The Barren Kingdom

With Questions and Proposed Answers

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 20

 

Genesis 20:1 And Avraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev. And he dwelt between Kadesh and between Shur. And he sojourned in Gerar.

 

²And Avraham said unto Princess his woman, “She is my sister!” And My-Father-The-King, king of Sojourning, sent. And he took Princess.

 

³And Elohim came unto My-Father-The-King in a dream of the night. And He said to him, “Behold thee dead concerning the woman whom thou took! And she is the wife of a husband!” ⁴And My-Father-The-King did not approach unto her. And he said, “My Lords! Thou wilt slay also a righteous race? ⁵Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister!’ And she, also she said, ‘He is my brother!’ In perfection of my heart and in innocence of my palms I did this!”

 

⁶And the Elohim said unto him in a dream, “Also I, I knew that thou did this in the perfection of thy heart! And I restrained thee, also I thee, from sinning to me! Therefore, I did not give thee to touch unto her! ⁷And now return the woman of the man, because he is a prophet. And he has rolled-himself-out for thy sake. And live! And if thou art not returning, know that dying thou shalt die—thou and all who is to thee!”

 

⁸And My-Father-The-King early-rose in the morning. And he called to all his servants. And he spoke all these words in their ears. And the men very much feared.

 

⁹And My-Father-The-King called to Avraham. And he said to him, “What hast thou done to us? And what did I sin to thee that thou brought upon me and upon my kingdom a big sin? Thou hast done with me doings that they did not do!” ¹⁰And My-Father-The-King said unto Avraham, “What didst thou see that thou did this thing?” ¹¹And Avraham said, “Because I said, ‘Only the fear of Elohim is not in this place! And they shall slay me concerning the matter of my woman!’ ¹²And also faith, he is my sister the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And she became to me for a woman. ¹³And he was just as Elohim wandered me from the house of my father. And I said to her, ‘This is thy grace that thou wilt do with me unto every place that we will come there. Say to me, “He is my brother!” ’ ”

 

¹⁴And My-Father-The-King took flock and herd and slaves and female-slaves. And he gave to Avraham. And he returned to him Princess his woman.

 

¹⁵And My-Father-The-King said, “Behold, my land is to thy faces. Dwell in good to thine eyes.”

 

¹⁶And he said to Princess, “Behold, I gave a thousand silver to thy brother. Behold, he is to thee to cover eyes to all who are with thee, and all. And thou shalt proceed-straight!”

 

¹⁷And Avraham rolled-himself unto the Elohim. And Elohim healed My-Father-The-King and his woman and his slave-women. And they childed. ¹⁸For treasuring, Yehovah treasured for the sake of every womb to the house of My-Father-The-King concerning the matter of Princess, woman of Avraham.

 

 

I. The Move (verse 1)

 

Avraham had seen the plain and its cities destroyed. The text does not say whether he knew at this time that Lot still lived, but it is my guess that he soon knew that.

 

This verse does not say why he moved his large herds to the south. Cattle and sheepherders do what they do for the sake of their herds and flocks, looking for grass and water. He came to the wild and dangerous city of Gerar, a city whose reputation he knew well. I suspect that a drought brought him to come to this violent place.

 

Questions

1. How many other persons depended on Avraham and his decisions? Many depended on him! He was the head of many cowboys and shepherds. They kept together for protection. They also had families with them.

 

2. What does Gerar mean? It means Sojourning, a word meaning traveling for a longer time, including temporary stays on the way.

 

 

II. The Transaction (verse 2)

 

Avraham knew that his own life was in danger. Sarah and he had already agreed that they would declare their relationship to be brother and sister (see the whole text of this chapter). Abimelech saw that Sarah is a beautiful woman. She would be a good second wife. Avraham did not resist, and none of his men said a word.

 

Questions

1. Describe the scene so that the sentence, “And Avraham said unto Princess his woman, ‘She is my sister!’” makes sense. Avraham, Princess and at least one of My-Father-The-King’s men are talking together. The representative is asking Avraham who Princess is. Avraham looks straight at Princess (Sarah) and says, “She is my sister!”

 

2. Was Avraham’s declaring Sarah to be his sister a lie? Absolutely!

 

3. If it was a lie, was it wrong before Yehovah? No, it was not wrong; it was right. Avraham knew that the men were violent. He knew they would kill him for Sarah. He also knew that his cowboys and shepherds would avenge his death, and much bloodshed would take place. Avraham also knew that Yehovah had promised him a son, and Yehovah would slaughter Abimelech’s (My-Father-The King’s) people to keep that promise, if He saw fit. In other words, many lives were at stake. Lying to save the innocent from the hands of violent folks is always right. Refusing to lie under such circumstances is willingly participating with the violent folks. Avraham only did right.

 

4. Did Abimelech do wrong by taking Sarah? No. He didn’t do wrong by taking her. He did wrong by not first inquiring of his own gods! (See the next few verses.) Anyone who relies on false gods will make stupid errors.

 

5. Why did Sarah go along with this plan? Yehovah gave a promise of a child through Sarah, and that she would be the heir. There was no life-threatening danger to her. Sarah did not say a word. She was confident that her husband was right.

 

 

III. The ‘Love of God’ for Abimelech and His People (verses 3-7)

 

Yehovah came to Abimelech in a dream. When Yehovah comes in a dream, no experience which one has while awake is more real. A dream from Yehovah is so clear that it can bring terror that lasts through all the waking hours.

