Genesis 24:11
And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The servant strategically chose the evening watering time, not just for convenience, but because it was precisely when young women of marriageable age would be present and occupied with domestic duties, setting the stage for a divine encounter. This deliberate timing highlights a cultural context where daily routines offered opportunities for divine intervention and significant life events.
Abraham's aging servant is on a mission, sent to Abraham's ancestral homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He's just arrived at the city of Nahor, and as evening approaches, he strategically stops his camels at a well, knowing it's the customary time for women to gather water. This deliberate timing is part of his prayerful strategy to identify the woman God has chosen for Isaac.
Why did Abraham's servant wait until evening and the well? It wasn't just about quenching thirst.
The act of going to the well in the evening was a culturally significant time for women in ancient Near Eastern societies. It was a communal gathering place where daily tasks intersected with social interaction.
Why did the servant make his camels kneel? It was more than just a place to rest.
When Abraham's servant made his camels kneel, it signaled a pause and a moment of prayer and observation. Camels were valuable animals, and making them kneel was a way to care for them, but in this context, it also served as a deliberate stop.
The detailed description of the evening ritual at the well highlights the communal and practical aspects of daily life in ancient Mesopotamia, underscoring the significance of this public space for social interaction and the divine orchestration of Rebekah's encounter.
c. 2000 BC
Abraham settles in Canaan
Abraham, called by God, leaves his home in Ur and migrates to the land of Canaan, establishing a covenant relationship with the LORD.
c. 1950 BC
Abraham's nephew Lot separates
Lot, Abraham's nephew, separates from him and settles near Sodom, highlighting the divine separation intended for Abraham's lineage.
c. 1910 BC
Birth of Isaac
Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah as a miraculous fulfillment of God's promise, making him the heir of the covenant.
c. 1870 BC— this verse
Abraham's servant sent to find a wife for Isaac
Abraham, now elderly, sends his most trusted servant to his homeland in Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac from his own kindred, to maintain the covenant lineage.
This passage mirrors the scene where Ruth, guided by her mother-in-law Naomi, goes to meet Boaz at the threshing floor at night. Like Rebekah going to the well in the evening, Ruth's action is strategic, purposeful, and occurs at a specific, communal time.
John 4:6-7Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at a well at noon, a time when others were not usually there. This contrasts with Rebekah's encounter, highlighting how important the well was as a social and practical gathering place, especially for women.
Proverbs 31:10-31The description of the 'excellent wife' in Proverbs 31 resonates with Rebekah's character as depicted in this passage. Her diligence, resourcefulness, and hospitality—shown when she not only offers water to the servant but also to his camels—reflect the qualities praised in this chapter.
Matthew 25:35-40Jesus teaches that serving the least of these is serving Him. Rebekah's willingness to go above and beyond, offering water to a stranger and his camels, is a profound act of kindness and hospitality that foreshadows this teaching.
clarkeGenesis 24:11: "And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water."
He made his camels to kneel down - To rest themselves, or lie down, as the Septuagint has very properly expressed it, Και εκοιμισε τας καμηλους. The time that women go out to draw water - In Bengal it is the universal practice for the women to go to pools and rivers to fetch water. Companies of four, six, ten, or more, may be seen i…
calvinGenesis 24:1-67: "And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things."
The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
Iehova Deus coeli, qui tulit me e domo patris mei, et e terra cognationis meae, et qui loquutus est…
The servant strategically chose the evening watering time, not just for convenience, but because it was precisely when young women of marriageable age would be present and occupied with domestic duties, setting the stage for a divine encounter. This deliberate timing highlights a cultural context where daily routines offered opportunities for divine intervention and significant life events.
Abraham's aging servant is on a mission, sent to Abraham's ancestral homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He's just arrived at the city of Nahor, and as evening approaches, he strategically stops his camels at a well, knowing it's the customary time for women to gather water. This deliberate timing is part of his prayerful strategy to identify the woman God has chosen for Isaac.
Abraham's aging servant is on a mission, sent to Abraham's ancestral homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He's just arrived at the city of Nahor, and as evening approaches, he strategically stops his camels at a well, knowing it's the customary time for women to gather water. This deliberate timing is part of his prayerful strategy to identify the woman God has chosen for Isaac.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Genesis 24:11 is available in the Sola app.
c. 1870 BC
Rebekah is chosen at the well
The servant devises a test at a well, and Rebekah's kindness and willingness to serve both him and his camels identify her as the divinely chosen bride for Isaac.
c. 1870 BC
Rebekah travels to Canaan
Rebekah leaves her home with Abraham's servant and his company, journeying to the land of Canaan to marry Isaac.
c. 1870 BC
Isaac marries Rebekah
Isaac meets Rebekah and brings her into his mother Sarah's tent, marrying her and finding comfort after Sarah's death.
"And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water." — The servant strategically chose the evening watering time, not just for convenience, but because it was precisely when young women of marriageable age would be present and occupied with domestic duti…
