1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
With the death of Sarah still looming over his household, Abraham thinks it might be time to find Isaac a bride. However he has grown old, he can no longer travel as much as he used to.
The text takes a moment to remind us that God has blessed Abraham tremendously, He now has great wealth, a small family (smaller since the death of Sarah) many servants, and good relations with the local people.
2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
The servant is likely Eliezer of Damascus, who was set to inherit Abraham’s wealth before the births of Isaac and Ishmael. He is Abraham’s most trusted servant, is in charge of all the other servants, and likely has the authority to make descisions on behalf of Abraham. He has known Abraham a long time, and has helped raise Isaac. There is not better choice for someone to choose a wife for Isaac in Abraham’s stead. However, his absence would be felt, and the longer he is gone the more likely Abraham’s household would fall into disarray.
Abraham has the servant follow an old ritual for making an oath by putting his hand under Abraham’s thigh. What exactly this represented we are not sure, but by taking part in this oath, Eliezer was promising to not return home until he had did what Abraham had told him.
Abraham ordered him to travel to Mesopotamia, likely to Ur of the Chaldeans, where he had heard of his brother’s growing family, and pick out a wife from them. There were a couple reasons why Abraham would not want Isaac to marry into the Canaanite: First and foremost, most of the Canaanites did not worship God, and surrounded by their culture Isaac or his children might eventualy be lead away from God. Second, the prevailing custom of the time was that people married within their own tribe of people, this can even be seen in how Abraham married Sarah, his half sister.
5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
Eliezer brings up a question to clarify his master’s wishes. He can see that marrying Isaac to a Canaanite woman is out of the question, so what if Eliezer cannot find a woman from among Abraham’s relatives that is willing to return, should he take Isaac there? The question is meant to clarify Abraham’s priorities. Which is more important, that Isaac marries within Abraham’s family, or that Isaac remains in the promised land?
6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.”
Abraham answers the question, saying that it is more important that Isaac stay in the land that was promised by God. If the women Eliezer chooses to marry Isaac is not willing to return, then Eliezer is free from his vow.
However, it seems that Abraham is sure the servant will be successful as he says that God will send an angel before him on this journey. He believes that God will orchestrate the entire journey.
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
Satisfied with his charge, and understanding the terms of what he must do, Eliezer swears his oath.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor.
We later see that Eliezer took a few other servants on this journey as well. They were well supplied with both food and water as well as gifts for the bride and her family. The journey was a long one, made especially evident by the fact that ten camels were required to make the journey. If Eliezer took the common routes following the rivers, as opposed to crossing through the Arabian desert, the journey would have been well over 1500 miles. Since he had so many camels it is possible he could have gone through the desert, shortening the trip.
In any case he makes it to the city of Nahor, possibly a small settlement outside of the much larger city of Ur, where Abraham was born.
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
In ancient times there were a couple of places someone could go to inquire of information about towns and cities, the city gates and wells were both common areas. Eliezer would need to stop by the wells anyways to water his camels. It was also the perfect place to see if there were any young women who could make a suitable bride for Isaac, as collecting water was often a woman’s job in this culture.
12 And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
Eliezer had spent many years in Abraham’s service. He had seen the incredible things that God had done through Abraham, from rescuing Lot and the people of Sodom, to the Miraculous birth of Isaac. As such this prayer is one of genuine faith. Eliezer believes God will reveal to him the right maiden for Isaac. This is also the first prayer for guidance recorded in the bible
But even as Abraham asked God for signs in the past, Eliezer also asks God for a specific sign, that whenever he asks one of the maidens for a drink, that she will also water his ten camels. This would be a generous act, as ten camels can drink anywhere from 200- 500 gallons in a couple of minutes. Such a young woman would be kind and respectable, perfect for Isaac.
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.
While he is still praying, a young maiden comes, and is noted as very attractive in appearance. She catches his eye before Eliezer finishes his prayer.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.