 

Yehovah’s message was simple and brief: “Behold thee dead concerning the woman whom thou took! And she is the wife of a husband!” Abimelech needed to know why Yehovah was about to kill him. There was no invitation for repentance, and there was no offer of hope.

 

Abimelech had not yet approached Sarah.

 

Abimelech appealed to Yehovah’s justice by asking, “My Lords! Thou wilt slay also a righteous race?” He knew that his entire race was in danger of slaughter from this God!

 

Abimelech protested, “Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister!’ And she, also she said, ‘He is my brother!’ In perfection of my heart and in innocence of my palms I did this!” Yehovah’s reply is cool and frightening: “Also I, I knew that thou did this in the perfection of thy heart!” Yehovah does not disagree with Abimelech. Yet He was still quite prepared to kill him.

 

Yehovah then told Abimelech: “And I restrained thee, also I thee, from sinning to me! Therefore, I did not give thee to touch unto her!”

 

Yehovah next gave Abimelech the command: “And now return the woman of the man.” His reason was interesting: “For he is a prophet. And he has rolled-himself-out for thy sake. And live!”

 

If Abimelech tried any ‘funny stuff,’ Yehovah told him what would happen: “And if thou art not returning, know that dying thou shalt die—thou and all who is to thee!”

 

Questions

 

1. Was it fair for Yehovah to threaten Abimelech without first (in the dream) telling him of his error, and lovingly telling him to do right? Most things in life are not matters of fairness. Fair is used when something must be equal. Do not confuse fairness with justice. Justice is usually not fair, and fairness is usually not justice!

 

Suppose that a teacher leaves a classroom at the school for a few minutes. Suppose that two of the thirty students begin to throw things, to make a mess, to make noise, to act up. When the teacher returns, suppose that she will be angry. She will ask, “Who did this?” Suppose that no one in the classroom will identify the culprits. So, suppose that the teacher states that the entire class must write sentences instead of going outside during recess. Is that fair? No. Is that justice? It is, according to the Bible. Yehovah held the entire people of Israel responsible when just one person sinned! That was justice, and what the teacher did was also justice. The entire class could have pressured the wrongdoing students to stop, but they instead did nothing. Thus, the entire class participated in the wrongdoing. Holding the entire class responsible was justice.

 

It was justice for Yehovah to threaten Abimelech. He didn’t need to first tell him his error since Abimelech relied on his own fortune tellers and gods. They should have told him what was about to occur! Yehovah had no reason to ‘lovingly’ telling him to do right. Abimelech’s citizens would have done violence to get Sarah for Abimelech. Yehovah instead used terror on this man; that was justice!

 

2. Why didn’t Yehovah at least offer Abimelech a chance to repent and give Sarah back? Yehovah later did threaten him to give her back, but He first did what would make this king and his people fear to do what they normally had done before: take women from their men by violence. Avraham was a prophet; he knew what the people of Gerar were like.

 

3. Since Abimelech had not yet approached or touched Sarah, wasn’t he innocent? When a person plots to do wrong, that person has already done wrong! Even in the United States, threatening to kill the president of the United States is a crime. A person doesn’t have to do the crime to be guilty; plotting it makes the person guilty.

 

4. Was Abimelech’s race truly righteous (verse 4)? Yehovah never answered this point. The race wasn’t righteous (in general). It was a violent race.

 

5. Would Yehovah have slain a righteous race? Yehovah never slays the righteous with the culpable (with the guilty). He will slay folks who see violence around them and who do nothing to help the innocent when they could help; He considers them part of the plotters!

 

6. Had Abimelech truly done this “in perfection of my heart and in innocence of my palms” (verse 5)? Yehovah agreed with the first part: Abimelech did this in the perfection of his heart (his mind). He did not speak about the innocence of his palms (of his hands). Abimelech was ‘holding’ Sarah (thus, his palms of his hands held a hostage). The man’s mind was perfect regarding this matter, but he and his people were far from innocent, holding another man’s woman! Again, he relied on false gods and on soothsayers, occult practitioners (folks who use demons and witchcraft to get information), astrologers (folks who claim to be able to read the constellations to tell fortunes and the future), etc. He should have known that Sarah was another man’s woman! Thus, his palms were not innocent. Yehovah judges by the actions of a person, not by the person’s motives. (Think very carefully about this.)

 

7. When evil is done, when disasters happen, when men sin, did Yehovah allow these things to happen? There are three words you should not use regarding Yehovah/Yeshua: allow, permit, let. They are words that confuse. The following will explain why.

 

Suppose that a woman is watching her young son, and he wants to go outside to play. He has a basketball. The yard is fenced. She tells him, “Now, if the ball bounces outside the fence, do not go after it. The street is very dangerous. Come and tell me, and I will get the ball. Do you hear me?” The child heard. A little later, the ball bounces outside the fence, rolls, and comes to rest near the fence. The child looks back at the house to see if she is watching, and the child doesn’t see her. She is watching, however, and she sees what occurred. She waits. The child then goes to the gait, opens it, looks back, and still seeing nothing, runs, gets the ball, runs back into the gait, closes it, and continues to play. Did the woman permit the child to get the ball? She didn’t stop him; did she allow the child to get the ball? Did she let the child get the ball? If you answer, “Yes, she did,” you are wrong. But you are also right. If you answer, “No!” you are right. But you are also wrong. Therefore, those words, allow, permit and let, have no real meaning. She didn’t allow, permit or let the child do it, but it seems like she did! Therefore, don’t use these words regarding God unless the Bible uses them. You will be wrong!

