A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

Rebekah proved herself to be a hard worker in offering to water the camels. It is
estimated the camels could drink up to 150 gallons of water. As he watched Rebekah in action,
the servant tried to decide if this was the bride. The Hebrew word mishetta’eh translated
“wondering” (v. 21) is based on the root for desert and is used to describe the feeling of being
inwardly laid waste; i.e., totally confused It was not until he gave her the gold jewelry and
learned who she was that he was satisfied he had found the right girl. His initial gift to Rebekah
was about ten and a half ounces of gold.
Typically in this chapter, the servant takes time to thank God for every indication of
success (w. 26-27, 48, 52). Sometimes it seems that gratitude is the least remembered of all
virtues. The success which would inflate the natural man with pride and arrogance, humbles the
man of God. His first thought is to thank God for what He has done. His success was understood
in terms of the chesed, the condescending love of God, and the ‘ameth, the truth of God, both
displayed in the fulfillment of His promise (v. 27).
Rebekah responded to the unusual scene at the well by going to her mother’s house (v.
28). As a virgin, Rebekah would have lived apart from the men among the female members of
the family. In most homes, this would be a restricted wing of the house in which only the women
lived.
THE SERVANT AND THE WORLD (Gen. 24.29-53)
Laban, the brother of Rebekah, seems to have been the spokesman for the household.
This may have been due to the death of his father or possibly the result of a polygamous
relationship. According to records uncovered at Nuzi, the institution of fratriarchy where a
brother was the authority in the home existed in Hurrian society. It was customary for a father to
marry other wives and in doing so, abandon the children of the one for whom he cared least (cf.
Gen. 34:5, 11, 25; Jud. 21:22; 2 Sam. 13:22). Laban may have been acting according to the
custom of his society in this chapter, though here and later in Genesis, he seems to be motivated
by greed. Characteristic of Laban is the phrase, “when he saw” (Gen. 24:30). Rebekah on the
other hand showed kindness before she saw.
Laban addressed the servant as “thou blessed of the Lord” (v. 31). Even though they lived
outside the revelation of God, they had some understanding of the God of Abraham. Some
commentators believe this was simply a title. Maybe that was all it was, but perhaps it was also
more than a title. Later, they would identify the servant’s intent to take Rebekah as Isaac’s bride
as proceeding from the Lord (v. 50). The servant was welcomed. Laban was probably the one
who unsaddled the camels as it would be viewed as extremely inhospitable to expect a guest to
care for his own animals (v. 32).
The servant refers to Abraham rather than Abram. Just as the Holy Spirit witnesses to us
concerning the Father, so Eliezer witnessed to them concerning the father of multitudes (v. 34).
All that the father possesses, he has given to the son (v. 36), and implied in that is the realization
that she who marries the son can be joint heirs with the son. As members of the bride of Christ,