Book of Genesis Chapter 24 Commentary by Pastor
Ron Beckham
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:1-5
Verse 1. "Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way."
The phrase for "old, advanced in age" is literally "gone into days," and the man Abram, now known as Abraham, was about 140 years old at the time of this verse. The suggestion of the comment that he was "gone into days" suggests that his contemporaries expected the man would not long survive the loss of his wife, Sarah. But life is full of surprises and Abraham was to eventually marry again, have yet more children and live 35 or so more years (Genesis 25:1-7).
It's important for us to not count ourselves or others out as our lives unfold. There are invisible factors in life that are even more important than what can be seen. God is very real and He has intentions for our lives that are greater than our understanding. "The Lord (indeed) blessed Abraham in every way" and He has in mind blessing you as well. Pray to Him, trust in Him as Abraham did, and find that the Lord is reaching out to you in His love.
Verse 2. "Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, 'Please place your hand under my thigh,'"
The "servant" in this verse was very possibly the man "Eliezer," mentioned in Genesis 15:2 by Abraham as "the heir of my house." If he was, this was a very important person in the life of Abraham and he had been a very loyal man as well, for he still served Abraham even though he was no longer the heir. Years had passed for both of Abraham's sons, and for Eliezer as well. It had been about sixty years since the words of Genesis 15:2, marking Eliezer as the (former) heir of the then-childless Abraham.
"Please place your hand under my thigh" was a reference to a hope for future generations. There was nothing more precious to the men and women of that time than the birth of children. People could have health, wealth, lands, animals, crops, high walls around their cities and more, but if they had no children, it was felt they had nothing of true value. The servant was being sent to obtain a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac, and the servant was now asked to swear by generations yet to be born that he would flawlessly carry out his mission.
Verse 3. "and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live,"
It's important, actually it is essential for us all that we grasp who this "Lord" is that is often talked about, but not truly understood. As stated in this verse, He is "the God of heaven and the God of earth." He is the God of marriage, of that job you thought came to you by your own efforts, and of the food we eat during each day. If you think you have some kind of freedom in life, He is the God who enabled you to have it. He, Jesus Christ, is addressed in Hebrews 1:10 - "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of Your hands..."
As we have seen in previous chapters, there were some among the various tribes of Canaan who had faith in, or at least to some extent feared the Lord. But most of them were also idolators and it was essential to Abraham, the man of faith, that his son, the son of the promise, would marry a woman from a group of people who were likely to have faith in that same Lord. That was the motive of Abraham for his son, and it should be an important motive for us all.
Verse 4. "but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
Some years before the moment of this verse, Abraham had received word about his relatives who had remained behind in Haran, after Abraham continued onward to Canaan (Genesis 22:20-24). Children, a lot of them, had been born to his brother, Nahor. Grandchildren had been born as well, including one with a feminine name, "Rebekah." Something about that young lady and her name stuck with Abraham and he felt strongly drawn to send his servant to find a wife for his son from the family in Haran. No doubt the Lord was directing Abraham in the man's "heart" to seek this girl for his son, and the man knew this was from the Lord.
The phrase, "My country," in this verse, is interesting. We first discovered Abraham in Genesis 11:26 and its context. The family lived in a place called "Ur of the Chaldeans" (Genesis 11:28) and it is assumed that Abraham and his family were natives of that country, located in modern day Iraq. But that's not necessarily the case. It may well be that Abraham's father, Terah, had the original call to a nomadic lifestyle because it says in Genesis 11:31 that "Terah took Abraham his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan." It continues, "but when they came to Haran, they settled there." The phrase "my country" relates to Haran.
Verse 5. "The servant said to him, 'Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?'"
This "servant," who may have been the "Eliezer of Damascus" mentioned in Genesis 15:2, or his successor as the chief servant of Abraham, asked an intelligent question: "Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son (Isaac) back to the land from where you came?" He was speaking of a girl and a family at least two hundred miles away. The family would be asked to send Rebekah, the girl in question, to a fairly young man they had never met, and who lived in a country they had never visited.
What if she (or they) said "No!" What would he do? This servant was nervous because the family likely would want to meet this son, this Isaac, in person. And so, if he went to Haran and the family would not comply, should the servant then come back to Canaan, get Abraham's son, Isaac, and take the young man personally to the family two hundred miles away? It seemed like a logical outcome of the journey and so the servant asked the question which is quoted in this verse.
Lord, this man who worked for Abraham is being revealed in this chapter as a faithful servant. Just as he gave his life to Abraham for his master's purposes instead of his own, we give our hearts to You, Lord, for Your purposes and not our own. We surrender, dear God, knowing that Your will is greater than ours. You are wonderful. We are Yours, Lord. Please forgive us our sins and receive us, now and forever. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:6-10
Verse 6. "Then Abraham said to him, 'Beware that you do not take my son back there!'"
The word for "beware" in this verse is literally "beware for yourself." Abraham cared for this servant and is warning him that returning his son, Isaac, to the area of Haran or further, to Mesopotamia, would likely cause the man to be harmed because he would be disobeying God's will. Abraham was completely satisfied that Isaac was the son given by the promise of God, and that the promise was tied to the land of Canaan. The young man, Isaac, was to remain in Canaan, and Abraham would hear of no other future for him.
Abraham had listened to the urgings of his late wife, Sarah, who was then named Sarai, that the promise would be fulfilled through her serving-maid, Hagar. Yes, the union had resulted in the birth of Ishmael, but things had not ended well. Abraham loved that son and now that young man, his first son, was gone, probably for good. This man who "believed in the Lord" and had found "righteousness" in His eyes (Genesis 15:6) did not want to make any more mistakes in relation to the Lord's will, especially as it related to his sons.
Verse 7. "The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I will give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.'"
Because of Abraham's willingness to place his faith in the Lord, the Lord had revealed much to the man. He was told by the Lord in Genesis 12:7, that "to your descendants I will give this land," and there was no doubt in Abraham's mind - the land specified by the Lord was the place called Canaan, next to Egypt in the south and on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to the west. No other place would be possible for his son.
Every word from the Lord was indelibly stamped into the heart and mind of Abraham, and the man had a strong faith that every word from the Lord would come to pass. "To your descendants I will give this land" were more than words, they were promises from the Lord. Abraham would not let this servant take the son who was the first in line among these "descendants" to leave the place described in the promise. Note, by the way, that Abraham had met angels before, such as the "three men" of Genesis 18:2 and its context. Two of them turned out to be "angels" (Genesis 19:1) and the third was the Lord. Abraham had no doubt that the words, "He will sent His angel before you," literally apply to all who trust in the Lord.
Verse 8. "But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there."
Here Abraham acknowledges that the concern expressed by the servant in Verse 5 was a reasonable one. Abraham had respect for other people. He listened to them and responded to valid ideas. This man he was speaking with was probably the man "Eliezer," mentioned in Genesis 15:2 by Abraham as "the heir of my house" at that time. The servant was described in Verse 2 of this chapter as "the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned." If he was not Eliezer, he could well have been Eliezer's son. These men had known and trusted each other for many decades and each responded to what the other had to say.
Abraham now set the servant free from a portion of the promise - If the young woman in Haran they were discussing refused to accompany the servant back to Canaan or her relatives would not permit it, then the servant was released from the promise he was about to make. That's true of contracts today. The parties have to pay something and/or do something, but certain exceptions are often written into such agreements. If Abraham's assignment to the man proved to be impossible, then the man was free from the oath he was about to make.
Verse 9. "So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter."
This placing of the "hand under the thigh" is seen only in this chapter and in Genesis 47:29-31, where we see Jacob (Israel) eliciting a promise from his son, Joseph, using the language, "put your hand under my thigh and promise..." The custom was likely known within other groups in addition to the followers of Abraham and his family, and even in this clan, the custom seems to have faded out within a couple of generations from that moment.
Each time and place seems to have its accepted methods of causing people to keep their promises. The phrase, "Let's shake on it" has been around for a long time and so have written contracts, but such customs come and go. If future history reverts to a time when writing largely disappears, which may well happen, such acting-out customs for contracts as the "hand under the thigh" may well return. It was a promise that not only would this agreement last during the lifetime of Abraham, but it would be binding on his descendants as well.
