The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD
English Standard Version (ESV)
Here, the servant's worship isn't just a passive acknowledgment; it's a dynamic response to God's direct intervention. By "bowing his head," he’s expressing a deep sense of reverence and gratitude for the divine guidance that just unfolded, recognizing that this encounter was no accident but a divinely orchestrated success.
The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having received confirmation that Rebekah is indeed from Abraham's family, the servant expresses his profound gratitude to God. He recognizes that this is not just good fortune but divine guidance, acknowledging the Lord's faithfulness in leading him directly to the intended bride. This moment of worship solidifies his trust and prepares him for the next steps of seeking her hand for Isaac.
What does it look like when profound gratitude meets divine intervention? This servant's reaction tells us a lot.
The simple act of bowing the head and worshiping isn't just a religious formality; it's a profound expression of humility and recognition. After a journey fraught with uncertainty and guided by a prayer for a sign, the servant's prayer is answered beyond expectation. Rebekah’s kindness and hospitality, her lineage, and her willingness to come with him—all confirmed the LORD’s leading.
Sometimes, the way we thank God reveals layers of His working in our lives.
The narrative highlights two distinct actions flowing from the servant's experience. While the verse focuses on worshiping the LORD, the context hints at more.
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Understand the original words
shachah · Hebrew Verb
To bow down or prostrate oneself before someone, often used in the context of showing reverence, submission, or adoration to God or a superior.
shachah · Hebrew Verb
The act of showing profound reverence, adoration, and submission to God, often involving physical gestures such as kneeling or prostrating. It is an expression of recognizing God’s supreme worth.
This act of worship by Abraham's servant highlights the profound gratitude and recognition of God's direct intervention in a pivotal moment for Abraham's lineage. It underscores that finding Isaac a wife wasn't just a family matter but a divine orchestration.
c. 2090 BC
Abraham called from Ur
God calls Abraham from his homeland in Ur of the Chaldeans to journey to an unknown land, initiating a covenant relationship.
c. 2065 BC
Abraham settles in Canaan
Abraham, now an old man, resides in the land of Canaan, which God promised to his descendants.
c. 2065 BC
Abraham's charge to his servant
Abraham, concerned for his son Isaac's future and the purity of the covenant line, makes his senior servant swear to find a wife for Isaac from his own relatives in Mesopotamia.
c. 2065 BC
Servant's prayer at the well
Abraham's servant arrives in Haran, devises a sign, and prays for divine guidance to identify the chosen woman at the city well.
c. 2065 BC— this verse
Rebekah meets the servant
Rebekah, demonstrating kindness and hospitality, fulfills the servant's prayer, leading him to discover she is a relative of Abraham.
c. 2065 BC
Servant gives gifts and proposes marriage
The servant, recognizing God's hand, gives Rebekah precious gifts and formally proposes the marriage to her family.
c. 2065 BC
Isaac marries Rebekah
Rebekah travels to Canaan and marries Isaac, fulfilling Abraham's charge and God's promise.
This verse shows Abraham's servant worshiping the Lord after receiving confirmation that Rebekah was the one chosen. It highlights the same act of worship and gratitude in response to divine guidance.
Psalm 100:4This verse calls believers to come before God with thanks and praise, echoing the servant's posture of worship and acknowledgment of the Lord's goodness.
1 Chronicles 29:20This passage describes David and the people worshiping and bowing down to the Lord after receiving His provisions. It illustrates the communal and deeply thankful nature of worship in response to God's faithfulness.
Luke 17:15-16This story of the ten lepers shows one returning to give thanks and worship God, demonstrating the personal and grateful response to healing and deliverance, similar to the servant's gratitude for guidance.
gillGenesis 24:26: "And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD."
And the man bowed down his head,.... To show what a deep sense he had of the divine goodness, and in humble acknowledgment of the favours he had received in being thus providentially directed: and worshipped the Lord; gave thanks unto him, that he had thus far prospered him, hoping and believing that things were in good forwardness, according to his master's mind and will.
clarkeGenesis 24:26: "And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD."
Bowed down his head, and worshipped - Two acts of adoration are mentioned here; 1. Bowing the head, יקד yikkod; and 2. Prostration upon the earth, וישתחו vaiyishtaehu. The bowing of the head was to Rebekah, to return her thanks for her kind invitation. The prostration was to Jehovah, in gratitude for the success with which he had favored him.
Here, the servant's worship isn't just a passive acknowledgment; it's a dynamic response to God's direct intervention. By "bowing his head," he’s expressing a deep sense of reverence and gratitude for the divine guidance that just unfolded, recognizing that this encounter was no accident but a divinely orchestrated success.
Having received confirmation that Rebekah is indeed from Abraham's family, the servant expresses his profound gratitude to God. He recognizes that this is not just good fortune but divine guidance, acknowledging the Lord's faithfulness in leading him directly to the intended bride. This moment of worship solidifies his trust and prepares him for the next steps of seeking her hand for Isaac.
Having received confirmation that Rebekah is indeed from Abraham's family, the servant expresses his profound gratitude to God. He recognizes that this is not just good fortune but divine guidance, acknowledging the Lord's faithfulness in leading him directly to the intended bride. This moment of worship solidifies his trust and prepares him for the next steps of seeking her hand for Isaac.
"The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD" — Here, the servant's worship isn't just a passive acknowledgment; it's a dynamic response to God's direct intervention. By "bowing his head," he’s expressing a deep sense of reverence and gratitude fo…
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Last reviewed October 2026