Genesis 24:57 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”

NIV: Then they said, 'Let's call the young woman and ask her about it.'

NASB: And they said, 'We will call the young woman and ask her.'

CSB: So they said, "Let's call the girl and ask her opinion."

NLT: Well,' they said, 'we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.'

KJV: And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.

NKJV: So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.”

Rebekah's father and brother had agreed to allow her to marry Isaac, to go with Abraham's servant back to the land of Canaan to settle there (Genesis 24:3–4; 51). They had, however, requested that she be allowed to stay with them for another ten days or so before leaving (Genesis 24:55). They know full well that this is a one-way trip; Rebekah will not be making visits back to Mesopotamia, but will be moving permanently to her new family.

Abraham's servant insisted on not being delayed. He felt they needed to leave right away. Now for the first time, Rebekah is allowed a say in the matter. The family suggests they ask her if she is willing to go with Abraham's servant so quickly. It's possible they presumed that Rebekah would agree with them about waiting a few days before her departure. If she didn't want to go just yet, it would be difficult for Abraham's servant to compel them to make her leave with him so soon.

Genesis 24:28–59 describes how Abraham's servant, confident he has found God's intended woman for Abraham's son, approaches Rebekah's family to ask for her hand in marriage to Isaac. After being welcomed into their household, the servant tells, in great detail, the story of how God has lead him to Rebekah and their home. Rebekah's father and brother quickly agree that they must allow this marriage to happen. After a bit of negotiation the next morning about when Rebekah will travel to Canaan, Rebekah agrees to leave that very day.

Abraham asks his most trusted servant to travel to his former homeland to find a wife for his son Isaac. Swearing to do so, the servant arrives at the city of Nahor and asks the Lord to show him which young women is appointed for Isaac. Finding Rebekah, the very granddaughter of Abraham's brother Nahor, the servant reveals the reason for his journey to her family. Her father Bethuel and brother Laban agree to allow Rebekah to travel to Canaan and marry Isaac, which she does.

Genesis 24 takes place a few years after Sarah has died. Abraham becomes urgent to find Isaac a wife, not among the women of Canaan, but from his own people back in Mesopotamia. His trusted servant, sent to accomplish this mission with the help of the Lord, eventually returns with Rebekah, the granddaughter of Abraham's own brother. Isaac is married to her at the age of 40. Abraham's death is recorded in the following chapter.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 4/27/2024 1:47:11 PM