Genesis 24:10 - Meaning and Application

Abraham’s servant now comes forward in this story, and though his name is not given, much is said here to honor him. He is a good example for all servants, who will be honored if they faithfully serve God and their masters, and so show the beauty of Christ’s teaching (compare Pro 27:18 with Tit 2:10). God shows no favoritism (Col 3:24, Col 3:25). A good servant who takes his duty seriously and does it in the fear of God may not be praised by people, but God will own him and reward him.

Notice first how faithfully Abraham’s servant carried out his master’s orders. As soon as he received his task, he set out at once, with a proper supply for the work he had to do (Gen 24:10). He also carried with him a full account of his master’s goods, so he could speak clearly to the people he would meet. From beginning to end, he cared about his master’s honor. Since Isaac is a type, or picture, of Christ, some take this search for a wife to show how Christ’s servants, the ministers, help bring the church to him. The church is the bride, the Lamb’s wife (Rev 21:9). Christ is the bridegroom, and ministers are the friends of the bridegroom (Joh 3:29), whose work is to lead souls to accept him (Co2 11:2). The bride of Christ must not be from the Canaanites, but must come from his own family, born again from above. In the same way, ministers must work with wisdom and care for their Master’s interest.

Notice next how devoutly the servant turned to God in this matter, like one from that good household Abraham had taught to keep the way of the Lord (Gen 18:19). After many days of travel, he reached his destination in the evening and rested by a well of water, thinking about how best to handle his business. There he prayed a specific prayer (Gen 24:12-14). He asked for success in his errand, saying, in effect, “Give me good speed today.” We are allowed to bring our concerns before God in a specific way. If we want good success, we should pray for it. “This day” and “in this matter” are proper things to mention, for in all our ways we are to acknowledge God (Pro 3:6). If we look up to God in every concern, we will have the comfort of knowing we have done our duty, whatever the outcome.

He also pleaded God’s covenant with his master Abraham: “O God of my master Abraham, show kindness to him.” Children of good parents, and servants of good masters, have special encouragement when they pray for help and success. He then proposed a sign (Gen 24:14), not to control God or to stop if the sign did not come at once, but as part of his prayer. He asked that God would provide a good wife for his young master. That was a wise request, because a prudent wife comes from the Lord (Pro 19:14), and so we should ask him for such a gift. He wanted a woman who was humble, hardworking, and willing to do useful work, and also courteous and kind to strangers. He did not go looking where vanity and laziness rule. He went to a well, expecting to find someone busy and useful there.

He also asked God to make the path clear by arranging the small details in the right way. This shows the comfort, and not only the belief, of a good man, that God’s providence reaches even the smallest events and uses them for his own wise purposes. Our times are in God’s hand, not only the events themselves, but also when they happen. It is wisdom in all our affairs to follow providence, and folly to force things. It is also right to pray that God would direct us by the signs of his providence, as long as we keep his will as our rule. He guides his people with his eye (Psa 32:8) and leads them in a straight path (Psa 27:11).

God answered him by special providence. What God had planned was sure, and the matter was established for him (Job 22:28). As his faith was, so it happened. The answer came quickly, before he had finished speaking (Gen 24:15), as Scripture says, “While they are still speaking, I will hear” (Isa 65:24). We may be slow to pray, but God is quick to hear prayer. The answer was also fully satisfying. The first woman who came to draw water matched exactly what he had hoped for.

She was well suited in every way to the kind of wife he was seeking. She was handsome and healthy, humble and diligent, and she showed kindness to a stranger. When she came to the well (Gen 24:16), she filled her pitcher and was ready to go home. She did not stop to stare at the strange man and his camels, but kept to her work. She did not talk carelessly or too boldly with him, but answered with modesty and good manners. What a fallen age we live in, when pride, luxury, and laziness are seen everywhere, the opposite of Rebekah’s character, and few are like her daughters. What was once respected is now often despised.

Providence also arranged that she did exactly what matched his sign. She not only gave him water, but, beyond what could have been expected, offered to water his camels too, which was the very thing he had asked for. God sometimes wonderfully honors the prayer of faith and grants the innocent requests of his praying people, even in small matters, to show the reach of his care and to encourage them to trust him at all times. Still, we must be careful not to be too bold in telling God exactly how to act, or the result may weaken our faith instead of strengthening it. It is good to take every chance to show a humble, courteous, and charitable spirit, because such kindness may later bring more honor and good than we expect. Some have entertained angels this way, and Rebekah, far beyond what she knew then, was brought into Christ’s line and into the covenant. There is often great kindness in a gift that costs little, and our Savior has promised a reward even for a cup of cold water (Mat 10:42).

Fourth, we should notice carefully how God’s providence works through even the small details that help us succeed in any task, and we should do so with wonder and thankfulness to God’s glory. The servant was amazed when this happened (Genesis 24:21). We often fail ourselves, both in duty and in comfort, because we do not pay attention to providence.

When he asked questions, he found to his great joy that Rebekah was a close relative of his master Abraham, and that her family was well off and able to welcome him (Genesis 24:23-25). This shows that God sometimes guides, in a remarkable way, those who seek direction from heaven by faith and prayer when choosing a spouse. Marriages formed in the fear of God are the ones most likely to be truly happy, and we can be sure such marriages are made in heaven.

He then thanked God in a special way. First, he honored Rebekah for her kindness by giving her jewelry and clothing, gifts that a maiden, especially a bride, would not forget (Genesis 24:22; Jeremiah 2:32). It may seem strange that these ornaments fit so well with carrying a water jar, but they did not make her feel above the work of a worthy woman (Proverbs 31:13), who works eagerly with her hands. Nor did they make her unwilling to do a child’s work, since a child, while still under age, is no different from a servant (Galatians 4:1).

After this, he turned his amazement (Genesis 24:21) into worship: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham” (Genesis 24:26-27). He had prayed for success (Genesis 24:12), and now that he had been successful, he gave thanks. What we gain by prayer, we should hold with praise, because blessings given in answer to prayer place us under special duty.

He also gave thanks even though he had only a hopeful sign of mercy and did not yet know the final outcome. This teaches us to praise God when his favor is on the way toward us. He thanked God for success while he was still acting for his master, which shows that we should be thankful for our friends’ blessings as if they were our own. He also praised God for leading him when he did not know which path to take, and that is a great comfort in uncertain situations, as when God led Israel through the wilderness by the pillar of cloud and fire.

He felt very blessed that God had led him to the house of his master’s relatives, those family members who had come out of Ur of the Chaldees, even though they had not gone on to Canaan and had stayed in Haran. They were not idolaters, but worshipers of the true God, and they were open to Abraham’s way of faith. God should be acknowledged for providing a suitable spouse, especially one who shares the same faith.

He also recognized that God had not left Abraham without his mercy and truth. God had promised to build Abraham’s family, yet for a time it seemed as if the promise had nothing visible to support it. Now providence was moving toward the fulfillment of that promise. God’s faithful people may be without worldly comforts, but they will never be without God’s mercy and truth, because his mercy is an endless fountain and his truth is a firm foundation. It adds much to the joy of any blessing when we can see in it the continuing kindness and faithfulness of God.