Genesis 24 · Verse 55

Genesis 24:55

And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
Genesis 24:55, King James Version

Genesis 24:55 in other translations

BSBBut her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
WEBHer brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
ASVAnd her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
YLTand her brother saith--her mother also--‘Let the young person abide with us a week or ten days, afterwards doth she go.'
DARBYAnd her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us some days, or say ten; after that she shall go.
BBEBut her brother and her mother said, Let the girl be with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.
WebsterAnd her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

What does Genesis 24:55 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 55 Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten - The original is very abrupt and obscure, because we are not acquainted with the precise meaning of the form of speech which is here used; ימים או עשור yamim o asor Days or Ten, probably meaning a year or ten months, as the margin reads it, or a week or ten days. This latter is the most likely sense, as there would be no propriety after having given their consent that she should go, in detaining her for a year or ten months. In matters of simple phraseology, or in those which concern peculiar customs, the Septuagint translation, especially in the Pentateuch, where it is most accurate and pure, may be considered a legitimate judge; this translation renders the words ἡμερας ὡσει δεκα, about ten days. Houbigant contends strongly that instead of the words ימים או עשור yamim o asor, days or ten, we should read חדש ימים chodesh yamim, a month of days, i.e., a full month; without which emendation he asserts, locus explicari non possit, "the passage cannot be explained." This emendation is supported by the Syriac version, which reads here yerach yomin, a month of days, or a full month. The reader may adopt the Syriac or the Septuagint, as he judges best.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 24:54-67

Abraham's servant, as one that chose his work before his pleasure, was for hastening home. Lingering and loitering no way become a wise and good man who is faithful to his duty. As children ought not to marry without their parents' consent, so parents ought not to marry them without their own. Rebekah consented, not only to go, but to go at once. The goodness of Rebekah's character shows there was nothing wrong in…

Read the full comment on Genesis 24:54-67 →

Genesis 24:55 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אָחִ֙יהָ֙'a.Chi.habrother herH251
וְאִמָּ֔הּve.'i.Mahand mother herH517
תֵּשֵׁ֨בte.Shevlet her remainH3427
הַנַּעֲרָ֥ha.na.'a.Rathe young womanH5291
אִתָּ֛נוּ'i.Ta.nuwith usH854
יָמִ֖יםya.MimdaysH3117
א֣וֹ'oorH176
עָשׂ֑וֹרa.SortenH6218
אַחַ֖ר'a.CharafterH310
תֵּלֵֽךְ\׃te.Lekhshe will goH1980

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 24:55

  • Leviticus 25:29

    And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it.

  • Genesis 4:3

    And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

  • Judges 14:8

    And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a few days. or, a full year, or ten months.
4:3; Le 25:29; Jud 14:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 24:54

    And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

  • Genesis 24:55

    And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

  • Genesis 24:56

    And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

Read all of Genesis 24

Genesis 24:55 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces respondió su hermano y su madre: Espere la moza con nosotros á lo menos diez días, y después irá.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le frère et la mère dirent: Que la jeune fille reste avec nous quelques jours, dix au moins; ensuite elle s’en ira.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprachen ihr Bruder und ihre Mutter: Laß das Mädchen einige Tage oder zehn bei uns bleiben, danach magst du ziehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Responderuntque fratres ejus et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.