Genesis 24:44

KJV

And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: [let] the same [be] the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.

KJV (with Strong's)

And she say {H559} to me, Both drink {H8354} thou, and I will also draw {H7579} for thy camels {H1581}: let the same be the woman {H802} whom the LORD {H3068} hath appointed out {H3198} for my master's {H113} son {H1121}.

Complete Jewish Bible

If she answers, "Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well," then let her be the woman you intend for my master's son.'

Berean Standard Bible

and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.

American Standard Version

and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom Jehovah hath appointed for my master’s son.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 24:44 captures the pivotal moment when Abraham's servant recounts to Rebekah's family how her spontaneous and generous actions precisely fulfilled the specific sign he had prayed for, thereby confirming her as the woman divinely appointed by the LORD to be Isaac's wife. This verse encapsulates the servant's profound faith, Rebekah's exemplary character, and God's meticulous sovereign guidance in orchestrating the union that would continue the Abrahamic covenant line.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within the longest chapter in Genesis, [Genesis 24](/genesis/24 "Genesis 24 - The Search for Isaac's Wife"), which is dedicated entirely to the search for a wife for Isaac. It immediately follows the servant's detailed recounting of his journey and his specific prayer for a sign at the well ([Genesis 24:12-14](/genesis/24-12-14 "The Servant's Prayer for a Sign")). The servant is now speaking to Rebekah's family (Laban and Bethuel), explaining how Rebekah's actions, described in [Genesis 24:18-20](/genesis/24-18-20 "Rebekah's Response at the Well"), perfectly matched the divine confirmation he sought. The repetition of the story, first from the narrator's perspective and then from the servant's, emphasizes the divine orchestration and the servant's unwavering conviction, setting the stage for the family's consent to Rebekah's departure.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In the ancient Near East, marriage was not merely a personal affair but a crucial family and tribal matter, often arranged to secure alliances, property, and lineage. Abraham's directive to his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own kin in Mesopotamia, rather than from the Canaanites ([Genesis 24:3-4](/genesis/24-3-4 "Abraham's Oath Regarding Isaac's Wife")), was paramount for preserving the purity of the covenant line and avoiding assimilation with idolatrous cultures. Wells were vital social hubs and common meeting places, especially for women drawing water, making them natural settings for such encounters. The act of drawing water for ten camels, as Rebekah did, was an extraordinary feat of labor and hospitality, far exceeding customary courtesies, signifying exceptional generosity and strength.
* **Key Themes:** The narrative of [Genesis 24](/genesis/24 "Genesis 24 - The Search for Isaac's Wife") and this verse powerfully underscore several key themes central to the book of Genesis. **Divine Providence** is paramount, as God actively guides the servant's journey and orchestrates the meeting with Rebekah, demonstrating His faithfulness to Abraham's covenant promises (e.g., [Genesis 12:2-3](/genesis/12-2-3 "God's Promise to Abraham")). The **importance of faith and prayer** is highlighted through the servant's specific and bold request for a sign, which God promptly answers ([Genesis 24:12-21](/genesis/24-12-21 "The Servant's Prayer and Rebekah's Arrival")). Furthermore, **character and hospitality** are showcased in Rebekah's selfless actions, revealing qualities essential for the matriarch of a covenant family. The entire chapter, culminating in this verse, reinforces the theme of **covenant faithfulness** as Abraham seeks to secure the future of the promised lineage through Isaac.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **say (Hebrew, _ʼâmar'_):** H559. This primitive root means "to say" with great latitude, encompassing speaking, answering, declaring, commanding, or telling. In this context, it refers to Rebekah's verbal offer, confirming her willingness to perform the extraordinary act of drawing water not only for the servant but also for his camels, demonstrating her proactive and generous spirit.
* **draw (Hebrew, _shâʼab'_):** H7579. A primitive root meaning "to bale up water." This word precisely describes the laborious physical act Rebekah undertook. It emphasizes the effort and commitment involved in fetching water from the well, not just for a person but for a large number of thirsty camels, highlighting her exceptional hospitality and willingness to serve.
* **appointed out (Hebrew, _yâkach'_):** H3198. A primitive root meaning "to be right" or "correct," but causatively, "to decide," "justify," or "convict." In this context, "appointed out" powerfully conveys the idea of divine designation or confirmation. It signifies that the LORD had definitively chosen or designated Rebekah for Isaac, making it clear that her actions were not coincidental but a divinely orchestrated sign.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And she say to me, Both drink thou,"**: This clause recounts Rebekah's immediate and hospitable response to the servant's request for water. It highlights her willingness to provide refreshment, a basic courtesy in the ancient Near East, setting the stage for the extraordinary act that followed.
* **"and I will also draw for thy camels:"**: This is the crucial part of Rebekah's response that fulfilled the servant's specific prayer. Her unsolicited offer to water the ten camels, a task requiring significant physical effort and time, demonstrated a level of generosity and service far beyond expectation. It was this spontaneous, abundant hospitality that served as the divine sign the servant sought.
* **"[let] the same [be] the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son."**: This concluding clause reveals the servant's profound conviction and the purpose of his prayer. It declares that Rebekah's actions definitively confirmed her as God's chosen bride for Isaac. The phrase "whom the LORD hath appointed out" underscores the servant's belief in God's sovereign hand in orchestrating this specific meeting and validating Rebekah as the divinely designated spouse, not by chance, but by divine design.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative of Genesis 24:44, within the broader chapter, employs several significant literary devices. **Repetition** is a prominent feature, as the servant recounts his journey and prayer to Rebekah's family almost verbatim, reinforcing the divine nature of the events and ensuring the family understands the miraculous confirmation. This repetition also builds **Dramatic Irony**, as the audience already knows the outcome of the servant's prayer, while the family is hearing it for the first time, leading to their eventual recognition of God's hand. The specific sign of drawing water for the camels serves as **Symbolism** for Rebekah's character: her generosity, diligence, and willingness to serve, qualities deemed essential for the matriarch of the covenant family. Furthermore, the entire episode functions as a powerful illustration of **Divine Providence**, where God's unseen hand meticulously guides human actions and circumstances to fulfill His purposes, making the seemingly coincidental meeting a divinely orchestrated appointment.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 24:44 powerfully illustrates God's active and meticulous involvement in the lives of His people, particularly in fulfilling His covenant promises. The servant's precise prayer and Rebekah's exact fulfillment of the sign demonstrate God's sovereign guidance in orchestrating human affairs, ensuring that the lineage through which the Messiah would come remained pure and divinely appointed. This narrative underscores that God is not a distant deity but one who hears and answers the specific prayers of His faithful servants, guiding them in crucial life decisions. It also highlights the importance of character, as Rebekah's selfless and hospitable nature was the visible manifestation of God's chosen qualities for Isaac's bride, serving as a model of the virtues valued by God for His covenant people.

