Genesis 24:18-28

18 Which answered, Drink thou, my lord. And anon she did down the water pot on her shoulder, and gave drink to him (And at once she did down the water pot from off her shoulder, and gave him a drink).
19 And when he had drunk, she said, But also I shall draw water to thy camels, till all have drunk. (And when he had drunk, she said, I shall also draw some water for thy camels, until all of them have had something to drink as well.)
20 And she poured out the water pot in(to) (the) troughs, and ran (down) again to the well, to draw (some more) water, and she gave (the) water drawn to all the camels (and so she gave water to all the camels).
21 Soothly he beheld her privily, and would wit whether the Lord had sped his way, or nay. (And he secretly watched her, and wanted to know if the Lord had sped his way, or not.)
22 Therefore after that the camels had drunk, the man brought forth golden earrings, weighing two shekels, and as many bands of the arm (and two arm bands), in the weight of ten shekels.
23 And he said to her, Whose daughter art thou? show thou to me (and tell me), is [there] any place in the house of thy father (for us) to dwell in?
24 Which answered, I am the daughter of Bethuel, (the) son of Nahor, whom Milcah childed to him.
25 And she added, saying, Also full much of provender and of hay is at us (And we have much provender and hay), and a large place to dwell in.
26 (And) The man bowed himself (down), and worshipped the Lord,
27 and said, Blessed be the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which took not away his mercy and truth from my lord, and led me by the right way, into the house of the brother of my lord. (and said, Blessed be the Lord God of my lord Abraham, who took not away his mercy and truth from my lord, but led me by the right way to the house of my lord's brother.)
28 And so the damsel ran, and told in the house of her mother all (the) things which she had heard.

Genesis 24:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 24

This chapter shows Abraham's concern to get a suitable wife for his son Isaac, for which purpose he commits the affair into the hands of his eldest servant, and makes him swear that he will not take one from among the Canaanites, but out of his own country, and from among his own kindred, Ge 24:1-4; which his servant agreed to, after having the nature of his charge, and of the oath, explained to him, Ge 24:5-9; upon which he departed to Mesopotamia, and coming to the city of Nahor, and to a well near it, he prayed for success, and desired direction by a token, which was granted him, Ge 24:10-22; and inquiring of the damsel, who answered to the token, whose daughter she was, and whether they had room for him and his in their house; and an agreeable answer being returned, he gave thanks to God that had directed him, and had so far made his journey prosperous, Ge 24:23-27; the damsel acquainting her parents whom and what she met with at the well, a brother of her steps out, and invites the servant in, and makes him welcome, Ge 24:28-33; but before he would eat anything, he tells his errand he was come upon, at the instance of his master; how, he had prayed for direction, and was heard, and for which he had given thanks, Ge 24:34-48; and then treats with the relations of the damsel about her marriage to his master's son, to which they agreed, Ge 24:49-51; and after having blessed God, and given his presents he brought with him to the damsel, and her family, and ate and drank with them, was for departing the next morning, Ge 24:52-54; but the friends of the damsel being desirous of her stay with them some few days, and he urgent to be gone, the affair was referred to her, and she agreed to go with him directly, Ge 24:55-58; upon which they dismissed her with their blessing, Ge 24:59,60; who being met by Isaac in the way, was received and introduced into his mother's tent, and married by him, Ge 24:61-67.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.