 

Now, our question is this: “When evil is done, when disasters happen, when men sin, did Yehovah allow these things to happen?” Well, He didn’t stop them. Does that mean that He allowed them? No, it doesn’t!

 

8. Does Yehovah always restrain a person from sinning? He rarely does, but He sometimes does. Most folks sin without feeling any restraints.

 

9. What does “I did not give thee to touch unto her” mean? Yehovah did not give him to touch unto her means that Yehovah set up a protection, a barrier, so that Abimelech could not touch her (and therefore could not have sexual intercourse with her).

 

Abimelech thought that he was alone in his decision to touch Sarah or not. Yehovah told him that He (not Abimelech) had set the circumstances by which Abimelech couldn’t touch Sarah.

 

10. What does rolled himself out for thy sake mean? This is the Hebrew expression for prayer! It is when a person gives details of a situation to God in order for Him to judge the situation and to respond to the person. (Be sure to pray in detail when you ask Yehovah for something. Explain why you see it the way you do. The only time you don’t want to do that is in an emergency when you have no time to explain the details.)

 

11. What does “And live!” imply? It implies that Yehovah would kill Abimelech if he didn’t obey!

 

12. Yehovah threatened not only Abimelech, but his entire house, including the maidservants. Yet they took orders from Abimelech. Was this fair for Yehovah to threaten to kill them too? Again, fairness is not the issue. Abimelech and his people were in this together! Therefore, Yehovah threatened them all! He already destroyed four cities for the same reason! You are part of the city in which you live! Don’t forget that.

 

13. Was Avraham a prophet? Yes! Avraham is not usually known for being a prophet, but Yehovah had given him this ministerial gift and responsibility just as much as He later would give it to Isaiah. This is how Avraham knew what would happen when he went to Gerar!

 

14. Why did Yehovah tell Abimelech that Avraham “has rolled himself out” for Abimelech’s sake? Yehovah put the king in a position of need for the prayers of Avraham! By so doing, Abimelech was humbled and Avraham and Sarah were protected!

 

 

IV. Abimelech is a Believer (verse 8)

 

Abimelech rose early! He called his servants, and he told them what he had dreamed. They were terrified!

 

Questions

1. Did Abimelech become a believer in Yehovah? Abimelech believed, but that doesn’t mean that he was born of God and that he had Salvation. He believed that Avraham’s God would kill him if he didn’t do what he had been told. He believed in Yehovah in the same way that one who believes the Bible believes in Satan (that is, believes that Satan exists, but doesn’t turn to him as a god). Abimelech was not about to turn from his other gods. They were useful to him and to his people.

 

 

V. The Truth of the Matter (verses 9-13)

 

Abimelech was frightened, angry and curious. He called Avraham and appealed to Avraham’s sense of justice: “What hast thou done to us?”

 

He then appealed to Avraham religiously: “And what did I sin to thee that thou brought upon me and upon my kingdom a big sin?” He didn’t wait for the answer before protesting, “Thou hast done with me doings that they did not do!”

 

The Bible doesn’t record whether Avraham answered at this point. It is as if Abimelech is pacing, walking away, then returning back to Avraham to continue with his interrogation: “What did thou see that thou did this thing?”

 

Avraham’s reply and defense was this: “Because I said, ‘Only the fear of Elohim is not in this place! And they shall slay me concerning the matter of my woman!’”  His thought was the truth.

 

Then Avraham stated the facts: “And also faith, he is my sister the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And she became to me for a woman.”

 

Avraham did not stop with this. He explained the agreement that he had with Sarah: “And he was just as Elohim wandered me from the house of my father. And I said to her, ‘This is thy grace that thou wilt do with me unto every place that we will come there. Say to me, “He is my brother!” ’ ”

 

Abimelech now knew the whole story. He wisely did not defend himself or harm Avraham.

 

Questions

1. What had Avraham done to Abimelech’s people? Avraham had brought Yehovah and Yehovah’s fear to Abimelech and his people! This threatened their existence! Yet, Avraham had not done anything to them; they had taken a woman without asking questions.

 

2. Had Avraham brought a big sin upon Abimelech and upon his kingdom? No. But this is a normal part of many accusations. State what isn’t true as if it is true as part of the accusation! It is like one child angrily stating to a parent, “He hit me for no reason at all!” when there had been a reason. The fault was with Abimelech, his people and his gods, not with Avraham.

 

3. Who are they in “Thou hast done with me doings that they did not do”? They refer to enemies of the king.

 

4. What did Abimelech mean by “What did thou see?” Abimelech remembered that Yehovah had said that Avraham was a prophet when he said, “What did thou see?”

 

5. According to Avraham, what one factor, being missing, sets the stage for evil and violence? If there is no fear of the Gods, violence freely occurs!

 

6. Have you ever been to a place where the fear of Elohim isn’t there? That is true in most places in this world, including inside of churches! The fear of Elohim is very rare in this world. Most places have no fear. That is why violence occurs as if it is normal. If the fear of Elohim were present, violence would be very rare!

 

7. Why didn’t Abimelech defend himself when Avraham said, “And they shall slay me concerning the matter of my woman”? Abimelech never defended against this because he knew it was true.

 

8. Define grace in “This is thy grace that thou wilt do with me unto every place that we will come there”: This word means a fervent (very strong), burning zeal (something for which one is willing to stand even at great cost) by which one is moved to take action for or against another or a group. Avraham asked Sarah to show her grace, her burning zeal for her man by stating that her man is her brother.

