Genesis 24:14

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: [let the same be] she [that] thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

Complete Jewish Bible:

I will say to one of the girls, 'Please lower your jug, so that I can drink.' If she answers, 'Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well,' then let her be the one you intend for your servant Yitz'chak. This is how I will know that you have shown grace to my master."

Berean Standard Bible:

Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—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.”

American Standard Version:

and let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And let it come to pass, that the damsel{H5291} to whom I shall say{H559}, Let down{H5186} thy pitcher{H3537}, I pray thee, that I may drink{H8354}; and she shall say{H559}, Drink{H8354}, and I will give{H8248} thy camels{H1581} drink{H8248} also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed{H3198} for thy servant{H5650} Isaac{H3327}; and thereby shall I know{H3045} that thou hast shewed{H6213} kindness{H2617} unto my master{H113}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Judges 6:37

  • Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; [and] if the dew be on the fleece only, and [it be] dry upon all the earth [beside], then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

Judges 6:17

  • And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

Genesis 15:8

  • And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

Judges 18:5

  • And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

Exodus 4:1

  • ¶ And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

Exodus 4:9

  • And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour [it] upon the dry [land]: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry [land].

Isaiah 7:11

  • Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.

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Commentary for Genesis 24:14

Genesis 24:14 is part of the narrative where Abraham's servant is sent to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham's son. This verse is embedded within the broader context of the patriarchal narratives in Genesis, which detail the lives and journeys of the ancestors of the Israelite people. The historical context is that of the ancient Near East, where arranged marriages were common and involved elaborate customs and negotiations.

In this verse, Abraham's servant is at a well, a common gathering place for people in the ancient world, especially for women fetching water. He is praying for a specific sign to identify the woman who is to be Isaac's wife. The servant asks God for a clear indication of His favor: the woman who not only gives him water to drink but also offers to water his camels—a significant task given the size of the caravan and the amount of water needed for camels—would be the one chosen by God for Isaac.

The themes present in this verse include divine guidance, hospitality, and the providence of God in the affairs of humanity. The servant's prayer reflects his trust in God to guide him in this important mission and his belief that God's kindness towards Abraham would be evident in the successful completion of this task. His request for a sign also underscores the themes of faith and the expectation that God would reveal His will through tangible actions. This moment of divine selection also prefigures the importance of God's guidance in the lives of the patriarchs and the future nation of Israel, setting a precedent for seeking and recognizing God's will through specific signs and prayers.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H5291
    There are 57 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נַעֲרָה
    Transliteration: naʻărâh
    Pronunciation: nah-ar-aw'
    Description: feminine of נַעַר; a girl (from infancy to adolescence); damsel, maid(-en), young (woman).
  2. Strong's Number: H559
    There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָמַר
    Transliteration: ʼâmar
    Pronunciation: aw-mar'
    Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
  3. Strong's Number: H5186
    There are 207 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָטָה
    Transliteration: nâṭâh
    Pronunciation: naw-taw'
    Description: a primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application; [phrase] afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.
  4. Strong's Number: H3537
    There are 17 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: כַּד
    Transliteration: kad
    Pronunciation: kad
    Description: from an unused root meaning to deepen; properly, a pail; but generally of earthenware; a jar for domestic purposes; barrel, pitcher.
  5. Strong's Number: H8354
    There are 193 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁתָה
    Transliteration: shâthâh
    Pronunciation: shaw-thaw'
    Description: a primitive root; to imbibe (literally or figuratively); [idiom] assuredly, banquet, [idiom] certainly, drink(-er, -ing), drunk ([idiom] -ard), surely. (Prop. intensive of שָׁקָה.)
  6. Strong's Number: H8248
    There are 72 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שָׁקָה
    Transliteration: shâqâh
    Pronunciation: shaw-kaw'
    Description: a primitive root; to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish apotion to; cause to (give, give to, let, make to) drink, drown, moisten, water. See שָׁכַר, שָׁתָה.
  7. Strong's Number: H1581
    There are 51 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: גָּמָל
    Transliteration: gâmâl
    Pronunciation: gaw-mawl'
    Description: apparently from גָּמַל (in the sense of labor or burden-bearing); a camel; camel.
  8. Strong's Number: H3198
    There are 55 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָכַח
    Transliteration: yâkach
    Pronunciation: yaw-kahh'
    Description: a primitive root; to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict; appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.
  9. Strong's Number: H5650
    There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עֶבֶד
    Transliteration: ʻebed
    Pronunciation: eh'-bed
    Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.
  10. Strong's Number: H3327
    There are 101 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יִצְחָק
    Transliteration: Yitschâq
    Pronunciation: yits-khawk'
    Description: from צָחַק; laughter (i.e. mochery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham; Isaac. Compare יִשְׂחָק.
  11. Strong's Number: H3045
    There are 873 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָדַע
    Transliteration: yâdaʻ
    Pronunciation: yaw-dah'
    Description: a primitive root; to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.); acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot.
  12. Strong's Number: H6213
    There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עָשָׂה
    Transliteration: ʻâsâh
    Pronunciation: aw-saw'
    Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
  13. Strong's Number: H2617
    There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: חֵסֵד
    Transliteration: chêçêd
    Pronunciation: kheh'-sed
    Description: from חָסַד; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty; favour, good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.
  14. Strong's Number: H113
    There are 337 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָדוֹן
    Transliteration: ʼâdôwn
    Pronunciation: aw-done'
    Description: or (shortened) אָדֹן; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine); lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'.