Genesis 24:1-67 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Genesis 24. At his Master's Command, Abraham's Slave Brings Rebekah to Canaan as a Wife for Isaac. The chapter has generally been assigned to J, but it is probably composite, and has been put together from J and E rather than from two J sources. Close scrutiny discloses features which negative its unity, but the combination has been skilfully effected and the story reads admirably. It is told with great literary skill.

Feeling the approach of death, Abraham summons his senior slave and extracts from him a solemn oath, in contact with the organs which are the sacred seat of life, that he would not take a Canaanite woman as wife for Isaac, but would bring one from Abraham's own country. If the woman would not come, he was by no means to defeat God's purpose by taking Isaac to her. God would prosper His mission, but if the woman would not come, the oath would bind him no longer. After taking the oath the slave made up a caravan of ten camels and came to Nahor's city. Arriving at the time when the women draw water, he halts by the well and prays that he may know Isaac's appointed bride by this sign, that she will satisfy his request for a drink of water, and spontaneously offer to water his camels. Rebekah, Nahor's granddaughter, fair and unwedded, fulfils the conditions, and he gives her a golden nose-ring and golden bracelets. He discovers her lineage and craves hospitality. This is cheerfully promised, and he thanks Yahweh who has led him to his master's kinsfolk. On hearing her news and seeing her jewels, Laban, her brother, welcomes the slave and his retinue. The slave refuses to eat till he has told his errand, which he does at great length, closing with the request for a definite answer. Laban accepts the offer of marriage for his sister; the leading of Providence is too clear to be ignored. So the slave makes costly presents to Rebekah, her mother, and her brother, and next morning asks leave to depart at once. The brother and mother wish to keep her with them for a few days, but the slave is urgent to return that he and the bride may see Abraham before he dies. They find that Rebekah is willing to go, and she goes with their blessing. On their arrival they meet Isaac, and she alights from her camel (cf. Judges 1:14), and when she learns that it is her destined husband veils herself. After hearing the slave's report, Isaac conducts her to his tent. The veiling is part of the marriage ceremony, the bringing to the husband's tent is the essential feature of the marriage ceremony in the East (Skinner). So Isaac was comforted after his father's death (see below).

Genesis 24:10. Mesopotamia: by Aram-naharaim the region known in the Tell el-Amarna tablets as Naharina is intended. The rendering in mg., Aram of the two rivers, presupposes that Naharaim, which has a dual termination, is dual. If correct, the rivers are not the Euphrates and the Tigris but the Euphrates and the Khabor. It is questionable whether it is a dual; the Egyptian and Canaanite forms are not. The district is that which lies on both sides of the Upper Euphrates, and is not to be identified with what the Greeks meant by Mesopotamia.

Genesis 24:14. The test of unselfish good nature was not a slight one, for the camel is a heavy drinker, and there were ten of them. Thomson speaks of such kindness as quite unusual.

Genesis 24:30. The wealth implied in the gift of the jewellery and the maiden's story appeals to Laban. Obviously such a guest deserves to be cultivated, an impression deepened by what he hears in Genesis 24:35 f.

Genesis 24:49 b. Tell me, so that I may know what to do.

Genesis 24:50. and Bethuel: should probably be omitted; Laban, and in a less degree, his mother, arrange the affair and receive the presents; Bethuel was probably dead.

Genesis 24:53. The presents to Rebekah are the bridegroom's gifts to the bride, making the engagement binding, those to the mother and brother are the bride-price.

Genesis 24:62. The text is corrupt, and many emendations have been proposed.

Genesis 24:63. meditate: an uncertain rendering. Perhaps it means to lament. Pesh. reads to walk.

Genesis 24:67. The Heb. is ungrammatical; we should read the tent for his mother Sarah's tent; into his own tent is probably intended. The closing words are also changed. They are literally and Isaac was comforted after his mother. Sarah's death lay some time in the past, moreover there are various indications that Abraham had died before the slave's return. Probably his death was mentioned after Genesis 6:1 in the original story, but omitted by the editor in favour of P's account (Genesis 25:7-10). We should probably read and Isaac was comforted after his father's death.

Related Commentaries of Genesis 24:1

Genesis 24:1-67

1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

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.

12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

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; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

16 And the damsel was verya fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earringb of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?

24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.

28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.

29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.

33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.

35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.

40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:

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 had 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 bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto 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.

52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

53 And the servant brought forth jewelsc of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.

58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.

60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

63 And Isaac went out to meditated in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.