Verse 10. "Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his master's in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor."
As we can see in this verse, "the servant," who may have been the "Eliezer of Damascus" mentioned in Genesis 15:2, viewed Abraham respectfully as "his master." Abraham was still very much alive and others at that time lived long lives as well. If this was the same Eliezer as seen in Genesis 15, which is very possible, then he previously was to be the inheritor of all Abraham's properties, but his rights were given up at the birth of Abraham's sons. This was a man who cared for Abraham more than than he cared for money. He be trusted. His word was good and Abraham was safely sending him on a mission that would decide the future of his son.
Abraham knew the importance of a good marriage. He spent 127-years with his wife and half-sister Sarah until her recent death, and he wanted just the right young woman for his son, Isaac. The young man, Abraham fervently believed, was the son of the promise and precisely the right wife must be found for him. And so the servant "took the ten camels" from the herd "and set out with a variety of good things..." The man would not have controlled "ten camels" by himself and the "good things" had to be protected. This was a caravan, complete with camel drivers and a somewhat large group of armed men. We will catch a glimpse of these men in Verse 32. They made ready to go and so off they went to "the city of Nahor," Abraham's brother, the place called, Haran, which was in the extreme north of Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Father, we give our hearts and lives to You, believing that You will make us honorable men and women with lives that serve our King. We praise Your Holy Name, believing that You have received us and that You will use our lives for the glory of God. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:11-15
Verse 11. "He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water."
In between Verses 10 and 11, there were more than two hundred miles in distance and at least many days of travel. Apparently nothing much happened during the journey that affected its outcome and so we now find Abraham's chief servant who was probably Eliezer, along with the camels and other men, standing or sitting next to a well near the town of Haran; a location in northern Mesopotamia, close to the present border between Turkey and Syria. He told the men who traveled with him to make "the camels kneel down" next to the well, and Eliezer began to wait in hope that the person he sought would soon arrive.
This servant of Abraham had plenty of time to think about what he would do as he traveled and at the present moment when he had arrived at his present location near the place called Haran. He went to "Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor," as we saw in Verse 10. That was undoubtedly the city called "Haran" in the far north of Mesopotamia. The only other possibility was that Abraham's brother had for some reason taken his family and traveled south, returning to Ur of the Chaldees which is in present-day Iraq. It's less important to know the precise location, for this faithful servant had gone to just the right place.
Verse 12. "He said, 'O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham.'"
Abraham seems to have openly shared his faith in the Lord with the many people who traveled with him on his journeys over the years. This servant's faith was apparently not quite as direct or complete as that which was possessed by Abraham, for he addressed the Almighty as, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham." Many have had that kind of faith through the centuries, believing that someone in authority who holds the office of minister, priest or some other title, somehow is able to approach God more effectively than others.
The reality of those who have faith in the Lord, true faith in the sight of God, is that we are all priests, each in our own way, "a royal priesthood." Those words can be found in 1 Peter 2:9, where those who trust in the Lord are called, "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people..." and the purpose is that we "may proclaim the praises" of God. Any of us may ask Him for success in some endeavor as this man did, or we simply may openly praise God's Holy Name. Whether we are rich and powerful like Abraham or a servant like the man in this verse, when we have faith in the Lord we can go directly to the Lord and He will respond to our need.
Verse 13. "Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;"
The servant of Abraham, the speaker in this verse, had completed his journey from Abraham's encampment in Canaan near the Mediterranean Sea, traveling far inland to the city of Haran, located near the borders of present-day Turkey and Syria. It was a straight-line distance of a little over 200-miles, but on the winding dirt-tracks of the time, it was much further. He was now standing "by the spring" in prayer to the Lord. Trees would have swayed above him in the breeze, but he did not notice because "the daughters of the men of the city" were walking toward the place where he now stood.
His focus was not on them for his own purposes, but instead he was on a mission for his master, Abraham, and for Abraham's son, Isaac. A wife was to be selected for Isaac, just the right wife, and his prayer at the moment was that God would help him. There were many girls - How would he know which one was to be Isaac's intended bride? Notice, by the way, that he was placing Abraham's need ahead of his own. Millenia after the moment of this verse, Jesus said we are to simply "ask" God in prayer (Matthew 7:7). In the same context He said, "Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them..." (Matthew 7:12). This man cared more for Abraham than he did for himself and he was in prayer that God would bless the man he loved and respected like an elder brother.
Verse 14. "now may it be that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar so that I may drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also' - may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.'"
There are some, many in fact, who demand what are called "signs" from God and such rerquests may be based in unbelief. They won't believe unless they receive some miracle, some sign from God. The words, "If You heal this cancer I will give my life to You," are often uttered. Others, of course, do believe in Him, but in looking for direction in their lives, they seek some indication from Him as to what they should or should not do. The best for us all is to commit ourselves utterly to the Lord and then become willing to be men and women of prayer. Gradually we begin to simply KNOW His direction for our lives because His will is unfolded to us through His Holy Spirit.
In the situation of this verse, the servant of Abraham was concerned because he saw a number of young women, called the "daughters of the men of the city" in Verse 13, coming directly toward his place at the well. The servant wanted very much to bring back to Abraham precisely the young woman who was God's choice to marry his master's son, Isaac. Just anyone would not do. And so he prayed to the Lord that the right girl would offer to give water to him, also for the camels in his caravan, and no doubt to the men who came with him as well. We will hear a mention of these other men again in Verse 32.
Verse 15. "Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder."
This was not necessarily a silent prayer being given at the moment, though Verse 45 suggests that at least part of it was said "in his heart." The servant of Abraham was likely at least partly speaking out loud, and possibly some of the men who were with him were praying also. They would have been used to such actions, for Abraham had prayed aloud in their presence many times. The servant had not yet reached the end of the prayer when the answer to his request walked right up to him, carrying a jar for the water he had mentioned to the Lord in Verse 14. He now looked at her carefully to see if she seemed to be the kind of young woman that Abraham would want as a wife for his son.
He was not as yet sure of her identity at the moment, but it is revealed to us here that she was the "Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor." In Genesis 22:20-24, we see that Abraham and his family had previously received word, telling him about the family of his brother, Nahor. The names of key people in the family were revealed in his presence, including those who are listed in this verse. The servant of Abraham was now looking intently at Rebekah, wondering, "Is this the girl?"
Lord, You certainly have interesting responses to our prayers. The answer to this man's prayer was right in front of him at the moment, but he did not know for certain that this was the young woman he was sent to find. Help us, Lord, when we are not sure, to keep on praying and to trust that the answer is closer than we think because You make it so. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:16-21
Verse 16. "The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up."
Rebekah, the young woman Abraham's servant had been seeking, was now standing right in front of him, though the man was not certain she was the one. Note that nothing like this is by accident because the Lord ultimately arranges all of our meetings and additionally, this encounter was God's answer to the man's prayer. The Lord has profound intentions for our encounters in life and we seldom understand. The words "very beautiful" in this translation and "very fair to look upon" in the King James, literally meant someone of "good of countenance." She was an exceptionally pretty young woman.
We will see in the verses which follow that the young woman did not feel threatened by this servant's interest in her. She saw him as a stranger, but it is likely the Lord was calming her heart in relation to him, for she merely responded to his requests and it does not seem that she was afraid of him. It is not clear whether the servant actually somehow knew through observance of her clothing or manner that "no man had had relations with her" or if it was something that was learned at a later time. The word for "virgin" here is "bethulah," usually considered to be someone who has separated and secluded themselves from intercourse. The exception in Scripture is Joel 1:8, where the term is used for a widow who had been married in her youthful years.
Verse 17. "Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "'Please let me drink a little water from your jar.'"
In Verse 14, we were given the prayer of this "servant" of Abraham, in which he asked the Lord, "may it be that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar so that I may drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also' - may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac." And now with breathless anticipation about what might happen next, the servant gasped out the words, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar." And though he was a man who had seen answers to the prayers of his master, Abraham, he was hopeful but still was wondering, "What will she do now?"
