Genesis 24

        At the time of Sarah’s death, Isaac is 37 years old, and Abraham 137. Verse 1 says that Abraham was “well stricken in age”, and we learn in Genesis 25:20 that Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as his wife. That means that Abraham was 140 at the time of the events which took place in this chapter.
 
       Verses 2-9: The “eldest servant” mentioned in verse 2 is most likely Eliezer of Damascus, first mentioned in Genesis 15:2-3. Like Abraham, Eliezer loved and worshiped God, and he was devoted to Abraham. And as we learn in these verses what Abraham asks Eliezer to do for him, Eliezer’s loyalty to Abraham and Isaac – the heir that displaced him – as well as his love & obedience to God is even more striking and remarkable.
        One other note regarding verse 2: according to my study Bible, the word “thigh” in this sentence is an ancient middle eastern euphemism for the male reproductive organ. When Abraham asks Eliezer to put his hand under Abraham’s thigh and swear the oath that Abraham gives him in verse 3, the act either symbolizes that the yet-unborn children would avenge any violation of the oath, or solemnizes the oath in the name of the God who gave circumcision as the sign of the covenant. (The only other mention of this specific phrase and type of oath in the entire Bible is in Genesis 47:29.)
        The reason Abraham can’t fulfill this task himself is because of the distance and travel time involved. Remember that he is still just a sojourner here in Canaan, and he is surrounded by heathen nations that do not worship, love and obey God as he does. As we have seen in the previous chapter, some of these neighbors might respect Abraham as a wise leader and a “mighty prince”, and they might also acknowledge God’s existence because of Abraham’s testimony, but that’s a far cry from actually accepting God as Lord and bowing to His divine will.
       Abraham’s desire to find a wife for Isaac from among his own kindred instead of the Canaanites is also an indication to us that Abraham understood that God had not called the peoples of Canaan in the same way that He had singled out Abraham and made a covenant with him. When God told Abraham that He would bless him and multiply his seed upon the earth, Abraham understood not only what God stated clearly, but also what was not clearly stated, namely that God did not want Abraham’s progeny to intermarry with the heathen nations around him. God would expressly state this a few hundred years later to Moses and the nation of Israel, but the principle was also made clear here to Abraham, even if God didn’t explicitly say so. That’s how close Abraham was to the Lord in his walk with Him!
       So Abraham directs Eliezer to return to Abraham’s country and his kindred “…and take a wife unto my son Isaac.” (v.4) Verse 5 shows just how devoted and obedient Eliezer was to Abraham. He doesn’t question his master’s decision, or balk at traveling such a great distance, and he doesn’t even question whether or not there will be a suitable woman available! He, like Abraham, walks by faith, simply trusting that this is God’s will for his master and son, and so he just obeys. Thus, his first question is a logical one: if the woman is not willing to leave her home and family to journey back with him, should Eliezer take Isaac back to Abraham’s homeland?
    Abraham’s response in verses 6-8 indicates his God-given wisdom as well as the depth of his trust and faith in God. Abraham is well aware that His family does not believe in and worship God as he does. This was part of the reason of God’s initial calling for Abraham to leave Haran, to separate from his father’s house and make the rest of the journey to Canaan with just his immediate household. (See Genesis 31:19, 31-35 and 35:2-4 for evidence of idolatry among Nahor’s descendants.) He knows that if Isaac leaves Abraham’s household and returns to the land and family of his father that he will be corrupted and will very likely fall away from his walk with God. Therefore, Abraham tells Eliezer that not only will God send His angel ahead of Eliezer to arrange his meeting with the right woman, but also that Eliezer is freed from his oath is the woman refuses to come back with him. Abraham then emphasizes once more that Eliezer is not to take Isaac back to Abraham’s homeland under any circumstance.
    Eliezer puts his hand under Abraham’s thigh and swears accordingly to all his master has asked of him for this specific task.

