*Genesis 24:1-27
Abraham, concerned about finding a wife for Isaac from his own people, sends his eldest servant on a journey to Mesopotamia to find a suitable bride.
- Abraham’s Concern for Isaac’s Future:
- Abraham, now advanced in age, is concerned about securing a wife for his son Isaac to ensure the continuation of God’s covenant blessings.
- He calls upon his trusted servant, who is in charge of all his household affairs, and commissions him to find a suitable wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives in Mesopotamia.
- The Servant’s Oath:
- The servant pledges to fulfill Abraham’s request faithfully, swearing by placing his hand under Abraham’s thigh, a solemn gesture indicating a binding oath.
- He promises not to take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanite women among whom they dwell but to go to Abraham’s homeland to find a suitable bride.
- The Journey to Nahor:
- The servant sets out on his journey with ten camels laden with gifts from Abraham as a bride-price for Isaac’s prospective wife.
- Arriving in Nahor, he stops at a well outside the city where women gather to draw water, planning to seek a sign from God to identify the chosen bride.
- Rebekah’s Kindness:
- The servant prays to God, asking for a specific sign: that the woman who offers to water both him and his camels be the chosen one for Isaac.
- Before he finishes his prayer, Rebekah, the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother Nahor, arrives at the well and offers to draw water for him and his camels.
- The Servant’s Confirmation:
- Impressed by Rebekah’s kindness and generosity, the servant asks about her lineage and discovers that she is indeed a relative of Abraham.
- Overjoyed and convinced that God has guided him to the right woman, the servant bows down and worships the Lord, thanking Him for His faithfulness.
Genesis 24:1-27 teaches us about trusting God’s guidance and praying for His direction. Abraham’s servant asked God for help in finding the right wife for Isaac, and God answered his prayer in a clear way. This reminds us that we should seek God’s help in our decisions, big or small, and trust that He will lead us to the right path. It also shows the importance of patience and paying attention to how God is working in our lives. When we pray, listen, and trust Him, He will guide us in the best direction.
Genesis 24:1-27 (WEB)
24:1 Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh. 3 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 of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 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, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?”6 Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.”9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 10 The servant took ten of his master’s camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. 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 the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water. 12 He said, “LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.” 20 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.21 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. 22 As the camels had done drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”26 The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD. 27 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”