Read with Me
Genesis 24:10-21 (HCSB)
The servant took 10 of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of his master’s goods in hand. Then he set out for Nahor’s town Aram-naharaim. He made the camels kneel beside a well of water outside the town at evening. This was the time when the women went out to draw water.
“LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. I am standing here at the spring where the daughters of the men of the town are coming out to draw water. Let the girl to whom I say, ‘Please lower your water jug so that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels also’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah—daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor—coming with a jug on her shoulder. Now the girl was very beautiful, a young woman who had not known a man intimately. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up. Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jug.”
She replied, “Drink, my lord.” She quickly lowered her jug to her hand and gave him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I’ll also draw water for your camels until they have had enough to drink.” She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and hurried to the well again to draw water. She drew water for all his camels while the man silently watched her to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
Listen with Me
Ten camels might seem like a lot for one man to take on a journey. But this servant was required to take quite a long journey in order to bring back a wife for Isaac. That required that he not only taken enough food and water for the journey for both himself and the animals, but also many gifts for the family of the woman that was selected in order to verify that her intended husband was a man of substantial means. Abraham supplied him with more than he actually needed for that purpose, and then left it up to his trusted servant to figure out what and how much he would give to the girl and her family.
The city where Nahor’s family lived was in the area of Aram-naharim (Naharaim is Hebrew for “two rivers”), an area that we now call Mesopotamia (Greek for “between the rivers”). It was a well-watered, lush area, perfect for farming and livestock. As the servant approached the city, it was latening into early evening. He stopped near the well outside the city, expecting that the women of the city would soon come to the well to get water to cook the evening meal.
As he waited, the servant prayed. He had heard that his master, Abraham, had been in that very area when his God had called him to leave and go to a new land that he would inherit. The servant had been with Abraham from very early in his sojourn in Canaan, and had seen how God had worked to do miracles and to provide wealth for him. So, it was to the Lord, the God of his master, that he prayed now.
His prayer was very specific. He needed a clear sign as to which of the young ladies that came to the well was the one he should propose to on behalf of Isaac. The test he proposed was simple, but he believed it would provide a clear sign. Any of the girls might be persuaded to give a drink to a stranger. But one who would then volunteer to bring water for ten thirsty camels without being asked would be a rarity.
Even before he finished praying, he saw Rachel, and something within him told him that she was the one. When he asked her for a drink, and after she complied, she suddenly volunteered to continue to bring water for the camels until they were satisfied. This not only met the requirements he had asked God to fulfill, but it also demonstrated that this girl had a generous spirit.
Pray with Me
Father, many of us have been discouraged from ever “laying out a fleece”, asking for a sign to indicate Your will. But asking for clear guidance when we don’t know the way to go is not a bad thing. If we ask sincerely, not trying to lay out impossible conditions so we DON’T have to do Your will, You can and will guide us so that Your will can be easy to discern. Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness in helping us to both know and to do Your will. Amen.