n. Genesis 24:23 - And said, Whose daughter [art] thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room [in] thy father's house for us to lodge in?
1. The servant should already know the answer to this question, he asks to confirm what the Lord has shown him with the answer to his prayer.
2. By asking to lodge in her fathers house before she responds with an answer shows that he is confident that this is the woman God has chosen for his master.
o. Genesis 24:24 - And she said unto him, I [am] the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
1. Bethuel - בתואל Bĕthuw'el, According to Dr. Strong: “destroyed of God”, but according to Gesenius’s Lexicon it means “man of God”,or “dweller in God”
· According to Gesenius Lexicon, the meaning of his name lends one to conclude that this was a God-fearing family
· If Dr. Strong is correct in his interpretation it is difficult to understand circumstance surrounding its meaning
2. Note that Rebekah is separated one generation from Isaac because Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years old he is young enough to marry the grand-daughter of his uncle Nahor.
p. Genesis 24:25 - She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
1. Provender – feed
2. Note here that she didn’t say “let me check with my father” but made the offer. This is a good indication of the family values that were instilled in her to show kindness to strangers, more evidence that she was raised in a God-fearing home.
q. Genesis 24:26 - And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
1. He realizes God has answered his prayer
2. How often do we get on our knees and thank the Lord for answered prayers?
r. Genesis 24:27 - And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I [being] in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
1. “What we win by prayer we must wear with praise; for mercies in answer to prayer lay us under particular obligations.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary
2. The servant is giving praise without yet accomplishing the mission, he has yet to find out if her family will allow her to return with him to Isaac.
3. “being in the way” - דרך Derek, masculine noun, way, road, distance, journey, manner
· Matthew 7:14 - Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
· John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
o The way - ὁδός hodos, feminine noun, 1) a travelled way, road 2) a course of conduct
s. Genesis 24:28- And the damsel ran, and told [them of] her mother's house these things.
1. “The damsel ran”
2. What did Rebekah learn of this stranger just by listening to his prayer?
· He was the servant of her uncle Abraham
· He worshipped the same God that she did, which was probably very uncommon
· These two things ignited her excitement to run and tell her household of this visitors arrival.
3. Why would she have told them of her mother’s house and not her father’s house?
· It is possible that the text should read “grandmother’s house” because her grandmother was Milcah.
o According to the Gesinius Lexicon this word can also mean grandmother as is the case in 1 Kings 15:13.
o The words grandfather and grandmother are not distinguished from father or mother in the Old Testament Hebrew.
o Mother - אם 'em, mother
i. To a grandmother
ii. Metaphor for those who bestow benefits
iii. Denotes an intimate relationship
iv. A nation
v. Parting of the road
vi. Metaphor used for a metropolis
vii. Metaphor used for the earth
· Milcah married Nahor before Abraham, Sarah and her brother Lot .
· When the servant mentioned his master Abraham in his prayer in v. 27, Rebekah may overheard and recognized the name from stories she may have heard from her grandmother.
· We can assume from Nahor’s absence that he has died so the only one in the camp who would remember Abraham would be Milcah. There is no evidence from scripture that Milcah was still alive other than possibly the way she introduced herself stating that her father was the son of Milcah, if both were alive it seems that she would have just said the son of Nahor. His widowed wife Milcah, surviving him and becoming the family matriarch worthy of mention.
· Eliezer himself may have left Haran
t. Genesis 24:29- And Rebekah had a brother, and his name [was] Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
1. Laban - לבן Laban, "white"
· Interesting that Laban’s name means “white” as we will see in upcoming chapters when dealing with Jacob, Laban kept all of the “white” livestock as God made the speckled to prosper for Jacob
· John 4:35 - Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
· White is an adjective Jesus uses to indicate that the wheat (or the world) is ready for harvest.
· Laban, symbolically representing the world in this passage is attracted by the gifts brought by the man Eliezer who represents the Holy Spirit. This shows that the spiritual gifts we are given by the Holy Spirit are to be used to reach the lost.
u. Genesis 24:30 - And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
1. Proverbs 18:16 - A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
2. The servant remained at the well with the camels and did not follow Rebekah, but waited patiently for Laban to come out and welcome him.
· No idea how far the well is from the house but it appears that it is close in proximity
v. Genesis 24:31 - And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
1. Laban had time to prepare the house and room for the camels before he went out to the well?
2. Either some time must have passed after Rebekah’s arrival or he gave the command to his servants as he stepped out to meet him.
w. Genesis 24:32 - And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that [were] with him.
1. Coroborates that there were indeed other men that traveled with Abraham’s servant as the book of Jasher indicates
2. The servant shows that he is indeed a righteous man by first taking care of his beasts and men before himself.
· Proverbs 12:10 - A righteous [man] regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked [are] cruel.
II. The Servant Explains His Message (Genesis 24:33-52)
a. Genesis 24:33 - And there was set [meat] before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
1. By conducting himself in this manner it most assuredly made an impression upon his hosts as to the seriousness of his mission.
