Verse Lens · Expanded explanation
Genesis 24:31 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 31. 31And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Laban calls the servant 'blessed of the LORD' and invites him into a prepared house with space for the camels. His words recognize the servant in religious language, but they do not establish a conversion or a complete account of Laban's theology.
Read It With
- Genesis 24:29–49
Read verses 30–33 together. Laban has seen the jewelry and heard Rebekah, then offers lodging, animal space, and eventually a meal. The servant has not yet explained Abraham's commission, so Laban's statement should not be made to carry more knowledge than the scene supplies.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Laban's direct welcome turns his run into spoken hospitality and opens the household where the servant will present his case.
Read Genesis 24:29–33 together
Why these verses belong together: Laban's response, jewelry and report, household hospitality, offered meal, and the servant's refusal form one movement from welcome to formal business.
Verse 29. 29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
Verse 30. 30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
Verse 31. 31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
Verse 32. 32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
Verse 33. 33 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.
Follow the Context
- Laban sees the jewelry, hears Rebekah's report, runs to the servant, and welcomes him and the caravan into the household (24:29–32).
- The servant refuses to eat until he has stated his business, then identifies himself as Abraham's servant and describes Abraham's divinely given wealth and Isaac's position as heir (24:33–36).
- He retells Abraham's oath, the kinship direction, the possibility of refusal, Abraham's confidence in divine guidance, and the conditions under which the servant would be released (24:37–41).
- He retells his prayer at the well, including the requested response by the young woman (24:42–44).
- He recounts Rebekah's arrival and rapid hospitality, then reports asking her family identity and giving the ring and bracelets (24:45–47).
- He concludes with worship for the LORD's reliable guidance and asks the family to answer with loyal kindness and faithfulness or release him to pursue another course (24:48–49).
Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation
“thou blessed of the LORD”
In plain language: Laban addresses the stranger as one favored by the LORD.
He speaks after Rebekah has reported the well encounter and shown the jewelry.
Why it matters: The line acknowledges divine favor without disclosing everything Laban believes.
How certain? very strong“wherefore standest thou without?”
In plain language: Why remain outside? Come into the prepared lodging.
The question turns the well meeting into household hospitality.
Why it matters: KJV 'without' means outside, not without possessions or blessing.
How certain? very strongWhat This Verse Is Not Saying
The phrase 'blessed of the LORD' does not prove that Laban had converted or possessed a mature theology of the LORD.
The verse does not say that Laban personally performed every preparation mentioned in the household scene.
Laban's welcome does not remove the uncertainty about his motive created by the preceding jewelry emphasis.
The prepared house does not mean the household has already approved the proposed marriage.
What Remains True
Religious language should be interpreted by what a speaker can know in context rather than used as automatic proof of inward faith.
How It Can Shape Life
- Welcome others generously while resisting the temptation to use a spiritual phrase as a shortcut for judging their entire character or beliefs.
Teach It Back
Explain Genesis 24:31's contribution to Genesis 24:29–49. Include why the nearby verses are required, what the verse clearly says, and one conclusion it does not justify.
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Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 24:29–49 — The Servant Recounts God's GuidanceSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The statement reveals Laban's words, not enough information to reconstruct his inward faith or full religious outlook.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, boundary, welcome, meal, speech, oath, prayer, encounter retelling, worship, decision request, later response, Isaac's inheritance, and Laban's later characterization.
Exact location: Genesis 24:29–49 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 24:1–28, 50–67; 25:5–6; and Genesis 29–31
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Blessing, life-before-God language, success, young-woman terminology, silent prayer, ring, reliable path, loyal kindness and faithfulness, and right-or-left decision idiom.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 24:29–49; lemmas and morphology for barukh, halakh liphne, tsalakh, ne'arah, dibber belebi, nezem, derekh emet, khesed ve-emet, yamin, and semol
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Laban-motive proposal, household verb subjects, verse 33 variant, wealth nuance, walk language, oath idiom, silent prayer, kinship breadth, reliable-way phrase, and right-or-left idiom.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 24:29–49 and translator notes, especially verses 31–33, 35, 40–41, 45, 47–49
Open NET Genesis 24 ↗