Genesis 24:14

14 Let the girl to whom I say, 'Please lower your water jug so that I may drink,' and who responds, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also'-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."

Genesis 24:14 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 24:14

And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say,
let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink
The pitcher of water she should have upon her shoulder, after she had drawn it out of the well: and she shall say, drink, and I will give thy camels drink also;
not only very readily and courteously invite him to drink himself but also propose to draw water for his camels too: [let the same be] she [that] thou hast appointed for thy servant
Isaac;
to be his wife; he desired this might be the token by which he might know who the person was God had appointed, and whom he approved of as a proper wife for Isaac, and whom he pointed at in his Providence most clearly to be the person he had designed for him; and this was a very agreeable sign and token; for hereby he would know that she was a careful and industrious person, willing to set her hand to business when necessary; that she was humane and courteous to strangers; humble and condescending, and willing to do the meanest offices for the good of others; and such a wife as this he sought for, and knew would be a good one, and greatly acceptable to his master and to his son: and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness to my master;
by directing to so good a wife for his son, and prospering the journey of his servant according to his wishes.

Genesis 24:14 In-Context

12 "Lord, God of my master Abraham," he prayed, "grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

13 I am standing here at the spring where the daughters of the men of the town are coming out to draw water.

14 Let the girl to whom I say, 'Please lower your water jug so that I may drink,' and who responds, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also'-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, there was Rebekah-daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor-coming with a jug on her shoulder.

16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a young woman who had not known a man intimately. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up.