Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.

'And now, if ye are dealing kindly and truly with my lord, declare to me; and if not, declare to me; and I turn unto the right or unto the left.'

And now, say if you will do what is good and right for my master or not, in order that it may be clear to me what I have to do.

For this reason, if you would act according to mercy and truth with my lord, tell me so. But if it pleases you otherwise, say that to me also, so that I may go either to the right, or to the left."

Et nunc si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: et si non, indicate mihi, et vertam me ad dexteram vel ad sinistram.

That I may turn to the right hand or to the left - That is, That I may go elsewhere and seek a proper match for the son of my master. Some have imagined that Eliezer intimated by these expressions that if he did not succeed in obtaining Rebekah, he would go and seek for a wife either among the descendants of Ishmael or the descendants of Lot. This interpretation is fanciful.

And now if ye will deal (z) kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the (a) right hand, or to the left.
(z) If you will freely and faithfully give your daughter to my master's son.
(a) That is, that I may look elsewhere.

And now, if you deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me,.... The servant directs himself to more than one, to the whole family, especially to Laban and Bethuel; if you will do my master a kindness, and grant him the favour he requests, that a damsel of this family may be given for a wife to his son; and, if you are hearty and sincere in granting this, tell me at once:
and if not, tell me: if you do not choose to gratify my master, and are not hearty in this matter, let me know:
that I may turn to the right hand or to the left; look out elsewhere among the daughters of some of the other sons of Nahor; for he had seven more which Milcah bare to him besides Bethuel, as well as four others by a concubine, Genesis 22:20; though some of the Jewish writers (o) by "the right hand" understand the daughters of Ishmael, that dwelt to the right, and by "the left hand" the daughters of Lot, who were to the left, which is not likely: it seems to be only a proverbial expression, that, if they did not choose to attend to his proposal in his master's name, he must take some other method, as he might be directed; he knew not for the present which way, whether he should steer his course to the right or left, but some way he must take. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,"to the south or to the north;''because when a man stands with his face to the east, the south is on his right hand, and the north on his left.
(o) Bereshit Rabba, sect. 60. fol. 53. 1. Jarchi in loc.