 

9. Did Avraham do wrong by asking Sarah to show that grace by lying? No! Avraham determined to save innocent folks, including himself, from the hands of violent folks. Lying to save lives in this way is always right!

 

 

VI. Abimelech Makes Amends (verses 14-16)

 

Abimelech did not want to deal any more with this man or with his woman. He gave him very valuable gifts including a flock, a herd, and male and female slaves. He also gave back his woman.

 

He now behaved as a cordial host, telling him to select any part of his land to settle.

 

He had words for Sarah. He told her that he had well-paid Avraham. Then he said, “Behold, he is to thee to cover eyes to all who are with thee, and all.” He also told her, “Thou shalt proceed straight!”

 

Questions

1. If Abimelech felt he had been so wronged, why did he give very expensive things to Avraham? He feared the man, and he feared his Gods! He determined to give the items to appease Avraham’s Gods.

 

2. Why did he invite Avraham to stay if he feared the man? He didn’t dare tell him to leave! If he stayed, perhaps his Gods would benefit the place for his hospitality.

 

3. Explain “Behold, he is to thee to cover eyes to all who are with thee, and all”: Avraham belongs to Sarah to cover all eyes who might want her and anything that Avraham and his cowhands and sheephands might own. Everyone will look the other way, and not at their stuff.

 

4. What does “Thou shalt proceed straight” mean? She no longer has to use deceit or any other means to go where she desires to go; no one will touch her. And she is no longer to play the part of a sister when she is a married woman.

 

 

VII. The Restoration and Explanation (verses 17-18)

 

Avraham willingly did his service, behaving as a priest by ‘rolling himself’ to the Elohim. Elohim healed Abimelech, his woman and his slavewomen. Now they could again give birth.

 

During the time that Sarah had been in Abimelech’s possession, every womb had treasured children inside.

 

Questions

1. Was it right for Yehovah to wait for Avraham to pray for Abimelech and his house? What if Avraham had refused? It was right. That way, Avraham would become a good guy rather than a threat to Abimelech and his people. They would protect him instead of hating him.

 

Avraham would not have refused. He didn’t desire harm to these idolatrous pagans. They benefited him when he needed to graze cattle there.

 

2. What is a priest in the Bible? A priest is one who is a go-between between a god/God and humans. The priest explains the god/God to humans, and tells what the god/God desires, and the priest gives the words of the humans to the god/God.

 

3. Explain what “treasured for the sake of every womb” means: While women got pregnant during the time that Sarah was in Abimelech’s possession, they could not give birth. It was as if their wombs were locked shut. Babies didn’t come out. They just stayed. That would put the women into terrible pain and in danger of a terrible death along with the children. Therefore, they had to act fast to get this dilemma reversed!

 

4. Were the women able to give birth after carrying the children for so long? They were. Yehovah made sure that no one was harmed over this. The story had a happy ending.

 

The Romance

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 24

 

Genesis 24:1 And Avraham (Father-Of-A-Crowd) is old. He came into days. And Yehovah blessed Avraham in all. ²And Avraham said unto his old slave of his house [unto his slave, an elder of his house], the ruler in all that is to him, “Put, na, thine hand under my thigh. ³And I will make-thee-swear via Yehovah Gods of the heavens and Gods of the land that thou wilt not take a woman to my son from the daughters of the Canaanites that I am dwelling in their midst! ⁴For thou shalt go unto my land and unto my kindred. And thou shalt take a woman to my son, to He-Will-Laugh (Isaac).”

 

⁵And the slave said unto him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to walk after me unto this land; returning, I will return thy son unto the land that thou didst exit from there?” ⁶And Avraham said unto him, “Guard to thee lest thou wilt return my son there! ⁷Yehovah Gods of the heavens Who took me from the house of my father, from the land of my kindred and Who spoke to me and Who swore to me to say, ‘I will give this land to thy seed,’ He will send His messenger to thy faces. And thou shalt take a woman to my son from there. ⁸And if the woman will not be willing to walk after thee, and thou shalt be innocent from this my vow. Only, thou shalt not return my son there!” ⁹And the slave put his hand under the thigh of Avraham his lords. And he vowed to him concerning this speaking.

 

¹⁰And the slave took ten camels from the camels of his lords. And he walked. And all the good of his lords is in his hand. And he arose. And he walked unto Syria Of-The-Two-Rivers, unto the city of Nahor.

 

¹¹And he bowed the camels from outside to the city unto a well of the water at the time of evening, at the time of the exiting of the drawing-ones (feminine). ¹²And he said, “Yehovah Gods of my master Avraham, make-happen, na, to the faces of today. And do Grace with my lords Avraham. ¹³Behold, I am positioning upon the eye of the water. And daughters of the men of the city are exiting to draw water. ¹⁴And the youth (masculine) will be, that I will say unto her, ‘Incline, na, thy pitcher; and I have drunk!’ And she will say, ‘Drink! And I will water also thy camels!’—Thou hast reproved her for Thy slave, for He-Will-Laugh (Isaac). And I will know via her that Thou hast done Grace with my lords.” ¹⁵And he, he was before he finished to speak. And behold, Multiple-Pouring (Rebekah) is going-out, who was childed to They-Wasted-A-Mighty-One (Bethuel) son of Queen (Milcah) woman of Snorer (Nakhor) brother of Avraham. And her pitcher is upon her shoulder. ¹⁶And the youth [masculine] is very good [feminine] of appearance—ripe. And a man did not know her. And she descended the eye. And she filled her pitcher. And she ascended.