There is a question, a discussion in the modern church about using what is often called a "fleece" in seeking the nature of God's will for situations and for your life in general. The term "fleece" is taken from Gideon's response to the Lord's call, as seen in Judges 6:37 and 39. Gideon asked that the fleece might be wet after leaving it outside for one night and dry after another night as a revelation of God's will. Gideon was not criticized by the Lord for that method of prayer and neither was this servant. God will answer the sincere prayer of an honest heart.
Verse 18. "She said, 'Drink, my lord;' and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink."
The man's prayer in Verse 14 included, if she "answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also." He felt that if she did all that, it would be the Lord's indication that she was the young woman who was to marry Abraham's son, Isaac. And here in this verse we find that she is responding to the first part of his request, by filling the need of this servant of Abraham for water. "She said, 'Drink, my lord," and immediately he was drinking the most wonderful, refreshing water, and more important, his soul was refreshed as well, for he was thinking she was God's choice and he was beginning to believe.
There are many who think it is good to pray for others, but also think it is wrong to pray for themselves. Yet here is this man, as we saw in Verse 14, who prayed that she might give him a drink of water and fulfill his mission. And yes, this was to be confirmation that she was to become the wife of Isaac, but it was a very hot day in an arid section of the world and he was truly thirsty. He drank the water and as he no doubt was refreshed, he must have smiled, thinking, "This may be her!"
Verses 19-20. "Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, 'I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.' So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels."
The other part of the servant's prayer in Verse 14 was that this woman at the well would voluntarily water the ten camels he had brought with him from Canaan. And she did. After "she had finished giving him a drink," the young lady amazingly volunteered to "draw also for (his) camels until they" had their fill as well. At this point she was utterly fulfilling the prayerful request of Abraham's servant, who had just traveled over two hundred miles to reach this place, this moment and find the girl whose name would turn out to be "Rebekah."
When you are tempted to perform a good deed for someone, like this act done by Rebekah, you are encouraged to do it, for you may be doing something more than just meeting their need. You may be the answer to the request they made to God, or the answer to the prayer of someone else for them. Everyone has hopes and needs in life, and many breathe out a prayer to God at some point, hoping that He will hear and answer. It is very possible that the reason for so many seemingly unanswered prayers is because of the people who heard the message in their hearts when God said, "Help that person!" but they failed to respond.
Verse 21. "Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not."
We often pray for a miracle but don't recognize it when the answer comes. How many people pray and then see the answer to their prayer right in front of them, but are stunned, still not sure if this is the answer or not? The answer is that God responds to all of us, to even the tiniest bit of faith, to even the smallest prayer. Our lives improve dramatically when we recognize that God is constantly responding to our needs. "The man," Abraham's servant, was seeing in this girl who stood before him the dramatic answer to his prayer, and yet he now simply stared at her, stunned by what had happened. He could say - nothing!
Notice that in this verse we are looking into the thoughts of a man who lived four hundred or so years before these words were written down by a man named Moses who had not yet been born or thought about. Later, when the servant returned to the encampment of Abraham, he must have told the man, his master, everything, all he had seen, felt and thought about during this meeting at the well. Though the Lord had eloquently answered him, he wondered as so many do: "Was this really the Lord? Is this the response to my prayer?..." And then later this man and Abraham would smile and conclude: "Yes it was!"
Father, help us to worry less about the form of our prayers and begin to simply - pray! Scripture and other historical accounts of godly men and women contain many examples of answered prayer. Help us to pray often and we ask that You will open our eyes that we may see Your hand in our lives. In Jesus Name. Thank you. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:22-26
Verse 22. "When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold,"
Considerable time had now passed since this girl had begun sharing water from the well with the visitors who had come from Canaan. Camels can go without drinking for a time, but when they do drink, they tend to take in large quantities of water. The young woman was doing something that took far more than ordinary patience. Notice that the gifts given to Rebekah at this moment were extremely valuable. Golden objects such as he gave her on behalf of his master, Abraham, were costly and were prized greatly, not unlike similar items today. Again, the suggestion of the "ten camels" of Verse 10 and the valuable objects revealed in this verse, make it entirely reasonable that Abraham would not have allowed the man, Abraham's servant, to travel alone. Other trusted, armed servants accompanied the man on his journey.
Also note that the man had not yet asked her name or what family she was from. At this moment, he simply knew that God had answered his prayer and he relaxed somewhat, understanding that this was probably the young woman he was looking for. Did he have second thoughts about prematurely giving her these gifts? Possibly he would, but right now, as he took the "gold ring" and "two bracelets" and gave them to her, he had for that instant no doubt whatsoever. This girl was to be the wife of Abraham's son, Isaac.
Verse 23. "and said, 'Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father's house?'"
Abraham's servant had decided after prayer and after God's obvious answer to his prayer, that this was the young woman who was to marry Abraham's son, Isaac. He had given her what amounted to gifts for a bride who was to enter a wealthy family, but now, after the fact, he asked her, "Whose daughter are you?" The man knew the names of Abraham's brother and sister-in-law, and he also knew the name of Rebekah; names we encountered in the last verses of Genesis Chapter 22. He breathlessly awaited her answer.
And we can wonder, did he still have a little bit of doubt about the identity of this person he had just given valuable gifts to? Perhaps, and the answer to the question, "Whose daughter are you?" was certainly of great interest. And now, an additional question was asked by this man who had arrived after a nomadic journey from Canaan. It occured to him that he and whoever had come with him had no place to stay for the night and he inquired, "Is there room for us to lodge in your father's house?"
Verse 24. "She said to him, 'I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.'"
Her identity had already been revealed to readers through the centuries (including us) in Verse 15, but this servant of Abraham had just now directly asked: "Who are you? And she answered with the response the man hoped for: "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." She was not some unknown person or the grandchild of Nahor's concubine, but instead she was the granddaughter of Milcah, Nahor's wife. Something like "Hooray" or "Yippee!" must have resounded in the mind of this servant, who probably smiled broadly at her words. This was PRECISELY the young woman he had been sent to find!
You have to wonder, why was the prayer of this servant answered with such precision, when needs in your own life may seem to be unmet? There are two possible reasons. For one, this meeting with the girl was utterly in God's will, for the Lord intended her to become the wife of Isaac, a man she had not yet seen or met. As John the Apostle would later say, "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14-15). First, it is important to ASK, and we should note that many pray half-heartedly, not really expecting an answer, and second, it is important to pray in God's revealed will.
Verse 25. "Again she said to him, 'We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.'"
Centuries later, the Book of Hebrews would remind us to, "Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" (Hebrews 13:2). Those words in the Book of Hebrews are very important for we are shown that small or large kindnesses, whether received or given, are likely to come through ordinary men and women, but at the same time, they are, like this servant here, sent from God to do His work in this world. By helping others, God may well make your life better than it would have been. And indeed you may have entertained angels or it may happen to you in the future.
This girl, who would turn out to be have the name, Rebekah, a name that this servant of Abraham had heard years before (Genesis 22:23 & context); the girl now went even further than the prayer of this man required. She volunteered her father's home, the family home, indicating that this man, along with whatever number of other servants came with him and their camels, would be fed and lodged. This would have exceeded even his hopes for the kind of treatment that this servant had wished would reveal the will of God for this meeting.
Verse 26. "Then the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord."
Have you ever been touched deeply in your heart by events that certainly were an answer to prayer? Previously, in the early verses of this chapter, we saw this man, called a "servant," swear in the presence of God that he would carry out the wishes of his master, Abraham. He wanted very much to believe in the Lord, just as many do today, but the best he could do when the time arrived for him to pray and act was to ask, "O Lord, the God of my master Abraham." He did have a certain belief after having seen the Lord work in the life of Abraham, but he still was not sure that God would respond to him personally.
Now it had indeed become VERY personal for him! This was not only the Lord who responded to the needs and prayers of Abraham, it was HIS answer to prayer also. The Lord had answered HIM. Yes, it would benefit Abraham, but it also benefitted him as well. And so he "bowed low and worshiped the Lord." You may be looking for answers to needs and there may be some bitterness that your needs have seemingly gone unanswered. Be willing to believe and keep on praying, for the Lord has an intention and a time for you as well.
Father, we confess that we don't come to you in prayer as often as we should, and our belief that You will answer has often been minimal. Reveal Your will to us and give us hearts of prayer, that we may call out to You often, believing that You will respond. Let us be like this servant, who sought You and found You. May Your will be done in and through our lives, just like it was in his. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:27-32
Verse 27. "He said, 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers.'"
