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A Bride for Isaac
Genesis 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.
Genesis 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
Genesis 24:18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink.
Genesis 24:19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
Genesis 24:20 Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
A single camel can hold up to 25 gallons and he had 10 of them. Serving them was a great task as she filled them all (v. 22).
Genesis 24:21 And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
Genesis 24:22 So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold,
Genesis 24:23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?”
Genesis 24:24 So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.”
She was Isaac’s cousin.
Genesis 24:25 Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”
Genesis 24:26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord.
Genesis 24:27 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Genesis 24:28 So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things.
Genesis 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. :30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. :31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
From what is revealed about his character (chap. 29), there is reason to believe that his sight of all the presents and the camels generated the welcome.
Genesis 24:32 Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
Genesis 24:33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”
The first order of business was to identify his master and to explain his assignment, but not without stressing the blessings of God upon his master and upon his trip (vv. 34–48) and also not without immediately seeking to conclude his task and return home (vv. 49, 54–56).
This is the portrait of a committed, faithful, and selfless servant!
Genesis 24:34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
Genesis 24:35 The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. :36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and to him he has given all that he has.
Genesis 24:37 Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell; :38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’
Genesis 24:39 And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ :40 But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.
Genesis 24:41 You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
Genesis 24:42 “And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, :43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” :44 and she says to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
Genesis 24:45 “But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ :46 And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also.
Genesis 24:47 Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. :48 And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.
Genesis 24:49 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.” Genesis 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.
Genesis 24:51 Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.” :52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
Genesis 24:53 Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
By this dowry, Rebekah was betrothed to Isaac.
Genesis 24:54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
Protocol and courtesy demanded a messenger be dismissed by the addressee.
Genesis 24:55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”
Genesis 24:56 And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.”
Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E. MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006).