2. John 4:34 - Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
· Just as Jesus receives nourishment by doing the will of His Father, so to does Eliezer resist the nourishment of the world to accomplish the will of his master Abraham.
b. Genesis 24:34- And he said, I [am] Abraham's servant.
1. The servant here invokes the name of Abraham, which by all accounts should bring instant credibility to his nephew Betheul and his family as they are probably well aware of who Abraham is and heard much about him from their father Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
c. Genesis 24:35 - And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
d. Genesis 24:36 - And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
1. John 16:15 - All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you.
e. Genesis 24:37 - And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
1. Vs. 34-37 Abraham, Isaac and Servant and mentioned to parallel Father, Son and Holy Spirit
f. Genesis 24:38 - But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
1. This was probably a welcomed compliment to Betheul as Abraham shows that even though he left his land and became very wealthy, he has not forgotten about his family back in Mesopotamia .
2. Also shows that Abraham has high regard for his brother’s daughter in that he was willing to send his servant a great distance to fetch her rather than take a Canaanite woman in the vicinity.
g. Genesis 24:39 - And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
h. Genesis 24:40 - And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
i. Genesis 24:41 - Then shalt thou be clear from [this] my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee [one], thou shalt be clear from my oath.
1. He gives the family an out by repeating this part of the conversation, but God’s hand was in it
2. Remember there is just as much motivation for them to ensure Rebekah is married to a good man who worships God as there is for Abraham to secure a good bride for Isaac.
3. This candor likely increases his credibility among them
j. Genesis 24:42 - And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
1. Think about the passion and the excitement in his voice as he recounts the story. Saying it out loud probably also enables him to reflect on the wonder and provision of our Heavenly Father.
2. Other famous meetings at well include:
· Rebekah and Eliezer (on behalf of Isaac)
· Jacob and Rachel
· Moses and Zipporah
· Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well
· Revelation 7:17 - For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains (wells) of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
k. Genesis 24:43 - Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw [water], and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
1. Matthew 24:45-46 - Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed [is] that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
· He was looking to find someone doing the work that the Lord called her to do
· Rebekah is a clear example of a servant who is doing the work she has been given faithfully.
· Her diligence was pleasing to the Lord.
2. If Rebekah is representative of the Bride of Christ, what does that tell us we are supposed to be doing in His absence?
3. When the servant saw Rebekah, she was coming to draw water, Jesus said in John 4:10 – “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
· Water sustains temporal life
· Living water sustains eternal life
· Rebekah obtaining water from the well for her family could represent the Church’s responsibility to distribute the Living Water that Jesus spoke of to the Samaritan woman.
· Has the Church been faithful in its responsibility?
o Who is the Church?
o Believers in Christ
o Have WE been faithful with our responsibilities?
l. Genesis 24:44 - And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: [let] the same [be] the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.
m. Genesis 24:45 - And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew [water]: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
1. Eliezer clarifies that he spoke this prayer in his heart and not out loud removing all doubt that Rebekah possibly overheard him making supplication before the Lord and fulfilling his request on her own.
n. Genesis 24:46- And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her [shoulder], and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
o. Genesis 24:47 - And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter [art] thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
1. Actually, what she said was “I [am] the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.”
2. The servant switched Milcah and Nahor, small change, but consider the audience is actually Bethuel, it is probably an intentional alteration.
p. Genesis 24:48 - And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.
1. Eliezer recounts his prayer, stating confidently that it was the Lord that led him in the right way, removing all doubt from his audience that this was anything other than God’s Will.
2. Eliezer was sure (with good reason) that God answered his prayer and revealed His will to him. When God’s Will is revealed to us do we proclaim it confidently?
q. Genesis 24:49 - And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
1. Let me know how you receive this information so that I can respond accordingly
r. Genesis 24:50 - Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
1. The Lord - יהוה Yĕhovah
2. Indicates that they knew the Lord, or at least knew of Him, for they speak His covenant name.
3. They have determined rightly that what has happened is by divine appointment
4. Moffett translation: “This comes from the Eternal; we dare not say yes or no to you.”
s. Genesis 24:51 - Behold, Rebekah [is] before thee, take [her], and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
1. Has the Lord spoken this?
· Spoken - דבר dabar, verb, 2) To lead or guide, specifically to lead flocks or herds to pasture.
· Probably a more accurate translation would have read “as the Lord hath lead”
t. Genesis 24:52 - And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, [bowing himself] to the earth.
1. Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
2. Note that in this chapter the servant prays 3 times in 3 different positions:
· Vs. 13 – Stands when seeking guidance
· Vs. 26 – bowed his head, when God reveals His provision
· V.52 – bowing to the earth, mission completed
· Vs. 13 – Stands when seeking guidance
· Vs. 26 – bowed his head, when God reveals His provision
· V.52 – bowing to the earth, mission completed
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