This servant of the house of Abraham, who may well have been the "Eliezer of Damascus" mentioned in Genesis 15:2, or possibly it was his successor in that role, was continuing to praise the Lord who had answered his prayer. Not only did he rejoice in the answer to the need of Abraham, but he also was delighted that God had responded personally to HIM. He had been assigned to locate the young woman who was the one to marry Abraham's son, Isaac, and after prayer, God answered by revealing the woman in question to him!
You can read the words of his prayer to to the Lord in this chapter of Genesis, Verses 12-14. His words had been addressed to the "Lord, the God of my master Abraham," as it is in this verse, but now there was an important difference. He added "as for me, the Lord has guided me," reflecting his dawning understanding that God is here for all who step out and are willing to have faith in the Lord. His mission was to go, as he put it, "to the house of my master's brothers," and now he praised the Lord who had brought him to exactly that place.
Verse 28. "Then the girl ran and told her mother's household about these things."
This was a young woman, a fully adult mature as she was considered at the time, though likely a teenager, but now she excitedly ran like a child to tell her family what had happened. There is a child inside of us all, but we ordinarily tend to hide those childlike qualities within, afraid of what others might think. They would have no trouble believing the story this girl told because of the "gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold" that the man by the well had given her, as we saw in Verse 22.
In Verse 15 it was revealed to all in history who would read the words in this section of Scripture that this girl was "Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor." Similar words are recorded in Verse 29 about the young woman. The routine of life droned on day after day in the community in which she lived, but suddenly her life was changed! She felt like a princess! But more than a change in outward circumstances is needed in life and God offers a greater change than we could expect. He says that if we merely "believe" in the Son of God, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, we are given "everlasting LIFE" (John 3:16). God longs to give us - everything!
Verse 29. "Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring."
What apparently started Abraham thinking about obtaining a wife for his son, Isaac, from the family of the brother he left behind, was the word he received about that family, as seen in Genesis 22:20-24. A number of children of Abraham's brother, Nahor, were named in those verses, but what is interesting is that "Laban" (a name which meant "white") was not included. A possibility is that Laban also had another name, just like it has been for others throughout history.
Another possibility is that considerable time had passed between Genesis 22:20-24 and the moment of this verse. Rebekah was actually a granddaughter of Nahor and the most likely reason that Laban was omitted is because he had not yet been born. No mention was made in Verse 28 that Rebekah said "goodbye" at this moment to Abraham's servant, but instead she suddenly "ran." Laban, who was perhaps her little brother, "ran" as well. He dashed "outside to the man at the spring." Both sister and brother were so impulsive that it suggests that each of them were quite young at the time of this verse. And certainly most of us would run, skip and jump if we could, in relation to unexpected joy like the events of these verses.
Verse 30. "When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, 'This is what the man said to me,' he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring."
We will meet Laban once more, many years in the future. At that time, a son yet to be born to Isaac, Abraham's son, and Rebekah, the young lady wearing the "ring and the bracelets" in this verse, would run for his life away from his brother, Esau. That meeting with Laban will be seen in Genesis Chapter 29. The young man, whose name was to be Jacob, would have no rings or bracelets or any other riches to offer. He was just - there, next to the spring of water seen decades before by the servant of Abraham.
Laban would have remembered clearly the events of these verses, recalling that his relative, Abraham, was very rich indeed. And now Laban was about to meet the man who "was standing by the camels at the spring," Abraham's servant, who would confirm that Abraham was indeed a very wealthy man. A proposal of marriage was being offered at the moment to Rebekah, his sister, which he as her brother was receiving, probably because their father had become quite old. But the older man was very much alive at the time, as we will see in Verse 50.
Verse 31. "And he said, 'Come in, blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?'"
Very little has changed through the centuries. Then just as now, the house may become cluttered, but if company comes, especially company as significant as this servant of Abaham, most will pick up the clutter and dust everything before he or she arrives, just as Laban "prepared the house" in this verse. A descendant of Abraham in later centuries was a man, a king named Solomon who would later say, "There is nothing new under the sun" (Proverbs 1:9). Our gadgets are different, but our attitudes and actions are much the same.
Laban addressed the man as "blessed of the Lord," though Laban himself was an idolator, as we will see in Genesis 31:30, when he accused Rebekah's son-to-be, Jacob, with the words, "Why did you steal my gods?" It was common, then as it is now, for people to "hedge their bets," as the saying goes - trusting in one religious belief while secretly holding another. But Laban was hospitable, though whether it was because that was his nature or whether because of the potential for wealth represented by this guest, it is not clear.
Verse 32. "So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him."
In this verse we have the first direct evidence that the servant of Abraham did not ride from Canaan alone, for here we have mention "of the men who were with him." The servant now entered the house of Laban, Bethuel and Rebekah, but it does not say that the other men entered with him. It is possible they did, though it is even more likely that the house was not large enough to accomodate them all. The servant would have been looking around, memorizing every aspect of these moments, every face he saw, for in a few days or weeks he would report all of it to his master, Abraham. His chief interest, of course, would be Rebekah, the young woman who was to marry Abraham's son, Isaac.
Laban, brother of Rebekah, was very busy at the moment. While the man was busy entering the house, Laban was unloading the "ten camels" we first saw in Verse 10. He "gave straw and feed to the camels," and washed not only the servant's feet, but also "the feet of the men who were with him." It is unlikely that Laban did all of the unloading, feeding and washing himself, for this was a somewhat wealthy family and it is much more likely meant that Laban ordered his servants to perform those chores.
Father, help us to understand that You are with each of us in all of our lives, just as surely as You were with this servant. You had an intention that Isaac would marry this girl named Rebekah, and You have good plans for us also. Help us to come to You in faith, knowing that You are there, hear our prayer and love us without limit. We confess our sin of unbelief and give our hearts and lives to You right now. We praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:33-38
Verse 33. "But when food was set before him to eat, he said, 'I will not eat until I have told my business.' And he said, 'Speak on.'"
The food that was prepared and set before Abraham's chief servant and the others who came with him must have been in every way an excellent meal. It would have appealed to the eyes, the aromas that filled the house were enticing and the servant was likely to be hungry at the moment. So were the other men who came with him. But this man was on the Lord's business and he was very aware of his perspective, his need, in which he was on an important mission for his human employer, Abraham.
One of the problems with the world is that most people's emphasis is on their appetites. What will I eat? How can I obtain more income? and so on. It's refreshing to see this man who said, "I will not eat until I have told my business." And of course, his "business" was to do not only Abraham's will, but the Lord's will as well. All too often in life our actions have been merely about our own needs and not about what the Lord might want us to do and also how it may benefit other people. We need the Lord's help, who "took... the form of a servant" (Philippians 2:7), showing us the way we are supposed to live.
Verse 34. "So he said, 'I am Abraham's servant.'"
All conversation stopped at this moment, as Laban and the others began to listen intently to the words of this man who was now revealed for certain as Abraham's servant. At one point in time, as seen in Genesis 15:2, the servant who was in charge of everything in Abraham's encampment was "Eliezer of Damascus." Abraham trusted the man so much that Eliezer had become the "heir" of "Abraham's house." He was "heir" no longer, for Abraham now had a son, but the man was still intensely loyal to Abraham, even though he was no longer the one who would inherit the man's estate.
Whoever this person was, whether he was Eliezer the man or a successor to that man's office, he was indeed, as all history can see, a very trustworthy person. Whatever his name might have been, he was carrying out his master's wishes completely with little thought for himself. He was not any kind of heir to Abraham's large estate because Isaac had become the sole inheritor. And yet here he was, serving the purposes of the very Isaac who had superceded his interests. He was a most commendable person. And so should each of us consider the needs of others at least as much as our own.
Verse 35. "The Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys."
We've caught glimpses of the wealth of Abraham in the chapters of Genesis that led up to this one. Just in case it was missed previously, we can have a look at what the Lord blessed him with, as the servant of Abraham revealed highlights to the family he had left behind in response to the call of God. Included in this listing of the riches of Abraham are "flocks... herds... silver... gold... servants... maids... camels and donkeys." That's quite a list and you might conclude from reading the list that if someone places their faith in the Lord as Abraham did, then riches would be sure to follow.