Eliezer rushes over to ask her for a drink, and she gives him one before offering to draw water for his camels, which is again no small task. God had answered Eliezer’s prayer.
21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
Eliezer is apparently dumbfounded that God had answered his prayer so quickly. Like so many people, he is second guessing himself. He probably was thinking thoughts such as: “Could God have really made this so easy?”, “Should I ask for another sign, just to be sure?”, and “What if I am mistaken and this is not the right maiden?”
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
After Rebekah finishes watering the camels, Eliezer gives her a gift of a gold ring and gold bracelets, not a small gift. The gift is meant to show of Abrahams wealth and to try and convince Rebekah and her family to allow her to return with Eliezer. As he offers her the gift, he asks who her father is, to verify that she really is one of Abraham’s kin.
24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD 27 and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”
As soon as Rebekah explains that she is essentially Abraham’s great niece, Eliezer erupts in praises to God, who has completely answered his prayer and brought his success on this journey. He has found a bride for Isaac, now he just needs to convince her family.
Rebekah, as per the servants request, also offers him a place to stay, saying that they have room for both him and his camels.
28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
As Eliezer readies his camels and men, Rebekah runs back to tell her family.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
Rebekah’s brother, Laban, who seems to have taken on the role as man of the house, perhaps his father is elderly and can no longer run the household, is the first to hear of Abraham’s servant at the well. He goes to greet him, having already prepared a place for him and his camels.
Interestingly enough, Laban calls out to Eliezer as “blessed of the LORD,” Perhaps he recognizes God’s hand in all of this. More likely he recognizes it as the dieties name that Eliezer used when talking with Rebekah, as later on we find that Laban was an idol worshiper.
32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. 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 dwell, 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’
42 “I came today to the spring and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.
Eliezer, once the camels were in the stable and he and the men have come into the house, recounts basically the entire story nearly word for word, for Bethuel and Laban. This is partially to show God’s hand in it all, and partially to help people remember the story. The Bible while written down, was often passed down orally, and repetition aids the memory.
49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
Eliezer ands his story with an ultimatum. Will they allow Rebekah to leave and travel to be married to Isaac, or not?
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”
Bethuel and Laban agree that Rebekah can be wed to Isaac. The story, as well as the sheer amount of wealth that Eliezer seems to have brought with him are convincing enough.
Laban’s name appear before Bethuel’s indicating again that he is clearly the one in charge of the household.
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments.
Some of these gifts were to Rebekah, out of good will. Many of them are to her family, as part of the price for her. Notice that the gifts are given to Laban and her mother, and not to Bethuel, again signaling that he is elderly and no longer in charge of the household.
54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But 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.” 57 They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”
Come morning, Eliezer is eager to return. However, Rebekah’s family is not quite ready to see her leave. They are hoping to spend some more time with her. “At least ten days” might be a figure of speech meaning a long period of time, more than a week or two, perhaps a year. They decide to let Rebekah decide whether to stay longer or leave immediately.
58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”
Rebekah decides to leave at once, bringing her childhood nurse along with her. They say their goodbyes and give her a standard ancient middle eastern blessing.
61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
Now we see why so many camels were necessary to begin with, between Eliezer, his men, Rebekah, her nurse, and a few servant girls, they likely have just enough camels for everyone.
62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.
The first meeting between Isaac and Rebekah was at a distance, and they slowly approached each other. When Rebekah had realized that the man was Isaac she brought up her veil, not wishing hide herself, but as part of a marriage ceremony, the groom was not to see his brides face until the ceremony was complete.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
Eliezer recounts the story to Isaac, this time the text does not give all of the details as it had before.
67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Isaac gives Sarah’s old tent to Rebekah, and is all set to take over his fathers household, as Laban had done with Bethuel. Rebekah provides comfort to Isaac who was still grieving over the loss of his mother. The story is about to transition from Abraham to Isaac and Rebekah.