Genesis 24 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Genesis 24

WHEN:

• Abram was born in approximately 1996 B.C. and died in 1821 B.C. at 175 years old (Gen 25:7). Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old (1896 B.C.), and was 37 years old when his mother, Sarah, died in approx. 1859 B.C. (Gen 23:1). According to Genesis 25:20, Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah (1856 B.C.).

CHARACTERS:

• Abraham – A man from Ur of the Chaldeans who moved to Canaan at God’s instruction. God promised to make his descendants a great nation and to give them the land of Canaan.

• Isaac – Abraham’s son with Sarah.

• Abraham’s Servant – The oldest servant in Abraham’s house who he entrusted to find a wife for his son Isaac.

• Rebekah – A beautiful young woman who God chose to marry Isaac.

• Bethuel – The nephew of Abraham and father of Rebekah.

WHERE:

• Bethuel and Rebekah lived in Mesopotamia in the city of Nahor (Haran). Isaac lived in the Negeb south of Canaan.

OUTLINE:

• ABRAHAM ASKS HIS SERVANT TO FIND ISAAC A WIFE (24:1-9):

  • Abraham was old and “well advanced in years.”

  • He asked his most trusted servant to go to the city of Nahor, the land of his relatives, and find a wife for his son Isaac, because he didn’t want him to marry a Canaanite.

  • The servant swore an oath to Abraham that he would do as he requested. 

• THE SERVANT’S PRAYER FOR HELP (24:10-14):

  • The servant loaded 10 camels with provisions and gifts and went to “Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor” (approx. 550 miles away).

  • When he arrived, he prayed to God and asked Him to show him the right woman to marry Isaac. 

  • While standing at a spring of water he prayed, “Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac.”

• THE SERVANT MEETS REBEKAH AT THE SPRING OF WATER (24:15-27):

  • Before finishing his prayer, a beautiful young woman named Rebekah came to the spring for water.

  • The servant asked her for a drink, and she offered to water his camels.

  • Realizing his prayer had been answered the servant gave Rebekah gifts of gold.

  • Rebekah invited him to spend the night in her father Bethuel’s house.

• THE SERVANT EXPLAINS HIS INTENTIONS TO BETHUEL (24:28-49):

  • Rebekah’s brother Laban welcomed Abraham’s servant and cared for his camels.

  • The servant recounted the details and purpose of his journey to Bethuel.

• REBEKAH LEAVES HER FATHER’S HOUSE (24:50-61):

  • Believing that God had blessed the servant’s mission, Bethuel gave Rebekah permission to leave and marry Isaac.

  • When the servant heard this, he bowed and worshipped God.

  • The next morning, Rebekah and the servant began the journey back to Canaan.

• REBEKAH MARRIES ISAAC (24:62-67):

  • After their long journey, the servant found Isaac meditating in a field in the Negeb.

  • “Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her.”

APPLICATION:

• Abraham’s unnamed servant gives us a great example of a life permeated with prayer and worship.

• His first thought when arriving in Mesopotamia was to pray for God’s help.

• His response to God answering his prayers was immediate worship (24:25-26 and 24:52).

• Our lives should also be marked by a revolving pattern of prayer and worship.