But that's often not the case. You might have wealth or you might find poverty after placing your faith in the Lord. The author of Proverbs pointed out that "The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all" (Proverbs 22:2). Jesus commented to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:23-27). And James warned us, "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you..." (James 5:1). The point of the listing of Abraham's wealth in this verse is to assure Rebekah's family that she would be safe and secure if she left her family home and accompanied this servant to a life in which she would marry Abraham's son, Isaac.
Verse 36. "Now Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has."
The servant of Abraham was continuing to speak to the relatives of his master about the purpose of his mission. We don't know the identities of all who were present, but from Verse 50 and its context, we can see that two of them were "Laban and Bethuel." The latter, Bethuel, was the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother (Genesis 22:20-24). Laban was identified as Rebekah's brother in Verse 29 of this Chapter and was the grandson of Nahor, though his name was not listed in the report given to Abraham in Chapter 22. He may have appeared under a different name or perhaps this was a younger son who had not yet been born.
The family had been breathlessly waiting for this servant of Abraham to continue revealing the purpose of his journey and he did not keep them waiting any longer. He now spoke of Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, names that were familiar to those who listened. Abraham was their uncle, and Sarah, Abraham's wife, was not only their aunt by marriage, but she was also the half-sister of Abraham, and their aunt by blood (Genesis 20:11-12). This "son" of Abraham now caught their attention completely, especially the part as it was stated that Isaac, the potential husband of Rebekah, was shown to be the sole inheritor of all the wealth of Abraham.
Verse 37. "My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live;'"
The servant of Abraham, the one doing all the talking at the moment, now was making it clear to those who listened intently to his words, what this speech he was making was all about. He was on a mission to find a wife for Abraham's son, Isaac. This was not to be just any wife, but it was to be a specific young woman who was definitely NOT to be descended from any of the many tribes located in the land of Canaan. Abraham had been sent to that place, but his son would not find his wife among "the daughters of the Canaanites."
Abraham, at the moment of these verses, had another son named Ishmael, who was, along with his mother, Hagar, excluded from the encampment of Abraham, as related in Chapter 20. It is interesting, as to both Isaac and Ishmael, how compliant the boys were in relation to his wishes. As the next chapters reveal, Isaac simply lived his life in accordance with the direction of his father, and so did Ishmael. The one who was the "old man" to them was so dominant in a positive way, that others were very faithful in carrying out his wishes, as was the servant who was speaking at the moment.
Verse 38. "but you shall go to my father's house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son."
There were, no doubt, audible gasps emanating from those who listened avidly to the words of this servant of Abraham. Whatever they had thought about the purposes of the man, it was now being revealed: He wanted to take Rebekah away with him to some strange land where they might never see her again. We can see in Verse 30 a description of the gifts given to Rebekah, and they knew the cultural meaning of them - they were a form of wedding gifts, similar to the engagement ring given to a prospective bride in many cultures today.
The family in Haran had, no doubt, discussed Abraham among themselves many times, and possibly had not heard about him for many years. And now they were "on the edge of their seats," listening to every word that was being told to them. They now knew that Abraham had a chief servant (Verse 34) and were able to see that he had other servants as well. He was rich (Verse 35). He and his wife, Sarah, had a son in their old age (Verse 36), and he had sent this servant away from the land of Canaan to find a wife for that son (Verse 37).
Dear Lord, this servant of Abraham was intent on carrying out his mission. He did not act for himself, but did it for his earthly employer and for You. Help us to also be intent on serving the needs of others and on doing Your revealed will. Help us to consider others, much like this man did, and help us to follow You in faith, in the days of our lives and throughout all eternity. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:39-43
Verse 39. "I said to my master, 'Suppose the woman does not follow me.'"
The servant of Abraham was continuing to tell his story, at the moment relating the conversation between him and his master as seen in Verse 5, in which he had replied, "Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?" And there was no more any doubt in the minds of those in the family of Abraham's brother - This man intended to take Rebekah with him when he left Haran. Thoughts might have entered their minds at the moment, like, "Who will fetch us water from the well?"
Or, "Who will cook our food?" they may have wondered. We will see in later chapters that Laban, Rebekah's brother, was something of a trickster, a person who saw most situations as a means of personal gain. He might have been thinking at this moment that perhaps if he refused to let Rebekah go, then possibly this servant would give him money or more goods in exchange for releasing her. But for now the servant was continuing to talk, uttering his well-rehearsed little speech to Rebekah's family.
Verse 40. "He said to me, 'The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house;'"
This servant of Abraham (who was very possibly the "Eliezer," mentioned in Genesis 15:2), continued to tell his story to the family of Abraham's brother. And if Rebekah's brother, Laban, was thinking at the moment of Verse 39 that he would ask for money in exchange for Rebekah, his thoughts were now being suddenly altered by the words of this verse. The servant was quoting the words of Abraham, who had said with assurance, "The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful." The actual words are in Verse 7 - "He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there."
If Laban and the rest of the relatives in the house at that moment had ideas about turning this incident into a money-making venture or refusing to let her go, the words quoted in this verse affected that decision. They were being told that it was the angel of the Lord who had arranged all these events. It was the will of God for Rebekah that she would leave Haran, go to Canaan, and become the wife of Abraham's son. If the family in Haran objected and/or demanded more goods, it had now become clear that in doing so, they would be defying Almighty God.
Verse 41. "then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath."
The family of Rebekah had learned that if they tried to prevent her from leaving the family home in Haran, near the present borders that separate Syria, Turkey and Iraq, and moving to Canaan on the Mediterranean coast, they would be interfering with the will of God. It is not clear whether or not they had the kind of faith in the Lord that the servant had seen in Abraham, but they did fear the Lord as most people did at that time. Many people today do not believe that a Great Flood ever covered the face of the earth, but the Flood was a recent event at the time of this verse and all had encountered somebody who remembered or had heard about from an eye-witness, the story of what had happened.
Those in the humanity of that time recognized that God is the judge of all those who interfere with His will. The human race had previously (and recently) been narrowed to a mere eight individuals because "the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." And there was more - "The Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth" (Genesis 6:5-7). In the very next verse the Lord continued, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." This family of Abraham reasonably did not want to be destroyed and in a few verses we will see that her relatives would become somewhat willing to let her go.
Verse 42. "So I came today to the spring, and said, 'O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful;'"
The servant of Abraham continued speaking to the family of Abraham's brother, at their home in Haran, in northern Mesopotamia. His listeners were utterly silent, listening intently to his every word. They had not heard from or about Abraham for many years, decades probably, and this tale was revealing that man's intention to take their daughter, their sister, Rebekah, away from them. They continued to listen as the servant told them about the prayer he had uttered to the Lord next to the well which was near the house they had no doubt occupied for many decades.
So many prayers are what we might call, "conditional," aren't they? People want a response from God and so they say to Him something like, "Lord, if you do this for me, then I will do... (such-and-such) in return." What are called "battlefield conversions" are like that - "Lord, if you get me out of this in one piece, I will give my life to you..." God actually does hear those prayers, by the way, and if you have ever given yourself to the Lord in such a manner, you are His. This prayer is interesting because, behind the words and actions of people then and now, is the will of God. The servant asked exactly what he was supposed to ask.
Verse 43. "behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, 'Please let me drink a little water from your jar;'"
We saw this prayer first in Verses 12-14, in which this servant of Abraham asked the Lord, "now may it be that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar so that I may drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also' - may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master." This is not by any means a bad prayer. The man wanted to believe in and serve the Lord, and he wanted very much to serve his earthly master, Abraham.
The man had been very specific about what he wanted from the Lord, and it is obvious that the Lord was comfortable with granting his request. I think we can ask the Lord - anything. He may well grant the request or He might respond with a resounding "No!" but He likes it when we pray, He will hear our request, and will often do something far better in response than we ever could have asked or thought about. He is God and through His grace, He loves every one of us.
Father, we give our hearts and our lives to You. Help us to learn to pray, that we may seek You and find You in everything. Please give us the peace that comes from knowing that our needs are in Your hands. We trust in You. Please help us in every good and perfect way. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:44-49
Verse 44. "and she will say to me, 'You drink, and I will draw for your camels also;' let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master's son."
