Genesis 24 verse 1-67

Genesis 24:1-67

Verse 1-9, Abraham's desire for Isaac to get the right wife. And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. {2} And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: {3} And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: {4} But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. {5} And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? {6} And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. {7} The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. {8} And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. {9} And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

I. It ought to be the parents prayerful desire for their children to find the right spouse.

A. Parents need to understand their children's need for a husband or wife.

1. Gen. 11. Many of these people were married and had children at 30.

2. Isaac is not 40.

3. Evidently Isaac had no great need for a wife because he held his mother in such great esteem. (Verse 67).

B. By reading this chapter, we may get the impression that Isaac knew nothing of this "bride search".

1. Gen. 18:19 - God said Abraham would teach his children and household to follow God's commands. I believe God knew all that Abraham would do.

2. Gen.f 24:63 - Isaac busied himself with Godly meditations while he waited on his bride.

3. We don't see any rebellion in Isaac.

C. Most young people and many parents will reject this plan of finding a spouse.

1. Most young people think they know what is good for them.

2. The example of youthful Jacob.

a. Gen. 29:17,18 - Rachel was more pleasing to the eye of Jacob, so he loved her the most.

b. Gen. 30:1 - Rachel blamed Jacob and envied Leah since she didn't have any children.

c. Gen. 31:34,35 - Rachel protected false gods and lied to her own dad and (verse 36) cause Jacob to get mad at her dad.

d. Gen. 35:23,24 - Leah bore Jacob 6 sons (1/4 of the total of 12 sons). Rachel had 2 sons.

e. Gen. 49:31 - Leah was buried in the Cave of Machpelah (where the seed of the promise was buried).

f. Note: The choice of youth is the choice you'll have to live with. Chose your spouse with the approval of wisdom of years (your parents).

3. Most young people and parents believe people should be "in love with each other" before they marry.

a. I seriously doubt if people just getting married truly realize what "in love" is.

b. Most consider it a feeling which causes "goose bumps" and is surrounded by lovely things.

c. That's why many people say they have "fallen out of love". They have really fallen "out of lust" for the other person.

4. Isaac had grown up enough to be in love with God and His ways and was willing to go without a wife (in spite of the promise) rather than leave His God.

5. Young people seeking a marriage partner would do well to let God show them the way, not taking leadership themselves.

D. Abraham is doing this by faith.

1. He has not communicated with his kindred about a wife for Isaac.

2. Verse 8 - Abraham knows it is a possibility God will not use this plan and releases the servant from all responsibility.

3. Verse 8 - The sign that God is not in the plan is when the woman will not come to Canaan.

4. A sign God si not in a marriage is when the spouse (intended) won't leave their parents and cleave to the mate.

5. A sign God is not in a marriage is when either spouse won't give themselves over totally to God's plan for their lives. (When they won't go to church and serve God.)

II. The servant.

A. His abilities.

1. His is the eldest servant and has the experience and ability to rule over Abraham's vast estate.

2. He spotted a potential problem immediately - "Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me into this land?"

3. He had the ability to work through the entire trip, mentally discovering all obvious problems and searching for their solution.

4. He was used to working with people and spotting the problems caused by people.

5. Verse 12-14 - With all this ability, he still realized that he could do nothing unless God revealed the proper woman to him.

B. The use of the servant.

1. At 140 years old, Abraham probably couldn't make the trip. Abraham would have some definite ideas about Isaac's wife based on his own experience. He might not depend completely on the Lord.

2. The same thing is true of Isaac except he would be in a strange country with many new and exciting things to see. He could fail to depend on God simply by lack of experience.

3. The servant has only one thing in mind. He can satisfy both Abraham and Isaac by depending completely on the Lord. He is used to putting aside all feelings of his own and totally obeying his master. He can do the same thing now.

III. Verse 8 - The command is to bring the woman to Isaac, not Isaac to the woman.

A. Abraham believed the man ought to be the head of the house and didn't want Isaac to start out being "henpecked".

B. It is better to not marry and follow the Lord than to marry and go away from the Lord.

IV. The servant goes to Mesopotamia.

A. This is the not the same as Padanaram where Isaac will send Jabob.

B. Mesopotamia is also "between two rivers", but it is farther south, even more south than Babylon.

1. Abraham sends his servant back to a pagan filled land to find a wife for Isaac.

2. Some might wonder if this is the best thing to do, but Abraham is following the commands of God, therefore it is right.

Verse 10-14 - And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. {11} And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. {12} And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. {13} Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: {14} And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.

The city of Nahor.

This Nahor is the brother of Abraham - Gen. 11:27, not his grandfather - Gen. 11:24.

Mesopotamia includes the city of Haran, which is on the west side of Mesopotamia.

I. Do what we know to do and pray that God will take care of the rest.

A. There is no record of the servant praying before he left Abraham or before going to Mesopotamia.

1. There was no need to pray for direction. Abraham has already told him where to go.

2. He, no doubt, prayed for safety.

3. When you know what to do, do it.

B. Pray for special direction when we have gone as far as we can go.

1. Pray all the time - I Thess 5:17.

2. There are times when we must be especially submissive in prayer.

II. His prayer.

A. Verse 11 - Preparing for prayer.

1. Got his camels kneeling down so he wouldn't have to worry about them running away while he prayed.

2. Matt. 6:6 - Christ tells us to go into our closets, so we won't be disturbed

B. The opening of prayer.

1. Speaks to the Lord God of my master Abraham.

2. This does not mean that God is not his God, but that he is on an errand for his master.

3. Even as Abraham must obey God, so the servant must obey Abraham.

4. God gives Abraham grace and the servant desires grace to obey Abraham.

C. Good speed today - We need to pray every day for "good speed".

D. Total helplessness.

1. II Cor. 12:9,10 - His strength is made perfect in our weakness. (Verse 10 - When I am weak, then am I strong.)

2. We must come to the end of our strength before we learn to trust God.

E. The servant wasn't telling God what to do.

1. He was saying, "If You want it to be this way, let it be this way, so I can understand your will."

2. When the damsel volunteered to water the camels (which was probably a big job) he would know that God had put that thought into her head.

Verse 15-21 - The prayer answered. And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. {16} And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. {17} And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. {18} And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. {19} And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. {20} And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. {21} And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

I. The prayer was answered very quickly.

A. Rebekah came out before he finished speaking.

1. This means she was preparing to come out even before he began praying.

2. Matt. 6:8 - God knows what we need before we ask him.

B. Sometimes our prayers are answered slowly, but it was necessary to be answered quickly this time.

II. According to verse 15, this is the right woman.

A. The servant doesn't know that now, he must wait.

B. All things we need to know will be revealed to us in due course.

III. What girls and young women ought to do to find a husband.

A. Be in submission to God - be saved first and then serve God and God will give you a husband. You won't have to chase him down and worry about losing him or do anything immoral with him.

B. Take care of your body.

1. Rebekah is fair to look upon. She wasn't excessively plump or excessively thin. You can't help your height or facial features, but you can be neat.

a. Note that she wasn't dressed sloppily even though she was just going to the well to get a pitcher of water. Some girls dress like slops and then wonder why boys don't notice them. They shouldn't wonder!

b. She wasn't dressed in order to attract a man. She was dressed for work.

2. Be pure in your body. Don't give yourself to any man except your own husband. Example: A rose was passed around for a group of boys to examine. Then that rose was placed in a vase of roses and passed around so each boy could take one rose. The rose that was passed around first is rejected for a fresh rose. Enough said??

C. Obey your parents and be in submission to them. Help with the work. Don't gripe if you think you are doing more than somebody else, but (verse 19) be willing to take on extra work. (without pay). Work that is not required. This shows a willingness to help others.

D. She wasn't looking for a boy friend, but when God sent her one, she went willingly. (verse 58).

1. She wasn't looking for popularity or to be the "Belle of the Ball".

2. She was looking for God's man for her and wasn't looking for good looks or a "muscle man".

3. They married because it was God's will, not because they were "attracted to each other".

E. A lot of girls get in a hurry and get the wrong man and suffer for it the rest of their lives.

IV. Verse 21.

A. I do not believe the servant doubts God has answered his prayers.

B. Once he finds the right girl, he must bring her to Isaac in order for the journey to be prosperous.

Verse 22-67 - And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; {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? {24} And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor. {25} She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. {26} And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. {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. {28} And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things. {29} And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well. {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. {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. {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. {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. {34} And he said, I am Abraham's servant. {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. {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. {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: {38} But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son. {39} And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me. {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: {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. {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: {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; {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. {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. {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. {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. {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. {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. {50} Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. {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. {52} And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. {53} And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. {54} And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master. {55} And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. {56} And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master. {57} And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth. {58} And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. {59} And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. {60} And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. {61} And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. {62} And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. {63} And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. {64} And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. {65} For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself. {66} And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. {67} And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.