Genesis 24:41-51

41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.'
42 And I came this day unto the well and said, `O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now Thou do prosper my way which I go,
43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, "Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink,"
44 and she say to me, "Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels," let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.'
45 And before I was done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well and drew water. And I said unto her, `Let me drink, I pray thee.'
46 And she made haste and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, `Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also'; so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 And I asked her and said, `Whose daughter art thou?' And she said, `The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him'; and I put the earring upon her face and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And I bowed down my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
49 And now if ye 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."
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing proceedeth from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee; take her and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken."

Genesis 24:41-51 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.

Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.