     Now let’s pause here for a moment, and go back to verse 1. Abraham waits until three years after the death of Sarah, and after their only son, Isaac, has just turned 40 (!), to finally begin looking for a wife for Isaac??? Doesn’t that strike you as odd, given everything we’ve read about Abraham up to this point? God had promised him that his seed would be as the number of stars in the heaven and the sands on the seashore. If I was Abraham, I’d have started looking for a potential bride for Isaac as soon as he was born. I’d have sent my chief servant back to my homeland to begin setting up betrothals and drawing up marriage contracts so that as soon as Isaac turned eighteen – or whatever number was the customary marrying age back then – then he’d be hitched and ready to start a family of his own!
       But that’s not what we read anywhere in these chapters. The last we saw of Isaac was at the end of chapter 22, when he and Abraham were coming back down from the mountain in Moriah. Now, he’s 40 years old and still single. And only just now is Abraham sending Eliezer back to the homeland to meet the damsel that God has already chosen to be Isaac’s wife.
        Here's what we can reasonably deduce from reading in between the lines: Abraham indeed was eager to choose a bride for Isaac when Isaac was still just a boy. But he wisely took the matter to God first instead of acting on his own. And God told him to wait. The time would come when God himself would choose a bride, and He would tell Abraham when it was time to send Eliezer on his special mission. I have no doubt that Abraham expected that time to be shortly after Isaac’s twentieth birthday, or maybe twenty-fifth, at the latest. But each time he consulted God to know if it was time, andGod told him to wait. Abraham, who had long ago learned that God’s timing was perfect in all things, obeyed.
       There’s something else to consider in these first 9 verses: Isaac, too, was probably eager to be married while young. But that test of faith that God gave Abraham on that mountain in Moriah was also a test for young Isaac. It was a test of how much he loved and trusted his father, Abraham. And now, as his fortieth birthday drew closer and closer, Isaac was learning to not only trust in his father to find him a suitable bride, but also trust in God’s timing in this specific matter. Isaac was more than old enough to strike out on his own. He could have rebelled against both God and Abraham and chosen a wife from one of the heathen nations right next door. But Abraham had taught his son well. Isaac, too, believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, just as it was with his father.
 
      Verses 10-15: According to my study Bible, the first historical references to domesticated camels appear here in the Abraham narrative in the Bible. Eliezer takes ten camels with him on his journey to Mesopotamia. When he arrives at the outskirts of the city where Nahor’s family lives it’s early evening, the customary time of day when the women of the city come out to draw water. (v.11) Eliezer makes his camels kneel by the water trough, and then he prays to the Lord. Verse 12: “And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.”  (For cross reference: Genesis 27:20, Nehemiah 1:11, Psalm 37:5.) Eliezer asks God to give him a specific sign: the woman who not only offers Eliezer a drink of water, but also offers to draw water for his camels, is the one whom God has chosen to be Isaac’s wife. By bringing about the answer to this request in such a specific way, Eliezer would know that God “…hast shewed kindness unto my master.” (v.14)

       Verses 16-21: Rebekah (also spelled “Rebecca”, Romans 9:10) is a young and beautiful virgin. (v.16) As she’s filling her pitcher, Eliezer asks her for a drink of water. She willingly complies and after he’s done refreshing himself she adds, “I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.” (v.19) Verse 20 says that Rebekah empties her pitcher into the nearby water trough, and then runs back and forth to the well to keep refilling the trough until the camels have had their fill.
        To get an idea of how much work that actually is, here’s some interesting trivia about camels. God created camels specifically for hot, dry and arid regions such as the middle eastern deserts and plains. Camels can go for a week – sometimes longer – without food or water because they can store both water and fat in their hump to live on for many days. They can also travel up to twenty miles a day and carry loads up to 200 pounds! According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the average Arabian camel can drink up to 30 gallons of water at one time! This is because God created camels with uniquely shaped blood cells, which are oval instead of a sphere. This allows the cell more flexibility, which somehow allows their blood to also flow more easily when water is scarce, which is the case in many desert climates. This oval shape allows for the camel to consume that much water in one sitting, and the hump allows the animal to store it for later use when a water source is not available.
       Verse 10 says Eliezer had 10 camels with him. That means that Rebekah had to fill that trough enough times for a total of 300 gallons, give or take, to be drank by all 10 thirsty camels! This was no small, quick task! Verse 21 says that Eliezer watched in amazement as this young woman completed her task. He had to have been marveling at not only God’s providence and timing, but also the humility and work ethic of this beautiful young damsel!
 
      Verses 22-27: When the camels were finally done drinking, Eliezer takes a gold earring and two bracelets and gives them to Rebekah. He then asks her who her father is and if there’s room for lodging for both him and the camels. Rebekah tells him that she is the daughter of Bethuel, who is the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor. She also tells him that they have plenty of provisions and lodging for both him and the camels. Eliezer bows his head and worships God, thanking Him specifically for His mercy and truth. In verse 12, Eliezer had asked God to show kindness towards Abraham by fulfilling Eliezer’s specific request. That word “kindness” is from the original Hebrew word “chesed”, which also means “goodness” or “faithfulness”. It’s a word used throughout the OT in reference to God and His loving mercy towards His chosen people. Now, in his prayer of thankfulness, Eliezer recognizes God’s kindness once again towards his master Abraham.
 
