Genesis, Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Verses 1-67: The Mission of Finding a Wife for Isaac

1. Now Abraham was old, advanced in age, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, “Please place your hand under my thigh,
3. and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,
4. but you shall go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5. The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?”
6. Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.
7. The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.
8. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only do not take my son back there.”
9. So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10. Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all the goods of his master were in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
11. He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.
12. And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13. Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;
14. let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—let her be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
15. Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
16. The young woman was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, and no man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.
17. The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me sip a little water from your jar.”
18. She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink.
19. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
20. So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
21. The man, gazing at her in silence, sought to determine whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
22. When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold,
23. and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?”
24. She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
25. She also said to him, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge.”
26. The man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord,
27. and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His steadfast love and His faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”
28. The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29. Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and Laban ran out to the man at the spring.
30. As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
31. He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
32. So the man came into the house. Laban unloaded the camels, and gave straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
33. A meal was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.” He said, “Speak on.”
34. He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35. The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, 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.
37. 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.’
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 have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey successful, and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.
41. Then you will be released from my oath, when you come to my family; and if they do not give her to you, you will be released from my oath.’
42. “Now today I came to the spring and said, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if now You are prospering the way which I go,
43. ‘behold, I am standing by the spring of water; let it come to pass that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I say, “Please give me a little water from your jar 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.’
45. Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
46. She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
47. Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
48. And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.
49. Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50. Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
51. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
52. When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord.
53. Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
54. Then they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.”
55. Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”
56. But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”
57. They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her directly.”
58. So they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
59. Thus they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
60. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them!”
61. Then Rebekah and her young women arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62. Now Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb.
63. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming.
64. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel
65. and said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.
66. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67. Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Interpretation: This chapter beautifully narrates the divine orchestration and faithfulness in fulfilling Abraham’s desire for a suitable wife for Isaac, highlighting the themes of trust, obedience, and divine guidance. The providential meeting of Rebekah and Abraham’s servant, facilitated by prayer and signs, underlines the importance of seeking God’s will in significant life decisions. The narrative also emphasizes the role of consent and blessing in marital arrangements, showcasing Rebekah’s active choice to join Isaac’s family, thereby advancing God’s covenantal promises to Abraham.