This servant of Abraham's request had been very specific and since the prayer was previously recorded in Verses 12-14, it seems that it is included a second time so that we will not miss the point - WE can ask the Lord for ALL of our needs. Many have been fascinated by Jesus' "parable of the unjust judge," as it is called, recorded in Luke 18:1-8. The point of that parable was presented clearly in Verse 1 - Jesus "spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart." If the answer or the lack of one, does not meet the need, we are encouraged to keep on asking the Lord until He responds.
We see twice in this chapter that the servant prayed and God answered his need, which should give hope to you and me that we can pray also. And if the outcome does not coincide with our request, it's important to consider 1 John 5:14-15 - "This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him." God is our true parent and we are like little children in relation to him. If our children ask for permission to run out into the street, we are likely to say "No." But if they ask for something else, we might say "Yes." Either way, yes or no, we do hear our children, and in a similar, better, more profound way, God hears US as well.
Verse 45. "Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'"
In life it's important for us to learn patience, which is helped along as a process through delayed answers to our needs. In a similar manner, faith strangely and wonderfully grows when things are not outwardly the way we might want them to be. If everything was "heavenly" right now, would we hope for something yet to come? And so God is slow to respond to our every whim because we would otherwise always remain infants, crying if it all did not go our way.
This servant of Abraham knew about such things, and you can imagine his amazement when the answer to his prayer came even before he had fully asked. His eyes may have been closed in prayer, but more likely they were open, and they opened even wider, as Rebekah came right up to him. He croaked out the words, "Please let me drink," thinking that it was incredible, but here she was and he could only ask her what he had already asked the Lord.
Verse 46. "She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also;' so I drank, and she watered the camels also."
At the moment, the servant excitedly continued telling the story of his meeting with Rebekah at the well. It was his prayer that if she was God's intended wife for Abraham's son, Isaac, then she would act in an unusual way in relation to a stranger, someone she did not know. When we were in Israel we drank, as many do from what is called "Jacob's Well." The cold, clear water was a long way down into the earth and it was brought up by a rope tied to a bucket that would hold water for about four people. The Arab gentleman who drew up the water for our party worked steadily, but it still took him a considerable time.
The young women of these verses, Rebekah, not only gave this servant of Abraham a drink, but she also filled jar-after-jar with water and gave it to the man's ten camels as well. The servant had an unknown number of thirsty men with him, as we will see in Verse 54. She very likely gave those men water also. It was not unusual for people in those times to be hospitable, but ten camels will drink a considerable amount of water and she did a lot of work. Those who listened were nodding - her response was indeed an answer of the Lord to this man's prayer.
Verse 47. "Then I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him;' and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists."
Word had come to Abraham, as seen in Genesis 22:20-24, about the family of his brother, in far off Haran. Names of the family members were told to Abraham at that time, and he no doubt shared his excitement with many in his encampment, including Sarah, his wife, who was still alive at the time, and with the man speaking at the moment. If Abraham's authority over his encampment can be compared with the authority of the leader of a small country, then this servant who is speaking at the moment would be equivalent to the secretary of state in that small nation. This man would have known all of the names listed in this verse and more.
Nahor was Abraham's brother, and the way this chapter is written gives the impression that he was no longer alive. Bethuel was the son of Nahor mentioned last in Genesis 22:21, likely indicating that he was the youngest of those sons. And yet Bethuel is listed second after his son, Laban, in Verse 50 of this chapter, as though they were sort of co-equals, suggesting that even though Bethuel, the father, was senior to his son, he may have been incapacitated mentally and/or physically, either through injury or the aging process. It is also interesting that Laban was not mentioned as a son of Bethuel in Genesis 22:21. He may have not yet been born or Laban might be a second name or nickname of one of the sons listed in that place.
Verse 48. "And I bowed low and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son."
In Verse 27, we can see the words this man, uttered as he learned the true identity of the girl who had given water to him and his camels. It was Rebekah, the very young woman he had sought, the one who was to be chosen as the wife of Isaac, son of Abraham. "He said, 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers.'" And that is the way we should be - thanking the Lord, all the days of our lives.
The breaths we have taken in our lifetimes number in the millions and every one of them is the gift of God. Many say "grace" at or after a meal, but how many GRASP that the food truly did indeed come from the Lord? Most of us can see, hear, feel, can detect beautiful aromas, and have the ability to think about what we have seen, heard and felt. We are gifted in ways that are below the radar of our understanding. And to think that God sent His Son to redeem us from sin. We should bow low, worship the Lord and bless Him, for He is good.
Verse 49. "So now if you are going to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or the left."
This man, the servant of Abraham, was a diplomat. The way he stated it, his listeners had no choice, for if they agreed with his request and sent Rebekah with him to marry Isaac, son of Abraham, it meant they dealt "kindly and truly" with Abraham. If they declined, they were revealed as unkind and untrue people. It was a sort of verbal trap for them, though it is not clear whether the servant meant to place them in such a position, or if was simply the Lord who caused the man to speak in just that way.
This was one of the toughest assignments given to the servant by his master Abraham, and he wanted to know RIGHT NOW whether these people were going to say "yes" or "no" in response to his very clear words. And there is no doubt that his listeners were stunned because the wording of the man's request made it impossible to say "no," even though they were about to lose their daughter and sister if they said, "yes." The Lord often does that with people - When we resist His will, He is not shy about bringing us to a place in life where we can no longer reasonably say "no" to what He wants.
Dear Lord, You are infinitely greater than we are. We say "yes" to You and give You our hearts and lives. Forgive us for resisting You in the past. We trust in You now. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:50-54
Verse 50. "Then Laban and Bethuel replied, 'The matter comes from the Lord; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.'"
Laban, brother of Rebekah, and Bethuel, their father, had been placed into a very difficult position by the simple testimony of the Lord through Abraham's servant. They could not say "no" to his request. If they did try to deny what he wanted, then they would have been saying "no" to the will of Almighty God. Bethuel had apparently been getting on in years, for he was doing something unusual in that culture - he was deferring leadership of the family to his son, Laban, and now the two, father and son, answered together.
There is the strong suggestion in this verse that Laban, who seemed to be the acting head of the family at the moment of this verse, would have negated the request of Abraham and his servant if he could, but he had enough respect for the Lord that he now gave a nebulous answer. Laban's name is listed first here, so he was probably the one who spoke out loud the words in this verse, but the response given was the united position of his father and himself. The reply admitted that the servant's request was truly from the Lord, but Laban and Bethuel still were struggling in relation to giving final permission for Rebekah to leave.
Verse 51. "Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has spoken."
And now at last, the two, Laban the son and Bethuel the father, reluctantly agreed to let Rebekah leave Haran and go with the servant of Abraham and the armed men who were with him, to ride away in a camel caravan westward to the land of Canaan. It's hard for any father to release his daughter into the adult world, for the future is very uncertain and the good father will protect her as long as it is possible. The words of the servant about the Lord's dramatic answers to his prayers were the deciding factor - Rebekah would leave and become the wife of Isaac in far off Canaan, by the Mediterranean Sea.
"The Lord has spoken." Has the Lord spoken in your life? He is continually reaching out to us all in His Word, the Bible, through circumstances, through others who trust in Him, directly into our hearts by the Holy Spirit of God, in our dreams, and probably in more ways than we have ever considered. The Lord had a plan for the lives of all concerned in these verses from before time began and He has a certain, good plan for your life as well. Be open to Him and trust yourself to Him, for He has a good plan and He cares for you.
Verse 52. "When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the Lord."
If we really understood the number of times God has delivered us from death, dismemberment and disease, from disgrace and failure, we would be astonished. Even when things seem to go utterly wrong, God is often delivering us from something far worse. And notice that, like the "servant" of these verses, the events in our lives can be more about the people in our lives than they are about us. God ANSWERED the prayer of the man in this verse and the servant is here doing something we all should do, even when we do not SEE the answers as he did. It's time for us all to become people who truly and continuously THANK the Lord.