 

¹⁷And the slave ran to meet her. And he said, “I will swallow me, na, a little water from thy pitcher.” ¹⁸And she said, “Drink, my lord!” And she hurried. And she descended, her pitcher upon her hand. And she watered him. ¹⁹And she finished to water him. And she said, “I will also draw for thy camels until if they finished to drink!” ²⁰And she hurried. And she uncovered her jar unto the water-trough. And she ran again unto the well to draw. And she drew to all his camels. ²¹And the man, devastating-himself to her, is hushing to know, Did Yehovah prosper his way, if not?

 

²²And it was just as the camels finished to drink. And the man took a gold nose ring, split from his shekel, and two bracelets upon her hands, ten of gold from their shekel. ²³And he said, “Whose daughter art thou? Tell, na, to me. Is there a house of thy father, a place for us to lodge?” ²⁴And she said unto him, “I am the daughter of They-Wasted-A-Mighty-One (Bethuel) son of Queen (Milcah), whom she childed to Snorer (Nahor).” ²⁵And she said unto him, “Also straw, also much provender is with us, also a place to lodge!” ²⁶And the man bowed. And he worshipped to Yehovah.

 

²⁷And he said, “Blessed is Yehovah Gods of my lords Avraham Who did not forsake His Grace and His Truth from with my lords. I am in the way—Yehovah guided me—the house of the brethren of my lord! ²⁸And the youth ran. And she told to the house of her mother according to these words.

 

²⁹And a brother is to Multiple-Pouring (Rebekah). And his name is White (Laban). And Laban ran unto the man outside, unto the eye. ³⁰And he was when seeing the nose ring and the bracelets upon the hands of his sister and when his hearing the words of Multiple-Pouring (Rebekah) his sister to say, “So the man spoke unto me!” And he came unto the man. And behold he stood by the camels by the eye. ³¹And he said, “Come, blessed of Yehovah! Why wilt thou stand outside? And I, I turned the house and a place for camels!” ³²And the man came to the house. And he opened the camels. And he gave straw and provender to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who are with him.

 

³³And he was put to his faces to eat. And he said, “I will not eat until if I spoke my words.” And he said, “Speak.” ³⁴And he said, “I am the slave of Avraham. ³⁵And Yehovah blessed my lords very much. And He made big. And He gave to him flock and herd and silver and gold and slaves and female-slaves and camels and asses. ³⁶And Princess (Sarah) the woman of my lords childed a son to my lords after her old-age. And he gave to him all that is to him. ³⁷And my lords made-me-swear to say, ‘Thou wilt not take a woman to my son from the daughters of the Canaanite whom I am living in his land, ³⁸if not! Thou wilt walk unto the house of my father and unto my family, and thou wilt take a woman to my son.’ ³⁹And I said unto my lords, ‘Perhaps the woman will not walk after me.’ ⁴⁰And he said unto me, ‘Yehovah, Whom I have walked myself to His faces, will send His Messenger with thee. And He will prosper thy way. And thou shalt take a woman to my son from my family and from the house of my father. ⁴¹Then thou shalt be innocent from my oath when thou wilt come unto my family. And if they will not give to thee, and thou shalt be innocent from my oath.’ ⁴²And I came today unto the eye. And I said, ‘Yehovah Gods of my lords Avraham, if there is Thee, na, prospering my way that I am walking upon her,  ⁴³behold I am positioned by the eye of the water. And he will be, the virgin who exits to draw, and I will say unto her, “Water me, na, a little water from thy pitcher,” ⁴⁴and she will say unto me, “Also thou, drink-thou, and I will also draw to thy camels,” he is the woman that Yehovah reproved for the son of my lords.’ ⁴⁵I—before I will finish to speak unto my heart, and behold Multiple-Pouring exits. And her pitcher is upon her shoulder. And she descended to the eye. And she drew. And I said unto her, ‘Water me, na.’ ⁴⁶And she hurried. And she made-descend her pitcher from upon her. And she said, ‘Drink! And also I will water thy camels!’ And I drank, and also she watered the camels. ⁴⁷And I asked her. And I said, ‘Daughter of whom are thou?’ And she said, ‘Daughter of They-Wasted-A-Mighty-One (Bethuel) son of Snorer (Nahor) whom Queen (Milcah) childed to him.’ And I put the nose ring upon her nose and the bracelets upon her hands. ⁴⁸And I bowed. And I worshipped to Yehovah Gods of my lords Avraham who guided me in the way of Truth to take the daughter of the brother of my lords to his son. ⁴⁹And now, if there is your doing Grace and Truth with my lords, tell to me. And if not, tell to me. And I will turn upon the right or upon the left.”

 

⁵⁰And White answered, and They-Wasted-A-Mighty-One (Bethuel). And they said, “The speech exited from Yehovah. We will not be able to speak unto thee bad or good. ⁵¹Behold, Multiple-Pouring is to thy faces. Take and walk. And she will be a woman to the son of thy lords just as Yehovah spoke.” ⁵²And it was just as the slave of Avraham heard their words. And he worshipped landward to Yehovah.