* [Proverbs 3:5-6](/proverbs/3-5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart")
* [Psalm 37:23](/psalms/37-23 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord")
* [Matthew 7:7-8](/matthew/7-7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 24:44 offers profound lessons for believers today, particularly concerning trust in God's sovereign plan and the practice of specific prayer. Just as Abraham's servant sought clear divine guidance for a momentous decision, we are encouraged to bring our significant life choices—such as marriage, career, or ministry—before the Lord with faith and specificity. While God may not always provide overt "signs" in the same manner as in the biblical narrative, His promise to guide those who seek Him remains steadfast through His Word, the Holy Spirit's leading, and the wise counsel of the believing community. Furthermore, Rebekah's exemplary character, demonstrated through her spontaneous and abundant hospitality, serves as a timeless reminder that inner qualities like generosity, diligence, and a willingness to serve others are not only pleasing to God but are foundational for healthy relationships, spiritual maturity, and effective living in alignment with His divine will. We are called to cultivate such virtues, trusting that God uses our character as much as our circumstances to fulfill His purposes.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you currently seeking God's specific guidance, and how are you approaching Him in prayer for those decisions?**
* **How does Rebekah's spontaneous generosity challenge your own willingness to serve others, even when not explicitly asked?**
* **How does the servant's unwavering trust in God's providence encourage you to rely more fully on God's plan for your life, even when circumstances seem uncertain?**

### FAQ
**Does God still provide specific 'signs' today like He did for Abraham's servant?**

Answer: While God is sovereign and can act in any way He chooses, the primary means by which He guides believers today is through His written Word, the Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit, often confirmed by wise counsel, prayerful discernment, and open or closed providential doors. The era of overt, miraculous signs as a standard mode of guidance is not the norm for the Church Age, as the completed revelation of Scripture provides sufficient instruction for life and godliness ([2 Timothy 3:16-17](/2_timothy/3-16-17 "All Scripture is God-breathed")). We are encouraged to walk by faith, not by sight ([2 Corinthians 5:7](/2_corinthians/5-7 "We walk by faith, not by sight")), trusting in God's revealed will rather than consistently seeking specific, external confirmations for every decision. However, God's providence remains active, and He can certainly orchestrate circumstances to confirm His will, often in ways that are recognized in hindsight as His gracious leading.

**Why was it so important for Isaac to marry from his own people, not the Canaanites?**

Answer: It was crucial for Isaac to marry from his own people to preserve the purity and distinctiveness of the covenant line established with Abraham. God had promised Abraham that through his descendants, all the families of the earth would be blessed ([Genesis 12:3](/genesis/12-3 "God's Promise to Abraham")). Marrying a Canaanite woman would have introduced idolatry, pagan practices, and moral corruption into the covenant family, potentially jeopardizing the spiritual integrity of the lineage through which the Messiah would eventually come. This directive underscored the importance of maintaining spiritual separation and faithfulness to God's promises, ensuring that the chosen people remained set apart for His divine purposes.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Abraham's servant finding a bride for Isaac in [Genesis 24:44](/genesis/24-44 "The servant's confirmation of Rebekah") serves as a profound **type** or foreshadowing of Christ and His Church. Isaac, the beloved son of promise, who willingly offers himself (implicitly, in [Genesis 22](/genesis/22 "The Testing of Abraham")), prefigures Jesus Christ, the ultimate Son of God, the Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). Abraham, the father, sending his trusted servant to secure a bride for his son from a distant land, beautifully mirrors God the Father sending the Holy Spirit—the "Helper" or "Comforter" ([John 14:26](/john/14-26 "John 14:26 - The Holy Spirit, the Helper"))—into the world to gather a bride for His Son, Jesus Christ, from among all nations, both Jew and Gentile ([Ephesians 5:25-27](/ephesians/5-25-27 "Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her")). Just as the servant presented Rebekah to Isaac, the Holy Spirit draws believers to Christ, convicts them of sin, regenerates them, and equips them through spiritual gifts, preparing them to be the spotless and glorious bride of the Lamb ([Revelation 19:7-8](/revelation/19-7-8 "The Marriage Supper of the Lamb")). The divine appointment and the specific signs in this account highlight God's sovereign work in bringing His chosen people into an eternal union with His Son, a union secured not by human effort or merit, but by divine grace and orchestration.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 24:14

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.

Isaiah 32:8

But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

Proverbs 19:14

¶ House and riches [are] the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife [is] from the LORD.

1 Peter 3:8

¶ Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:

Hebrews 13:2

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Genesis 2:22

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

1 Timothy 2:10

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.