Orient generally carry their

water-jars on their shoulders or heads.

Cf.

XXI,

14.

Therefore Rebekah lets her jar down upon her hand that the servant might drink. V. 19. A camel can drink an unusually large amount of w^ater. Consequently to draw water for ten camels and carry each jarful up the steps from the water's edge to the troughs was a hea.vy task, and the test correspondingly severe. -^^^^^^ ^^^^ .village wells in the Orient are ^' ^^' troughs from which the animals of the village

Oriental

^

the

.

J

drink.

It

simpler to drive the animals to the well

is

and water them there, than to carry the v^ater home; cf. XXIX, 2f?; Exodus II, 15fif. In watering the camels Rebekah performed what was regularly the task of the camel attendants. Probably they were overw^earied by their journey. Rebekah thus shows kindness not only to the animals but to the men as well. V. 23. In accordance with the principles house.

room. V.

This

is

self-understood,

Hence his question. 25. Rebekah answers

of

oriental

hospitality

may

pass the night in Rebekah's provided of course that there be

the servant does not ask whether he

not only

that

there

is

room

lodge,

to

but also provisions for himself, and e.ven for his animals.

It

must

have been a large and well-provided household which could at a moment's notice shelter and feed a stranger with ten camels and the numl)er of servants necessitated by these. V. 30 seems to imply that in significant contrast to Rebekah's sincere and generous hospitality, Laban was influenced by consideration to

of the rich gifts which his sister had received and the desire

obtain similar presents

for himself.

Laban's avaricious nature, of which in the

V. tured,

we

This

is

shall

have further instances

an effective hint at

Jacob story. 31. still

In

the

today

typical as

in

semi-nomadic home, such ancient

times,

animals

are

as

is

here pic-

housed,

not

in

separate stables, but in the very house in which the family resides. is divided into two parts, one for few steps higher than the first, for

Usually the floor of such a house the

animals,

and the other,

a

the family.

V. 32. Laban furnishes water for the men.

the

provision

for

the

camels

and the