 

⁵³And the slave sent-out vessels of silver and vessels of gold and clothing. And he gave to Multiple-Pouring. And he gave noteworthies to her brothers and to her mother. ⁵⁴And they ate and drank—he and the men who are with him. And they lodged. And they arose in the morning. And he said, “Send me to my lords.” ⁵⁵And her brother said, and her mother, “The youth will dwell with us days or ten; she will walk afterward.” ⁵⁶And he said unto them, “Do not delay me. And Yehovah prospered my way. Send me. And I have walked to my lords.” ⁵⁷And they said, “We will call to the youth [masc.], and we have asked her with her mouth.” ⁵⁸And they called to Multiple-Pouring. And they said unto her, “Wilt thou walk with this man?” And she said, “I will walk.” ⁵⁹And they sent Multiple-Pouring their sister and her wet-nurse and the slave of Avraham and his men. ⁶⁰And they blessed Multiple-Pouring. And they said to her, “Thou art our sister. Be to thousands of myriads. And thy seed has possessed the gate of his haters!” ⁶¹And Multiple-Pouring arose, and her youths [fem.]. And they chariot-rode upon the camels. And they walked after the man. And the slave took Multiple-Pouring. And he walked.

 

⁶²And He-Will-Laugh came from the coming of The-Well-To-The-Lives-Of-My-Seer. And he is dwelling in the land of the Negev (south). ⁶³And He-Will-Laugh went-out to meditate in the field to the turnings of the evening. And he lifted his eyes. And he saw. And behold, camels are coming. ⁶⁴And Multiple-Pouring lifted her eyes. And she saw He-Will-Laugh. And she fell from upon the camel. ⁶⁵And she said unto the slave, “Who is the man that is to this who is walking in the field to meet us?” And the slave said, “He is my lords.” And she took the scarf. And she covered herself.

 

⁶⁶And the slave scrolled all the things that he did to He-Will-Laugh. ⁶⁷And He-Will-Laugh brought her the Tentward of Princess his mother. And he took Multiple-Pouring. And she was to him for a woman. And he loved her. And He-Will-Laugh was consoled after his mother.

 

I. The Vow (verses 1-4)

We now see Avraham as a very old man. He “came into days,” having many days to his lives.

 

Yehovah blessed Avraham in everything, without exception.

 

Avraham now will obtain a wife for Isaac his son. He had to find the right wife for his son, however. Being so old, he needed to delegate [to appoint another as representative with full responsibility] this task to someone who could do it.

 

He had an elder slave who was over his house, responsible for and ruling over everything that occurred. Avraham completely trusted this slave. He assigned him to take a woman (get a wife) for Isaac. There was only one stipulation [condition, detail that must be part of an agreement]: the women must not be from the daughters of the Canaanites, including the women among whom Avraham lived! This was so important to Avraham that he told his slave to vow via Yehovah Gods of the heavens and Gods of the land to not take a Canaanite woman for his son.

 

Avraham told his slave to go unto his land and unto his kindred, and take a woman to his son from there.

 

Questions

 

1. Isn’t sending a slave very risky, since the slave can easily run away?

 

2. Why didn’t Isaac find a wife for himself?

 

3. Did Isaac agree with his papa’s decision to get a wife for him?

 

4. What if the slave didn’t want to go?

 

5. Why was the thigh the location where the slave had to place his hand (verse 2) when making the vow?

 

6. What was wrong with a Canaanite woman?

 

7. Was Avraham racist against Canaanites?

 

8. Didn’t Yehovah love the Canaanites?

 

9. On the basis of the above answer, is it possible for a Canaanite to be saved?

 

10. What land is Avraham’s land (verse 4)?

 

11. Who are part of his kindred?

 

12. Why did the woman have to be from his own kindred?

 

II. The Release from the Vow (verses 5-9)

There was the possibility that a woman would not follow this slave to this land. He wanted to know if he should take Isaac back to the land from which Avraham originally came. Avraham’s reaction was swift and strong: “Guard to thee lest thou wilt return my son there!” Yehovah had taken Avraham from Chaldean (Iraqi) Ur, a great city that was also very idolatrous. Avraham knew that his son could never return there.

 

Yehovah took Avram from the house of his father. He took him from the land of his kindred. Yehovah spoke to him. He vowed to him to give this land to his seed!

 

Then Avraham guaranteed, “He will send His messenger to thy faces.” Avraham was a prophet, and he spoke infallibly (without the possibility of any error) regarding this.

 

Avraham’s slave must take a woman from Syria.

 

If the woman won’t be willing to come after him (to follow him), he will be innocent from breaking the vow.

 

Under no conditions is he to ever bring his son to that land.

 

The slave placed his hand under Avraham’s thigh and vowed concerning Avraham’s speech.

 

Questions

 

1. Why would a woman willingly follow a slave whom neither she nor her family knew?

 

2. What would have happened if Isaac had returned back to that land?

 

3. Would it have been wrong for Isaac to merely visit Syria to find a wife, with the condition that he would return to live in the land promised? (See verse 6.)

 

4. Why was the slave of Avraham able to go to the land of Syria without violating any command of God?

 

5. Why did Avraham call Yehovah ‘Yehovah Gods of the heavens’?

 

6. Was Avram upset when Yehovah took him from the house of his father, from the land of his kindred?

 

7. Verse 7 states, “I will give this land to thy seed.” Identify this seed:

 

8. Why didn’t Yehovah just give the land to Avraham since Avraham was already there?

 

9. What will the seed do with this land?

 

10. Who is the messenger in verse 7?

 

11. Could this slave just take a woman? Wouldn’t she scream that she is being kidnapped?

 

12. Would you like to have the assignment of finding a woman for a man who needs a wife?

 

III. Loading Up the Camels (verse 10)

Avraham’s slave had freedom and responsibility to obtain and use whatever might be useful belonging to Avraham for this assignment. He had been proven faithful. He took ten camels (and the text later tells that he took men along also, and plenty of gold). He went on his errand.

