Then food was set before him to eat: the Hebrew has a passive construction that must often be expressed as active; for example, “He brought…” or “Laban brought….” Revised Standard Version reflects the Hebrew before him, that is, the servant who is the one the narrator is paying attention to. Since the servant’s helpers have just been mentioned, it may be clearer to say “He brought them food” or “Laban set food before them.” It is also possible to express this as a time clause; for example, “When food was brought, the servant said…” or “When Laban brought them food, the servant spoke up.” See Good News Translation.

But he said: what the servant said would cause surprise in the light of Laban’s hospitality. Accordingly Revised English Bible says “he protested,” and Bible en français courant “he declared.” The servant’s protest is I will not eat until I have told my errand; that is, “I will not eat until I explain to you why I have come here,” “… what I am here for,” “… tell you what my mission is,” “… tell you my story.” Some ways in which translations render this sentence are “I have to talk first before I eat supper,” “We can’t eat food yet; there is business to talk about which I must tell you first,” “I can’t eat straight away; I must tell you my business first.”

Laban responds with Speak on, that is, “Go ahead and tell us,” “Yes, please tell us,” “Say what you wish,” “Let us hear it” (Revised English Bible), “Well go on. Talk!”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .