And the servant ran to meet her,.... He did not stop her as she went to the well, but stayed till she had been there and filled her pitcher, and then he made all the haste he could to meet her, in order to have the sign and token answered he had requested, which could not be done until she returned: and said, let me, I pray thee, drink a little...
And she said, drink, my lord,.... Signifying at once that he was welcome to drink what he would, giving him a very honourable title, observing that he had a pretty large retinue with him of men and camels; so that she took him for some considerable personage: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand; from off her shoulder, and let it...
And when she had done giving him drink,.... Whatever he pleased to have: she said, I will draw [water] for thy camels also, until they have done drinking; she proposed to go back to the well, and did, and fill her pitcher, and repeat it as often as was necessary, until the camels had enough; and this now was the sign or token the servant had...
And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough,.... The place out of which cattle drank water, being put there for that purpose, which was of wood or of stones made hollow; into this Rebekah poured out what was left in her pitcher after the servant had drank: and ran again to the well to draw [water]; and which must be repeated several...
And the man wondering at her,.... At her affability and courteousness to a stranger; at her humility and condescension to take upon her such a service; at her readiness, diligence, and laboriousness in it; and the quick dispatch she made; and at her expressions and conduct being so exactly agreeable to the token he desired to have; and at the...
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking,.... Having had enough to abate their thirst and satisfy them, by means of Rebekah's drawing water for them: that the man took a golden earring; out of his pocket, or out of a box or parcel that was upon the camels; it is in the margin of our Bibles, "a jewel for the forehead"; or, as some...
And said,.... After he had given her the earring and the bracelets, he put the following question, according to Jarchi, and so our version seems to intimate the same; but, as it is related in Genesis 24:47; the question was put before those were given, therefore some render the words, "and he had said", or, "and after he had said" (f), namely,...
And she said unto him, I [am] the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah,.... Which Milcah was the daughter of Haran, Abraham's elder brother, and, as thought by many, sister to Sarah, Abraham's wife, see Genesis 11:29: which she bare unto Nahor; Abraham's brother; so that her father was Nahor's son, not by his concubine Reumah, but by his lawful...
She said moreover unto him,.... In answer to the second question: we have both straw and provender enough; for the camels, straw for their litter, and provender for their food, as hay, barley, c. and room to lodge in for him and his men; this she could venture to say, and invite him to come and take up his quarters in her father's house, without...
And the man bowed down his head,.... To show what a deep sense he had of the divine goodness, and in humble acknowledgment of the favours he had received in being thus providentially directed: and worshipped the Lord; gave thanks unto him, that he had thus far prospered him, hoping and believing that things were in good forwardness, according to...
And he said, blessed [be] the Lord God of my master Abraham,.... [See comments on Genesis 24:12]: who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and truth; or hath not withdrawn his mercy, grace and goodness, truth and faithfulness; for his loving kindness he does not take away from his people, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail; his mercy...
And the damsel ran,.... Having invited him to come and lodge at her father's house, that he might not be brought in abruptly, she ran before to acquaint the family of what had passed: and told [them] of her mother's house these things; she did not go to her father to inform him of it; some think he was dead, as Josephus (g), but the contrary...
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name [was] Laban,.... Perhaps he was her only brother, or however the elder brother, the principal in the family, her father Bethuel being old: and Laban ran out: out of his house, and out of the city of Haran: unto the man unto the well; this was after Rebekah had got home, and had related to the family whom she...
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring, and bracelets upon his sister's hands,.... From whence he concluded that he was a rich and generous man she had met with, and might hope to receive a gift also upon giving him an invitation to his house; or however might judge he should be no loser by receiving him kindly and entertaining him...
And he said, come in, thou blessed of the Lord,.... Both with temporal and spiritual blessings; he concluded he was blessed with the former by the presents he had made to his sister, and by the men that attended him, and the number of camels that were with him; and with the latter by his devotion, his worshipping of God, and thankfulness to him,...
And the man came into the house,.... Upon the pressing instance made unto him; for so it may be rendered, "wherefore the man came", c. (k) and he ungirded his camels took off their bridles, which hindered them from eating, as the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi; or loosed their girts and took off their burdens, that they might have rest: this may be...
And there was set [meat] before them to eat,.... By the order of Bethuel or Laban, or both; or, "afterwards was set" (l); that is after care had been taken the camels, then food being provided was set before the men to refresh them: but he said, I will not eat until I have told mine errand; or, "spoke my words" (m); delivered the message he was...
And he said, I [am] Abraham's servant. Not Abraham himself, this undeceived Laban, if he so thought, but a servant of his; which was enough to introduce his discourse, his master being a near relation of theirs, and well known to them by name, if not in person.
And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly,.... With temporal blessings, after enumerated, which are of God, and are here ascribed to him, the Father, fountain, author, and giver of all such mercies: and he is become great; in the world, and highly honoured and esteemed among men: and he hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and...
And Sarah, my master's wife,.... Who must be well known to this family, by name at least, being, as is generally supposed, the sister of Milcah, Nahor's wife, and Bethuel's mother; the same bare a son to my master when she was old; even when ninety years of age, Genesis 17:17; this is mentioned because it was an extraordinary thing, and an...