 

Questions

 

1. Why did he take ten camels?

 

2. How did he know where to go?

 

3. Why does the text mention that he walked before it mentions that he arose?

 

4. Did he converse (speak) with the other men (unmentioned yet in the text) who went?

 

5. Who were these other men?

 

IV. The Impossible Sign (verses 11-16)

Women came to the well at this time of day to draw water. He caused the camels to kneel down there.

 

He then prayed to Yehovah the Gods of his master. The first part of his request was that the event would happen on this day. He did not desire to wait days to find a woman for his master’s son.

 

His request was that Yehovah would do grace with his master Avraham.

 

He then described his situation to Yehovah— “Behold, I am positioning upon the eye of the water. And daughters of the men of the city are exiting to draw water.”

 

Next, he set up a scenario (a description of events) that he desired Yehovah to finish: “And the youth will be, that I will say unto her, ‘Incline, na, thy pitcher; and I have drunk!’ And she will say, ‘Drink! And I will water also thy camels!’” He will ask a youth (a young girl, but in the masculine gender!) to incline (to tip it) a pitcher full of water down so that he could drink.

 

Then he described what she will reply: “Drink! And I will water also thy camels!”

 

If she did these things, the slave concluded that Yehovah reproved her for Yehovah’s slave, Isaac! He also concluded that Yehovah did Grace with Isaac.

 

The unnamed servant did not even have enough time to finish his request when a youth came along with her pitcher on her shoulder. She was beautiful, and she had completed puberty. She was ripe—that is, she was fully ready to bear children. No man had known her—she had never had sexual intercourse.

 

She “descended the eye” (she went down to the place where drinking water is at the surface). She filled her large pitcher (had it been small, she would not have needed to carry it on her shoulder) and ascended (came up).

 

Questions

 

1. Why did he bow the camels?

 

2. What are “drawing ones”?

 

3. Why did they draw water at that time (in the evening)?

 

4. They exited from where?

 

5. Why is ‘Gods’ plural (more than one) instead of singular (just one: ‘God’)?

 

6. What does na mean?

 

7. Why did he pray to “Yehovah Gods of my mster Avraham” instead of praying to “Yehovah my Gods”?

 

8. What does “to the faces of today” mean?

 

9. What does Grace mean?

 

10. What does a person or God do when doing Grace?

 

11. What is an “eye of the water,” and why is it called an eye?

 

12. Why did the slave position himself upon the eye of the water? Did he get into the water?

 

13. Why is the word youth masculine instead of feminine, when he is looking for a girl?

 

14. What would be so strange about her being willing to water the camels?

 

15. Why would Yehovah reprove her for Isaac? What does that mean?

 

16. Why was Rebekah named Multiple Pouring?

 

17. Why does the Bible describe her as ripe?

 

18. What does “a man did not know her” mean?

 

V. The First Test (verses 17-21)

The slave ran to meet her. He did not greet her in any normal manner. His wording was different than what he proposed to God: “I will swallow me, na, a little water from thy pitcher.” She responded just as he had requested in his sign: “Drink, my lord!” She hurried, descended, got water, brought it up, and held the pitcher for this stranger while he drank! The text states that she watered him!

 

Then she said what no one would voluntarily say: “I will also draw for thy camels until if they finished to drink!” This is very tough work. It would make her late getting home. Yet, she did it as if she were gathering gold dust from the ground.

 

She drew water for all his camels while those men watched her work.

 

The man, the slave, was “devastating-himself to her”—he was overwhelming himself to know whether she was the right one or not. Yet, he was silent, hushing himself, desiring to know whether or not Yehovah prospered (made successful) his way or not!

 

Questions

 

1. Why didn’t the slave say, “May I have a little water from thy pitcher?” instead of what he said, “I will swallow me, na, a little water from thy pitcher”?

 

2. What was she doing when she watered him?

 

3. How much water did she give him?

 

4. Why did she volunteer to water the camels when there were men who could have done that hot and tiresome work?

 

5. What did she mean by “until if they finished to drink”?

 

6. Why did she hurry?

 

7. What does “she uncovered her jar” tell about her jar?

 

8. What were the camels doing while she poured water for them?

 

9. Why did the slave/man remain silent while she did all this?

 

10. Did Yehovah prosper his way?

 

11. Why didn’t someone build a house by or over this watering hole so that the water would be available to that person without walking to it for great distances?

 

VI. Tokens and Identification (verses 22-26)

The camels finally finished and were satisfied. The slave then took a nose ring of gold and two gold bracelets, and he placed them on the youth.

 

The slave then asked a question that might normally be the first question: “Whose daughter art thou?” Before she could answer, He also added, “Tell, na, to me. Is there a house of thy father, a place for us to lodge?”

 

She immediately answered, identifying her father (Bethuel), her grandmother (Milcah) and her grandfather (Nahor). She then told him that there was enough straw and provender (dry food for livestock or other domestic animals; fodder such as hay or oats), and room to lodge. When the slave heard this, he bowed. And he prostrated to Yehovah.

 

Questions

 

1. What is a nose ring?

 

2. Why do folks wear nose rings?

 

3. What is a shekel?

 

4. What is a gold nose ring split from a shekel?

 

5. Who is his in “split from his shekel”?

 

6. Did the man put the nose ring on her nose?

 

7. How heavy were the gold bracelets?

 

8. How much would they be worth today?

 

9. Why did he give her these very valuable items when he still wasn’t certain that she was the right person for his master’s son?

