What does Genesis chapter 24 mean?
Genesis 24 describes in great detail how Rebekah came to be the wife of Abraham's son Isaac. The story begins with what sounds like a deathbed scene, though Abraham will apparently live another 35 years.Abraham summons his oldest and most trusted servant and commissions the man with a specific mission: He must find for Isaac a wife from among Abraham's people back in Mesopotamia. Abraham is so urgent that he requires the servant to swear an oath binding himself to completing this task. More specifically, the servant must not allow Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman, but Isaac must not leave Canaan in order to marry a Mesopotamian woman (Genesis 24:1–4).
The servant receives a caveat: If he cannot find a woman willing to return to Canaan to marry Isaac, the servant will be released from his oath. Abraham, though, is confident God will make this happen, even sending an angel to guarantee success (Genesis 24:5–9).
The servant arrives in Mesopotamia at the town of Nahor, which shares the name of Abraham's own brother. Eager not to fail in his mission, the servant prays to Abraham's God and asks that if any of the young women coming to draw water at the town well offer to water his ten camels, she will be the one God has appointed for Isaac (Genesis 24:10–14).
Before the servant has finished his prayer, Rebekah enters the scene and does exactly as the servant has asked. He immediately gives expensive jewelry to Rebekah. He asks if her family has room to accommodate a visit from himself and his company, including their camels. He also asks who her father is (Genesis 24:15–23).
When Rebekah names her father, the servant knows exactly who she is. She is the granddaughter of Abraham's own brother Nahor. This is better even than the servant had hoped. He knows now that the Lord has led him to the exact young lady intended for Isaac. As Abraham has requested, he has found Abraham's kinsmen and identified a bride for Isaac. He immediately worships the Lord right in front of Rebekah (Genesis 24:24–27).
Rebekah hurries home and soon her brother rushes to the well to welcome this servant of their family member Abraham. Invited into the home of Rebekah's father Bethuel, the servant presents his mission, telling in great detail how the Lord led him to Rebekah. Finally, he asks if they will give Rebekah in marriage to his master Abraham's son Isaac. They agree, stating that they could do nothing else given what the servant has told them (Genesis 24:28–51).
After a brief negotiation the next morning, Rebekah agrees to leave that very day to travel with the servant to the land of Canaan. At the end of the journey, she meets Isaac, now 40, for the first time (Genesis 25:20). He allows her to live in the tent of his late mother Sarah, and soon they are happily wed (Genesis 24:52–67).