Genesis 24:17

17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Pray give me a little water to drink from your jar."

Genesis 24:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 24:17

And the servant ran to meet her
He did not stop her as she went to the well, but stayed till she had been there and filled her pitcher, and then he made all the haste he could to meet her, in order to have the sign and token answered he had requested, which could not be done until she returned: and said, let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher;
or taste a little of it, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; or suffer me to swallow a little of it; for it was not so much to quench his thirst that he asked for this, for he could have got, and perhaps had had water out of the well before this time, or however could easily have supplied himself; but this was done to try whether she was the person, and whether her conduct and carriage would answer the token. Josephus ^F24 says, he asked other virgins and they refused him, for which churlishness Rebekah rebuked them, and gave him water liberally.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 16. sect. 2.

Genesis 24:17 In-Context

15 Before he had done speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethu'el the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar upon her shoulder.

16 The maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, and filled her jar, and came up.

17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Pray give me a little water to drink from your jar."

18 She said, "Drink, my lord"; and she quickly let down her jar upon her hand, and gave him a drink.

19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw for your camels also, until they have done drinking."