That's what Paul said in various ways in many of his surviving letters - "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The words this man was responding to were in Verse 51 of this chapter in Genesis - "Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has spoken." For him it was very clear. The Lord had heard the man's earlier prayer and answered it perfectly. For you and me the answers may be less clear, or the answer might be "No" when we wanted "Yes," but God's "No" is always for a higher purpose than we understand. Let's be like this servant and PRAISE the Lord - right now.
Verse 53. "The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother."
Previously, in Verse 22, this servant of Abraham had impulsively brought out some of the jewelry he was to give Rebekah as bridal gifts. Included was a golden ring that was probably a nose ring, and bracelets, all of gold. It might be that he only gave her some of the treasures intended for her at the previous time because he was still somewhat unsure of her response, and so he held back. But now he was very sure because the family decision-makers had seemingly given their blessing for her departure. Her father and her brother had clearly said, "take her and go" in the previous verse.
And now the servant gave more and the remaining gifts likely included all that he had brought with him. He gave "articles of silver and articles of gold and garments" to Rebekah as wedding gifts, and he "also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother." The gifts to the family would have been considered as what has been thought of a "dowry" in exchange for losing this young woman to another family. They would experience loss in her departure and in that culture it was customary for families to be compensated for such a loss.
Verse 54. "Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, 'Send me away to my master.'"
When all the discussions and negotiations were completed, the family was compensated for the loss of Rebekah and after all was decided, it was late in the day. All concerned were full of food and drink, and needed a good night's sleep. Traveling at night was dangerous for a lot of reasons and so they "spent the night" at Rebekah's house which was near or in Haran. Notice the phrase, "the men who were with him" - this servant did not travel alone from the encampment of Abraham to this house in Haran. He was accompanied by experienced camel drivers and well-armed men.
But now it was time to go. Not unlike today, the time to leave for a long journey was early in the morning when they could get as many miles out of the day as possible. And so this faithful servant of Abraham said to them, "Send me away to my master." He no doubt had told those who had traveled with him to load the camels and get everything ready for the journey. And now he was effectively saying "Goodbye" to the relatives of Rebekah.
Lord, there is a time for us to stay, and in other situations it is time to go. Help us to become men and women of prayer who know what time it is because You have revealed it to us and because we are people who know how to listen. Give us "ears that hear," Lord, and hearts that respond. We thank You and praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:55-59
Verse 55. "But her brother and her mother said, 'Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.'"
Rebekah's brother, Laban, a man who was effectively in charge of the household of his parents, which suggested that his parents were probably elderly and infirm, joined his mother in saying, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go." They had agreed on the previous evening, as we saw in Verse 51, that it was the Lord's will for Rebekah to leave with this servant, but now they were having second thoughts and were trying to keep her a little longer, which might have actually become MUCH longer if Abraham's servant agreed to this request.
We will see in subsequent chapters of Genesis that this Laban, this brother, was something of a trickster. He was a man who would manipulate circumstances in hopes of personal gain. He may well have been thinking that the saddle bags for the camels might contain more gifts and if he tried to delay Rebekah's departure, Abraham's servant might have more to give. People tend to feel that others think like they do, and if Laban's thoughts were about money and getting all he could, he might well have thought that this servant might have had in mind keeping something for himself, hidden in those bulging saddle bags.
Verse 56. "He said to them, "Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
What the servant proposed in this verse is good advice for us all. When we have clearly seen the Lord's will for our lives and have seen His answer to prayer, it is time right now, when it is possible, to ACT on on what He has shown to us that we must do. The servant had prayed for the Lord to show him the right young woman and that prayer was answered dramatically, revealing Rebekah to be precisely the girl who would travel with this servant and then marry Isaac, the son of Abraham.
The Lord had indeed "prospered" the "way" of this servant by responding to his prayer. And when the Lord opens a door for you, for me or for this servant, it suddenly becomes our obligation to walk through that door into a future designed by God Himself. Jesus very clearly said, "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture" (John 10:9 & context). Jesus the Christ is, as we can read, "the way, the truth and the life," and there is more: "No one comes to the Father except through Me," He said (John 14:6 & context). Jesus has been revealed as the only "door" that leads to the Father and it is our affirmative duty to walk through that Door by trusting in Him - right now.
Verse 57. "And they said, 'We will call the girl and consult her wishes.'"
Rebekah's brother, Laban, their mother, and whoever else from that family was present at the moment had one final, remaining hope. They knew that Abraham wanted "the girl," their daughter and sister, Rebekah, to go with this man, and they now knew without a doubt that the Lord wanted her to go also, but they were having what is called, "second thoughts," and wanted her to stay. Perhaps, they thought, if we ask her directly, she might refuse to leave. And again, this Laban might well have been hoping to receive more valuables - His motive, like that of many people in humanity, was questionable.
This is a problem for all of us. God clearly calls us to something or other and then we look at all our shortcomings and question whether we heard Him right. The logistics of it all may be beyond us and we don't want to be failures. He may be sending us to the other side of the world or we might be drawn to speak to the person next door - the scope of His call is not the issue - it's all about His call. And so we begin to wonder, did I hear Him right? It's fine to confirm with Him that you heard Him right, but we should ask HIM and value His response more than we listen to circumstances, other people or our own fears.
Verse 58. "Then they called Rebekah and said to her, 'Will you go with this man?' And she said, 'I will go.'"
It was the last hope of this family that Rebekah the sister of Laban, would hesitate to go with this servant of Abraham, even though the Lord had confirmed to them all that He intended for her to leave with the man to Canaan, to wed Abraham's son, Isaac. In those days travel wasn't like an airplane trip in which we might fly somewhere, stay for a few days and then go back to the airport to return home. This was a permanent decision in which they were unlikely to ever see Rebekah again.
It was becoming more than just whatever greedy thoughts Laban might have had about obtaining more gifts. This was indeed the permanent loss of Rebekah to an unknown future in a place they would never see. The servant of Abraham had brought bridal gifts which had been accepted, the Lord had answered the man's prayer and had revealed to him that this girl, this Rebekah was to go with him. Now they breathlessly awaited her response, and they sighed as she bravely and confidently responded, "(Yes), I will go."
Verse 59. "Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham's servant and his men."
Have you ever had an outcome in your life that you did not like? Of course you have, just as everybody else has experienced unpleasant outcomes. In this case, the family of Rebekah, who lived in the city of Haran, were now saying "Goodbye" to her and they did not like the feeling. They may have simply loved her and would miss her, which was probably true for some of them. Others may have been regretting that she would no longer be there to do housework and/or to fetch the water. In any case, with a certain reluctance, knowing that it was God's will for her to go, they sent her away.
When Rebekah went, she would take "her nurse" with her. And there would be more because we will note in Verse 61 that "her maids" also embarked on the journey to the land of Canaan. The family had decided that she and the others were safe with "Abraham's servant and his men." Having seen the way Abraham planned for such things, it is certain that the men who accompanied her were well-armed and were fully capable of using those weapons. The camels were ready, as we will see in Verse 61, and so, off they went.
Father, when we see Your clear will for our lives and for those around us, help us to have the courage to ACT on Your will by doing what we are supposed to do. We commit ourselves to You, for You love us and we don't see the future, but You do. We need You, Lord, and we need Your Holy Spirit to lead us in the way everlasting. Thank You that You are showing us the way and that You will bring us safely through. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:60-63
Verse 60. "They blessed Rebekah and said to her, 'May you, our sister, become thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.'"
In this verse we see the traditional blessing that Rebekah's family bestowed upon her as she departed for Canaan. It was customary to give such a blessing to someone who had come of age and was launching out into the world. In this case, the prayer for her was that she would be prolific, bearing many children. That was the wish of parents everywhere in those times because children were everyone's hope for the future. In an age when convalescent homes for the aged and infirm had not been invented, children were to be the caregivers for their parents. The hoped for blessing included that she and her descendants might be safe from enemies and would defeat them.
It was expected that children would learn to manage the farm and/or tend ranch animals. Male children potentially would be able to protect the family and were to assist in whatever trade the family was involved in. Daughters were also likely to assist with the family business, do housework, watch over siblings and would care for aging relatives. It was hoped daughters would marry locally and bear children who would assist the family in various ways. Adult children represented safety to other family members, which is why they emphasized the blessing that her "descendants (might) possess the gate of those who hate them." Rebekah was unexpectedly leaving, and unlike the modern world, in which children are increasingly viewed as a liability, her departure was seen as a considerable loss to those who could not go with her.
