“The girl ran and told her mother’s household all about these matters” (Genesis 24:28). “The girl ran and told her mother’s household” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: A woman frequents only her mother’s household. They raised an objection to him: “She [Rachel] told her father” (Genesis 29:12). He said to them: That was because her mother had died.
To whom could she have told? Is it not to her father? “Rebecca had a brother and his name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring” (Genesis 24:29). “When he saw the nose ring and the bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying: So spoke the man to me, he came to the man and, behold, he was standing beside the camels at the spring” (Genesis 24:30).
“Rebecca had a brother and his name was Laban” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said a favorable interpretation – he was very fair in complexion.25Lavan (Laban) means white. Rabbi Berekkya said an unfavorable interpretation – he was white, [i.e. pure], in wickedness. “Laban ran out to the man, to the spring [haayin]” – he was assessing [me’ayen] him.26He was looking over Eliezer, to see if he might get some money from him.
“He was standing beside the camels at the spring [haayin]” – he [Laban] was assessing [me’ayen] himself.27Whether or not he would be able to deceive Eliezer to benefit himself. “He said: Come, blessed of the Lord; why are you standing outside, and I have cleared the house and place for the camels?” (Genesis 24:31). “He said: Come, blessed of the Lord” – he thought that he was Abraham, as the contours of his face resembled him.
Rabbi Yosei ben Dosa said: Canaan28Canaan was cursed by Noah (Genesis 9:25). and Eliezer were one and the same, and because he faithfully served that righteous man [Abraham], he emerged from the ranks of the cursed and entered the ranks of the blessed. “He said: Come, blessed of the Lord” – Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan of Beit Guvrin, who would use this as a parting statement:29When taking leave of his host.
If Eliezer, by means of faithfully serving that righteous man, emerged from the ranks of the cursed and entered the ranks of the blessed, then the people of Israel, who perform acts of kindness for their greater and lesser members with their hands and their feet, all the more so. “Why are you standing outside” – it is not in keeping with your esteem to remain outside. “And I have cleared the house” – from the filth of idol worship.