        Verses 28-49: Rebekah runs back home to tell her family about Eliezer. Her brother, Laban comes out to the well to meet Eliezer and see for himself what’s going on. After hearing Rebekah’s report, and after talking with Eliezer, Laban invites Abraham’s servant and all his camels and the other men with him back to their house for rest and lodging. The camels are put up in the stalls for the night, water is fetched to wash the feet of Eliezer and the other men, and food is prepared. But Eliezer won’t eat until he has told them his whole story. (v.33-48) He tells them of his master Abraham, of his only son Isaac who was born to them in their old age, and then of Abraham’s assignment for Eliezer. He finishes with his account of the prayer at the well and meeting Rebekah. In conclusion, he asks Laban and Bethuel to give him a decision regarding Rebekah.
 
      Verses 50-54: Laban and Bethuel recognize God’s will and direction in this matter, and they give their blessing for Rebekah to return with Eliezer. Again, it’s not clear if they love and worship God in the same way Abraham does, only because of what we know later regarding the mention of household gods. But, whatever the case, they do seem to have knowledge – as well as a basic understanding of – God, and they also recognize that He has worked in this matter on behalf of Abraham, and so they give Eliezer permission to take Rebekah back with him.
       Eliezer, once again, worships and praises God, thanking him for his kindness, mercy and love. He then brings forth all the silver and gold jewels and rich clothing that Abraham sent with him as a dowry for Rebekah. Only then does Eliezer and his men eat and drink with Bethuel’s family and then they bed down for the night.
 
      Verses 55-61: In the morning, however, after Eliezer and the other men with him are all packed up and ready to go, Laban and his mother show some doubt and hesitation. They say to Eliezer, “Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.” (v.55) This is the first sign of Laban’s true character that will be seen more clearly in the later chapters as we get to the story of Jacob. Laban is a deceiver, and this verse shows us that he does not trust in God the same way that Abraham and Eliezer do.
       Eliezer, to his credit, stands firm. He’s leaving today, and either Rebekah comes with him or not. He reminds Laban that the Lord has arranged all of this, and there isn’t time for delay. So Laban and his mother send for Rebekah and ask he if she wants to go with Eliezer. Rebekah replies without hesitation, “I will go.” (v.58)
       Let’s take a moment to dwell on Rebekah. We’re introduced in this chapter to a young woman who is very likely about 20 years of age. One day she meets a stranger from a distant country who asks her for a drink. She not only offers him a drink but offers to draw water for his camels, and then he gives her gold jewelry and asks for lodging for himself, his men and his camels. Then, that night at dinner, this strange visitor tells Rebekah and her family that his master, Abraham, whom she has never met, sent his servant to fetch a wife for his son, and that that wife is to be Rebekah! The strange man says that God revealed her unto him. And now, the next morning, Rebekah is asked by her brother and mother if she would like to leave her home and all that she’s known to go with Eliezer to a strange land to marry a man she’s never met!
       Rebekah’s simple, immediate answer to her brother and mother shows great faith. Rebekah is an example to all of us about what it means to follow God and do His will. She was where she was supposed to be that day at the well, doing what she was supposed to do, just as she had done every day since she was old enough to carry the pitcher on her own, and God blessed her for it. He chose her, just as He had chosen Abraham, and she, on faith, willingly obeyed.
 
       Verses 62-67: Isaac had settled in the same region where Hagar had first talked with God after she had fled Abraham’s household in chapter 16. Verse 62 says Isaac is coming from the well of Lahai-Roi, which is near Kadesh. It is evening, and Isaac had come out into the field to meditate. (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2, 77:12, 119:15, 27, 48, 143:5, 145:5) But then he sees the camels coming.
      Rebekah, too, sees Isaac from a ways off, and she asks Eliezer who he is. Eliezer tells her that it’s his master, Isaac. In the custom of that time, Rebekah takes a veil and covers her face so that only her eyes are seen.
       Eliezer tells Isaac all that is happened and then introduces him to Rebekah. Isaac takes her as his wife, bringing her into the tent that once belonged to his mother, Sarah. Verse 67 concludes with “…and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
 
       In this chapter, we are given a beautiful lesson on what it means to wait upon God and His perfect timing. We must have faith that God will honor his promises to us, but only according to His timetable, not ours. Isaac was willing to wait for the one God had chosen as his future wife, and he was rewarded because of his faithfulness. Rebekah, too, was rewarded for her faithfulness of daily service and doing what she was supposed to do, even if it was something as mundane as the household chore of fetching water for her family at evening. She was in the right place at the right time to receive God’s reward and blessing, and she had the honor of being the mother of Jacob, the one chosen by God to fulfill His promise to Abraham.