Genesis 24:11 - Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Bible Comments

He made his camels to kneel down. — Camels rest kneeling, but the servant did not unlade them till he knew that God had heard his prayer. (See Genesis 24:32.)

By a well of water. — The well was the property of the whole city, and might be used only at a fixed hour; and the servant therefore waits till the women came to draw. This duty of fetching water is not peculiar to Oriental women, but to this day in most parts of Europe, wherever the supply comes from a public source, women may be seen thus occupied. Rebekah carried her pitcher upon her shoulder; in the south of France the Basque women, like the ancient Egyptians, carry it on their heads, and the habit of thus balancing it gives them a peculiarly erect and graceful carriage.

Genesis 24:11

11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.