Genesis 24
July 31, 2022
Part I
Timeline:
Isaac was 37 when his mother, Sarah, died (Gen 23:1), extrapolated from Sarah being 90 when Isaac was born and 127 when she died.
He was 40 when he married Rebekah (Gen 25:20), which is a direct statement.
Abraham, being 100 when Isaac was born, was 137 when Sarah died, and 150 140 when Isaac married Rebekah.
While we don’t know when the events of Chapter 22 took place (where Abraham sacrificed Isaac on Mt. Moriah), we do know that between Sarah’s death and Isaac’s marriage to Rebekah was three years. So there is a three year window for the events of Chapter 25 to occur.
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
Gen 22:15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,
Gen 22:16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
Gen 22:17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
Gen 22:18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Gen 22:19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
Gen 22:20 Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, “Indeed Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
Gen 22:21 Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
Gen 22:22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”
Gen 22:23 And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
Gen 22:24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.
Who told Abraham about his brother’s children???
Why is this specific information provided?
Gen 24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
Gen 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, Strange practice! What’s the significance? “Seed”, “Authority”
Gen 24:3 and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, (The highest oath that could be made) that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;
Gen 24:4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” Aha! NOW we know why Genesis 22:20-24 is given! God had already told Abraham where he was to go to procure a wife for Isaac! It’s no accident that Abraham instructed his servant to go to his country and take a wife for Isaac from Abraham’s family.
Was this a righteousness issue? No! We know that Laban, Rebekah,s brother was an idol worshiper because when Jacob left with his wives Leah and Rachael, Rachael took Laban’s “household gods” – idols- which caused quite a commotion in Genesis 31.
This wasn’t a “righteous people” issue, it was a BLOODLINE issue!
The Canaanites were a cursed people (Genesis 9:25) and the bloodline of the Messiah could not come through them.
Discuss the importance of cultural impact of wife selection….
Mat 22:23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,
Mat 22:24 saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
Mat 22:25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.
Mat 22:26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.
Mat 22:27 Last of all the woman died also.
Mat 22:28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”
Gen 24:5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
The implications of this verse are staggering! First, in that culture women were commodities- items to be bought, sold, etc.
It was not necessary for the bride to be willing! The negotiations took place between fathers, deal was struck, price paid, and viola! Done deal. In this case, the servant was asking Abraham about the bride’s willingness.
That in itself is unusual and significant. Remember the Law of First Mention? This is the first time the Bible mentions the Willingness of the Bride in marriage.
We also see something else very interesting…
And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land.
The bride had to be willing to follow the servant to the land where the groom dwelt….
Who must the bride be willing to follow? The servant! Where must she follow him? To the Groom, or to the Son!
Next, the follow-up question is even more staggering!
Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
If the bride is unwilling to follow the servant back to the groom, must the servant take the goom back to where the bride is so they can meet first?
In other words; What if the bride will not come unless she sees the groom in person first?!
Gen 24:6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.
Gen 24:7 The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Abraham’s response is that God gave his descendants this land and the Son was not to leave it to find a bride. God would send His angel (messenger) in advance and prepare the Bride for the servants arrival with the groom’s proposal.
Gen 24:8 And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”
Notice Abraham didn’t say “and if the woman is not willing to follow you, then force her!”. He said the servant would be released from the oath because the woman was unwilling, but under no circumstances was the servant to take his son back there to coerce her!
Gen 24:9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. Oath taken preparations underway…
Gen 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
First, the distance:
It was over 600 miles from Beersheba to Haran. Camels typically travel 12 miles a day, with a pace to cover between 18-25 miles a 12 hour day in winter, less in summer.
If we figure the high end of the scale (25 miles a day), traveling 12 hours a day in winter, the trip would take 24 days. In summer it could be twice as long.
Ten camels were loaded with goods, or gifts, for the bride. That’s a LOT of goods!!! Additionally the text says that “all of his masters goods were in his hands”, in other words: All that the Father has were at the servants disposal to use in service to the Son for the purpose of securing a bride for His Son. NOTHING was witheld!
Gen 24:11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Good plan! Typically the single women came out in the evening to draw water for the herds and people…
Gen 24:12 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Gen 24:13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Gen 24:14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Notice the servant didn’t rely on the plan, in going to prayer and seeking God’s provision, he relied on God.
Notice also the heart of the bride is also included in the prayer;
Gen 24:14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac.
The prayer would show the brides willingness to serve! She would go out of her way for a stranger, and for his camels!
A camel can go a week or more without water and it can last for several months without food. It can survive a 40 percent weight loss and then drink up to 32 gallons of water in one drinking session.
There’s 10 camels here!!!
Gen 24:15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, (remember Genesis 22:20-24?) came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.
Gen 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.
Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” Small request?….
Gen 24:18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink.
Gen 24:19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” She was no stranger to the desert. She KNEW this could mean hundreds of gallons of water to draw until the camels finished drinking. AND she offered this service without coersion or even request!
Gen 24:20 Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
Gen 24:21 And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. He watched to see if she would finish the job, or stop along the way because it was too much and too hard!
Gen 24:22 So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold,
How much is a shekel? The term “shekel” has been used for a unit of weight, around 9.6 or 9.8 grams (0.34 or 0.35 oz),
Nose ring: 1/2 shekel, .17 oz. With gold valued at $1,782.70 as of today, this nose ring would be worth $303 in today’s money.
Bracelets: 20 shekels, 6.8 oz. At current gold value these would be worth $12,122.00!
There was no mistake in the mind of either the servant or Rebekah that this was a marriage proposal!!!
Gen 24:22 So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold,
Gen 24:23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?” The servant already knew she was the one, and submitted the proposal. The rest is details!
Gen 24:24 So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” Again, confirmation of Genesis 22:20-24…
Gen 24:25 Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”
Gen 24:26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD.
Gen 24:27 And he said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”
Heavenly plan, earthly logistics…
Plan given in Genesis 22
Time for the oath..
Servants willingness,
Time of departure,
Time of arrival,
“Fleece” – prayer,
Response,
Confirmation!
God chose the woman, He chose the time, He chose the players, He knew the outcome, and He knew the outcome would fulfill His promise!
Gen 24:28 So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things.
Gen 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.
Gen 24:30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well.
Gen 24:31 And he said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
Follow us on
Plan a Visit
License #283709