Verse 61. "Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed."
On the recent trip from Canaan to Haran by these servants of Abraham, at least some of the camels with them had been laden with "a variety of good things of his master's..." as seen in Verse 10. The items were bridal gifts for Rebekah and gifts for the family in hope that she would be allowed to leave their service. Included were a gold ring and two bracelets as seen in Verse 22, and unknown but probably considerable numbers of articles of silver and gold, along with garments which were given as mentioned in Verse 53.
The unloading of these gifts which were undoubtedly extensive and costly, freed one or two or likely more of the camels to be able to carry riders on the long trip back to Canaan. If the companions of Abraham's servant had ridden the camels from Canaan to the place they presently were, they would now walk, leading the camels so that Rebekah and others might ride. Verse 59 revealed that Rebekah's "nurse" would accompany the caravan and here in this verse we catch a glimpse of "maids" who would travel with her. When asked if she would go to Canaan to marry Isaac (Verse 58), she responded, "I will go." She was excited by the possibilities of this adventure and no doubt, God was prompting her in her heart to make this journey. How many times has the Lord intervened in our lives, prompting us to do something, but we have drawn back in fear? This brave and adventurous young lady said: "Yes."
Verse 62. "Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the Negev."
Isaac, son of Abraham, had traveled some distance from his father's encampment and was now on the road that led to Haran. Herders of animals, like Isaac, had to often leave one area and go to another, for his flocks were numerous and the places they stopped in would soon become over-grazed. He knew or rather he hoped that his bride-to-be was on her way to meet him and these verses don't reveal to us the excitement he undoubtedly felt. He would have looked ahead on the road often, hoping to see the dust of the arriving caravan of camels. Abraham (and the Lord) had carefully arranged for these circumstances to occur, and this father and son were both anxiously awaiting the return of the servant who had been sent to secure Isaac's bride.
"Beer-lahai-roi" was glimpsed in Genesis 16:14, depicting a time decades before this moment, when Hagar, the pregnant Egyptian servant girl, was thrown out of Abraham's encampment by his angry wife, Sarah, then known as "Sarai." The girl had been selected by Sarai to be the human vehicle who would bring God's promise, a son, into the world for Abraham. But sharp jealousy had arisen between the two women and Hagar was forced out into the wilderness. It was at the place named in this verse that the Lord appeared to Hagar, rescued her and returned the young woman to Abraham's encampment, the place where she had a son named Ishmael. And now, many decades later, "Isaac," the son Sarah later bore through natural birth, was returning from "Beer-lahai-roi" to a temporary home near an oasis in the "Negev" desert.
Verse 63. "Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming."
We are so used to the continual interruptions of our lives within what is called our "modern" society, that we have little true understanding of what it would be like to notice that "camels were coming." Constantly, throughout the day and evening, the telephone rings, the newspaper arrives, a favorite television show starts, your computer dings that another email has been received, someone rings the bell at your front door offering to do something like yard work, and so on. Isaac lived in a time when he had plenty of time without interruption to "meditate in the field toward evening," as he did at this moment.
But then, something unusual happened. It was seldom that visitors came and there were no telephones that might suddenly ring, but here came something out of the ordinary. It was a caravan and he noted that there were ten camels, and he could make out in the declining light that they were indeed their camels. He saw, YES, there was his father Abraham's servant, and yes, there were others as well. And he noted - women! Some of them were women and he knew that no women had gone with the men to Haran. One of these women was to become his bride, he was sure of it, and there were others as well. He stared, and did he smile at that moment?
Father, give us the courage of Rebekah, that when we perceive what we think is Your will, we will ACT on what it is that You want for our lives. We give ourselves to You, Lord. Please forgive us for those times when we did what WE wanted, instead of responding to You. We trust in You now. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for Your love. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Audio Bible Study - Genesis 24:64-67
Verse 64. "Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel."
Isaac, son of Abraham, the man observed in Verse 63, wasn't the only one who was intently looking across the field mentioned in that verse. Rebekah, who was riding on one of the camels in the small caravan, was looking across that very same field, but in the other direction. She saw a man that she had been thinking about during all of the days necessary for the caravan to make the trip from Haran back to the place of this verse. She had been wondering about the man she never had met, but was supposed to marry. Was this him?
The men and the camels had stopped, and she and the others who traveled with her now dismounted and stepped onto the ground. She was still looking at the man across the field, studying him and wondering about him. In most modern cultures marriages are no longer arranged, but in the time of this verse it was very rare for marriages to occur that came from a basis of what is called "romance." She was not alarmed at her circumstances, but she was intensely curious about that man, as she studied from a distance the way he moved, the way he walked, the way he seemed to be.
Verse 65. "She said to the servant, 'Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?' And the servant said, 'He is my master.' Then she took her veil and covered herself."
Often in modern Christian weddings, the bride will arrive at the altar with her face covered by a veil. Its original use was to signify her youth, modesty, virginity, and in past centuries it was felt by many that the veil helped ward off evil spirits from the not-as-yet married girl. These days the veil is still used optionally at a wedding, but it is often thought of as a decoration rather than as a symbol of something else. The "veil" that Rebekah used was larger than a modern Western veil, so much larger that it was more like a large wrapper, covering nearly her entire body.
It is unclear from the words of this verse, whether the "man walking in the field" was Abraham, the servant's "master," or Isaac, the master's son. In the next verse, the man in question is revealed as Isaac, the son of Abraham, who obviously was already taking over at least some of the administrative functions previously held by Abraham. That would be normal for the time, for the way which a father trained someone younger to do a job would include gradually letting them do the work themselves.
Verse 66. "The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done."
This is a very short verse presented in a "matter-of-fact" manner, but can you imagine the emotions that passed between the two men as "the servant" shared his adventures with "Isaac," son of Abraham? The servant might have passed over the trip to Haran and back, just as Scripture does, but as to the story about what happened when he got there, it must have seemed amazing to Isaac. The servant told about arriving at the well and seeing not just one, but a whole GROUP of young women approaching the well he was next to at the moment. And then the prayer he blurted out! The man had asked not only that the right girl would give him water, but also give water to the ten camels he had brought as well!
And the Lord did it! The young woman, Rebekah, who had accompanied this man back from Haran, actually gave water to all ten camels! Amazing! "The Lord ANSWERED my prayer!" he must have whispered to Isaac. And then she identified herself. "She was the right one!" And he told about giving her gifts; about staying overnight in her family's home and the presenting of gifts to family members as well. And then, after promising to let her go to Canaan, they were resisting letting her go! But they asked her and SHE wanted to return with the servant on the journey to Canaan. From this brief recitation of Genesis Chapter 24, you can catch a glimpse of the emotions that accompanied this short verse of Scripture.
Verse 67. "Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."
We can tell that time jumped at least several days between Verses 66 and 67, because of the details omitted in the original narrative. It can be understood WHY certain information was left out because the intended first readers of the words in this chapter fully understood the nature of what was to become an elaborate wedding, and Moses, the author who wrote Genesis 400 years later, didn't need to provide the details to his Hebrew readers. They saw in their minds the feast that Abraham would have provided, the revelry and the joy. Between Verses 66 and 67 was a very big event that might well have lasted for several days.
We can catch a glimpse that there were intervening festivities between the servant's return from Haran and the taking of Rebekah into his mother's tent because of places like Genesis 29:22. That was a recording of the time when Isaac's younger son-to-be, Jacob, was about to marry, he thought, the love of his life, Rachel. Note that prior to his marriage to a veiled lady who turned out to be Rachel's sister, Leah, there was a "feast." And there would have been a great feast at the time of THIS verse for Isaac, because it was the way things were done in that culture, in that family.
Lord, you create our lives and shape the events that occur in them. We accept our circumstances, knowing that You are in them. Just as surely as you intervened in the lives of Rebekah and Isaac, intervene in ours, that we might seek Your will, know it and follow Your purposes for us. We surrender, Lord, to Your will in our lives, and especially we place our trust in You, Lord Jesus, receiving You as our Savior and Lord. Fill us with Your peace and with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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