“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.”
So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. The full provision of hospitality is enacted: the camels cared for, the men's feet washed, the household welcoming. The feet-washing that Abraham offered to his divine guests in Genesis 18:4 is offered here by Laban's household to the servant. The hospitality of the covenant family is recognizable across generations. The application: the form of hospitality — caring for the animals before sitting down to talk — is the form of genuine welcome. The practical comes before the conversational.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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