Genesis 24 · WEB
A Wife for Isaac
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Abraham was old, well advanced in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.
2Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.
3I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
4But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."
5The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Should I bring your son again to the land you came from?"
6Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.
7Yahweh, 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, 'I will give this land to your offspring' — he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
8If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be free from this oath of mine. Only you shall not bring my son there again."
9The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10The servant took ten of his master's camels, and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master. He arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12He said, "Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, 'Please give me your pitcher to drink from,' and she will say, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,' — let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
15Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
16The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
17The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink of a little water from your pitcher."
18She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.
19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I'll also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."
20She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21The man looked steadily at her, wondering whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
22When the camels had done drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
23and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to stay?"
24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
25She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in."
26The man bowed his head and worshiped Yahweh.
27He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the way to the house of my master's relatives."
28The young lady ran and told her mother's household about these words.
29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
30When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "The man said this to me," he came to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
31He said, "Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."
32The man came into the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
33Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." Laban said, "Speak on."
34He said, "I am Abraham's servant.
35Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
36Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
37My 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,
38but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.'
39I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
40He said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father's house.
41Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don't give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.'
42"I came today to the spring, and said, 'Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go:
43behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
44and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels" — let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master's son.'
45"Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'
46She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.
47"I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
48I bowed my head and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
49Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."
50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing comes from Yahweh. We can't speak to you bad or good.
51Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as Yahweh has spoken."
52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh.
53The servant brought out jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.
54They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."
55Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she shall go."
56He said to them, "Don't hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."
57They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."
58They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."
59They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.
60They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them."
61Rebekah arose with her ladies, and they rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
63Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and looked, and there were camels coming.
64Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got down from the camel.
65She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil and covered herself.
66The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
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Summary
Abraham sends his chief servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own relatives in Mesopotamia, not from the Canaanites. The servant prays a specific, faith-filled prayer at the well and is immediately answered when Rebekah not only offers him water but watering all his camels — exactly the sign he asked for. After telling his story to Rebekah's family and receiving their consent, and then receiving Rebekah's own willing consent, he returns with her to Canaan. Isaac first sees Rebekah in the evening field where he was meditating, and their union brings him comfort after his mother's death.
Themes
- Providential guidance through specific, faith-filled prayer
- The sovereign hand of God working through ordinary events
- Consent and willing commitment in marriage
- Continuity of covenant through the next generation
- Worship and gratitude as the response to answered prayer
Key verses
- Gen 24:27 — “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master.”
- Gen 24:67 — “Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.”
- Gen 24:7 — “He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.”
Context & background
Genesis 24 is the longest chapter in Genesis and reads like a short story, full of narrative detail. The servant's prayer is a model of specific, expectant intercession — he asks for a precise sign and receives it immediately. The repetition of the story when the servant recounts events to Laban and Bethuel is a literary technique common in ancient narratives, emphasizing key details. Rebekah's character is established through action: she is generous, hardworking (watering ten camels is exhausting labor), and willing to go without hesitation. The servant's consistent worship throughout the chapter ("he bowed his head and worshiped Yahweh") models a life of gratitude and dependence.
Cross-references
- Ephesians 5:25 — husbands love your wives as Isaac loved Rebekah
- Proverbs 18:22 — he who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from Yahweh
- Psalm 37:23 — the steps of a good man are ordered by Yahweh
- Romans 8:28 — God works all things together for good, as the servant trusted
- Ruth 1:16 — Rebekah's "I will go" echoes Ruth's famous commitment