Genesis 24:14

14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, 'Please let down your jar that I may drink,' and who shall say, 'Drink, and I will water your camels'--let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. 1By this[a] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love 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 And he said, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love 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 the young woman to whom I shall say, 'Please let down your jar that I may drink,' and who shall say, 'Drink, and I will water your camels'--let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love 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 water jar on her shoulder.
16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

Cross References 1

  • 1. See Genesis 15:8

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.