Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 24
Overview:
Abraham's care for
Isaac's
Marriage.
(1-9) The
Journey of
Abraham's servant to
Mesopotamia, His meeting with
Rebekah.
(10-28) Rebekah and her relatives consent to her
Marriage.
(29-53) The happy meeting and
Marriage of
Isaac and
Rebekah.
(54-67)
1-9 The effect of good
Example, good teaching, and the
Worship
of
God in a family, will generally appear in the
Piety,
faithfulness, prudence, and
Affection of the servants. To live
in such families, or to have such servants, both are blessings
from
God which should be highly valued, and thankfully
acknowledged. But
No concern in
Life is of greater importance to
ourselves, to others, or to the
Church of
God, than
Marriage. It
therefore ought always to be undertaken with much care and
prudence, especially with reference to the will of
God, and with
Prayer for his direction and blessing. Where good parents are
not consulted and regarded, the blessing of
God cannot be
expected. Parents, in disposing of their children, should
carefully consult the welfare of their souls, and their
furtherance in the way to
Heaven. Observe the charge
Abraham
gave to a good servant, one whose conduct, faithfulness, and
Affection, to him and his family, he had long known. Observe
also, that
Abraham remembers that
God had wonderfully brought
him out of the land of his
Birth,
By the
Call of his
Grace; and
therefore doubts not but He will prosper his care, not to bring
his son thither again.
God will cause that to
End in our
comfort, in which we sincerely aim at his
Glory.
10-28 Abraham's servant devoutly acknowledged
God. We have
leave to be particular in recommending our affairs to the care
of Divine
Providence. He proposes a sign, not that he intended
to proceed
No further, if not gratified in it; but it is a
Prayer that
God would provide a good
Wife for his young master;
and that was a good
Prayer. She should be simple, industrious,
humble, cheerful, serviceable, and hospitable. Whatever may be
the fashion, common sense, as
Well as
Piety, tells us, these are
the proper qualifications for a
Wife and mother; for one who is
to be a companion to her
Husband, the manager of domestic
concerns, and trusted to form the minds of children. When the
steward came to seek a
Wife for his master, he did not go to
places of amusement and sinful pleasure, and pray that he might
meet one there, but to the
Well of water, expecting to find one
there employed aright. He prayed that
God would please to make
his way in this matter
Plain and clear before him. Our times are
in
God's
Hand; not only events themselves, but the times of
them. We must take heed of being over-bold in urging what
God
should do, lest the event should weaken our
Faith, rather than
strengthen it. But
God owned him
By making his way clear.
Rebekah, in all respects, answered the characters he sought for
in the
Woman that was to be his master's
Wife. When she came to
the
Well, she went down and filled her
Pitcher, and came up to
go home with it. She did not stand to gaze upon the strange
Man and
his camels, but minded her business, and would not have been
diverted from it but
By an opportunity of doing good. She did
not curiously or confidently enter into discourse with him, but
answered him modestly. Being satisfied that the
Lord had heard
his
Prayer, he gave the damsel some ornaments worn in eastern
countries; asking at the same time respecting her kindred.
On
learning that she was of his master's relations, he bowed down
his head and worshipped, blessing
God. His words were addressed
to the
Lord, but being spoken in the hearing of
Rebekah, she
could perceive who he was, and whence he came.
29-53 The making up of the
Marriage between
Isaac and
Rebekah
is told very particularly. We are to notice
God's
Providence in
the common events of human
Life, and in them to
Exercise
prudence and other graces.
Laban went to ask
Abraham's servant
in, but not till he saw the
Ear-
Ring, and
Bracelet upon his
sister's hands. We know
Laban's character,
By his conduct
afterwards, and may think that he would not have been
So free to
Entertain him, if he had not hoped to be
Well rewarded for it.
The servant was intent upon his business. Though he was come off
a
Journey, and come to a good
House, he would not eat till he
had told his errand. The doing our work, and the fulfilling our
trusts, either for
God or
Man, should be preferred
By us before
our
Food: it was our
Saviour's meat and
Drink, Joh 4:34. He
tells them the charge his master had given him, with the reason
of it. He relates what had happened at the
Well, to further the
proposal, plainly showing the finger of
God in it. Those events
which to us seem the effect of choice, contrivance, or
Chance,
are "appointed out" of
God. This hinders not, but rather
encourages the use of all proper means. They freely and
cheerfully close with the proposal; and any matter is likely to
be comfortable, when it proceeds from the
Lord.
Abraham's
servant thankfully acknowledges the good success he had met
with. He was a humble
Man, and humble men are not ashamed to own
their situation in
Life, whatever it may be. All our temporal
concerns are sweet if intermixed with
Godliness.
54-67 Abraham's servant, as one that chose his work before his
pleasure, was for hastening home. Lingering and loitering
No way
become a
Wise and good
Man who is
Faithful to his duty. As
children ought not to marry without their parents' consent,
So
parents ought not to marry them without their own.
Rebekah
consented, not only to go, but to go at once. The
Goodness of
Rebekah's character shows there was nothing wrong in her answer,
though it be not agreeable to modern customs among us. We may
Hope that she had such an idea of the religion and
Godliness in
the family she was to go to, as made her willing to forget her
own people and her
Father's
House. Her friends dismiss her with
suitable attendants, and with hearty good wishes. They blessed
Rebekah. When our relations are entering into a new condition,
we ought
By Prayer to commend them to the blessing and
Grace of
God.
Isaac was
Well employed when he met
Rebekah. He went out to
take the advantage of a silent
Evening, and a solitary place,
for meditation and
Prayer; those divine exercises
By which we
converse with
God and our own hearts. Holy souls
Love
retirement; it will do us good to be often alone, if rightly
employed; and we are never less alone than when alone. Observe
what an affectionate son
Isaac was: it was about three years
since his mother died, and yet he was not, till now, comforted.
See also what an affectionate
Husband he was to his
Wife.
Dutiful sons promise fair to be affectionate husbands; he that
fills up his first station in
Life with honour, is likely to do
the same in those that follow.