Genesis Chapter 24 — A Wife for Isaac
Abraham's senior servant travels to Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac, where he meets Rebekah through a series of answered prayers and divine guidance.
1Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. The LORD 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 the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of 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? Must 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.
7The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, 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 clear from this oath to me. 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, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. 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, “LORD, 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 let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘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, 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 will 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 steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel*A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces. 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 the LORD.
27He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.
29Rebekah had a brother, and his 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, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
31He said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for 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.”
34He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD 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 asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
40He said to me, ‘The LORD, 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.’
42I came today to the spring, and said, ‘The LORD, 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,”
44then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
45Before 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.
47I 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 the LORD, and blessed the LORD, 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 proceeds from the LORD. We can’t speak to you bad or good.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Genesis 24:7
“The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, 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.”
This verse demonstrates Abraham's absolute confidence in God's guidance for his family's future and the fulfillment of the covenant.
Genesis 24:14
“Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac.”
This verse establishes the specific test of character and divine appointment the servant used to identify Isaac's future wife.
Genesis 24:67
“Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
It records the successful conclusion of the mission and the emotional comfort Isaac found in his new wife following his mother's passing.
Chapter Summary
In Genesis 24, an aging Abraham tasks his chief servant with finding a wife for his son Isaac from among his relatives in Mesopotamia. Abraham emphasizes that Isaac must not marry a Canaanite nor return to his homeland, expressing faith that God will send an angel to guide the journey. The servant travels to the city of Nahor and prays for a specific sign at a well: the woman who offers water to both him and his ten camels will be the chosen one. Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, fulfills this sign through her immediate hospitality and hard work. After the servant shares his mission and presents jewelry and gifts, Rebekah’s family acknowledges the Lord's hand in the matter. Rebekah agrees to depart with the servant right away. Upon arriving in Canaan, she meets Isaac while he is meditating in a field at evening. Isaac marries Rebekah, finding comfort after the death of his mother, Sarah.
Frequently Asked Questions
Abraham wanted Isaac to marry someone from his own relatives to maintain their family's distinct identity and faith. He was committed to the specific promise God made regarding his offspring and did not want Isaac to assimilate into the local Canaanite cultures.
The servant asked God that the woman who offered to give him a drink and also proactively offered to water all ten of his camels would be the one appointed for Isaac. This sign tested the woman's hospitality, kindness, and diligence.
Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel and the granddaughter of Nahor, who was Abraham’s brother. Her brother, Laban, also plays a significant role in receiving Abraham's servant and negotiating the marriage arrangement.
Isaac was out in a field meditating at evening when he saw the servant’s caravan arriving. Rebekah saw Isaac from her camel, asked the servant who he was, and then covered herself with a veil according to custom before they met.
Study Note
The servant's oath involving placing a hand under Abraham's thigh was an ancient Near Eastern custom used to solemnize particularly significant or sacred promises.
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