 

10. Did this slave do right by giving this woman he had just met such valuable items?

 

11. Why did he ask, “Whose daughter art thou?” instead of a question like, “Who are your parents?”

 

12. Why did he ask, “Is there a house of thy father, a place for us to lodge?”  instead of a question like, “Does your father have a place for us to lodge”?

 

13. Why did she give more information about her family than what he asked?

 

14. Was her telling them that they had straw and much provender wise? Was she offering it to them for free without asking her family?

 

15. Was she wise to volunteer to them a place to lodge without asking her family?

 

16. Why did he worship Yehovah? Did he see success at this point?

 

VII. The Confession (verses 27-28)

The slave stated that Yehovah Gods of lord Avraham is blessed. He had not forsaken His Grace and His Truth by removing it from lord Avraham.

 

Avraham’s slave began recounting what he had observed: while he was in the way, Yehovah guided him to the house of his lord Avraham’s relatives!

 

Upon hearing this, the young girl ran. She quoted to her mother’s house what was said.

 

Questions

 

1. Was the slave praying in verse 27, or was he speaking to those around him?

 

2. What does bless mean in the Bible?

 

3. How can Yehovah be blessed?

 

4. What is Truth?

 

5. Does Yehovah ever forsake His Grace and His Truth?

 

6. Does Yehovah ever forsake His Grace and His Truth from being with a person?

 

7. What did he mean by “I am in the way”?

 

8. Why is “I am in the way—Yehovah guided me—the house of the brethren of my lord!” so broken in its wording?

 

9. Why did the youth run?

 

10. How did he know that Yehovah guided him?

 

11. Why didn’t she stay to talk longer with him? Shouldn’t she have worried that he might move on?

 

12. Shouldn’t she have felt funny running like that after he placed such valuable items on her?

 

13. Was she wise to talk to a stranger?

 

14. Normally, the Bible refers to the house of one’s father. Why did this text refer to the house of her mother?

 

VIII. The Brother (verses 29-32)

Rebekah had left the man by the well while she ran home! While she announced what had happened, her brother, named Laban (meaning White) listened carefully. He then ran to meet this man at the well. When he saw the nose ring in his sister’s nose and the bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard what she said, that is when he ran. He was impressed!

 

Avraham’s slave stood by the camels at the well, waiting for what would happen next. Laban said, “Come, blessed of Yehovah.” Laban was a religious man. (That does not mean that he was Godly.)

 

He then offered the slave and his men good hospitality: “Why wilt thou stand outside? And I, I turned the house and a place for camels!”

 

The slave and the camel train went to the house. Laban ungirded his camels. And he gave straw and provender to the camels and water to wash the slave’s feet and the feet of the other men with him. He could serve too! A meal was prepared for the group.

 

Questions

 

1. Why would a child be named White?

 

2. What is the eye?

 

3. Who is he in “And he was when seeing the nose ring and the baracelets…”?

 

4. What impressed Laban so much that he ran to the men at the well?

 

5. Laban said, “Come, blessed of Yehovah!” Did he have the right to declare the man blessed by Yehovah?

 

6. Laban said, “And I, I turned the house and a place for camels!” What was he telling this man?

 

7. What does “opened the camels” mean?

 

8. Why was washing feet so important?

 

IX. Recounting the Events (verses 33-49)

Food was placed in front of the slave so that he could eat. He refused to eat until he told the purpose of his mission. Laban, not Rebekah’s father, was the spokesman for the family. Laban was young (because he ran to the well), and he was forward (meaning that he was direct, bold, presumptuous, as if he were a ranking member).

 

The slave started with his own identity in terms of Avraham: “I am the slave of Avraham.” His name is never given. He was there to represent Avraham, and that alone was the issue.

 

He knew that one’s ability to take care of a bride was of great importance in a potential marriage situation, so he named the Name of the God of his master and how much that God had blessed his master. “And Yehovah blessed my lords very much. And He made big. And He gave to him flock and herd and silver and gold and slaves and female-slaves and camels and asses.”

 

He then told of the miracle birth without being religious: “And Princess (Sarah) the woman of my lords childed a son to my lords after her old-age.”

 

He continued his build-up of the events: “And he gave to him all that is to him.” This son, then, would soon inherit everything that belonged to Avraham.

 

Avraham’s slave next described the vow and his mission. He was prohibited from taking a Canaanite wife for Avraham’s son. He was to go instead to Avraham’s father’s house and to his kindred. The slave told about his question, “Perhaps the woman will not walk after me—” and about Avraham’s reaction: “Yehovah, Whom I have walked myself to His faces, will send His Messenger with thee. And He will prosper thy way.” The slave laid out the conversation very accurately. He even told that he would be innocent from his oath if the family would not send the woman.

 

He next described how he came to the well, how he prayed, and what he described to Yehovah in his prayer. Rebekah perfectly responded to this quick prayer in every detail.

 

He told about his inquiry regarding Rebekah, and about his placing the nose ring upon her nose and the bracelets on her hands. And he concluded by saying, “And I bowed. And I worshipped to Yehovah Gods of my lords Avraham who guided me in the way of Truth to take the daughter of the brother of my lords to his son.”

 

Now came the most important issue to the slave of Avraham: “And now, if there is your doing Grace and Truth with my lords, tell to me.” He still didn’t know whether they would send her or whether she would go. So he said, “And if not, tell to me. And I will turn upon the right or upon the left.”

 

Questions

 

1. What does “he was put to his faces to eat” mean?

 

2. Why was the slave unwilling to eat until he had spoken his words?

 

3. Why isn’t the slave’s name mentioned?

 

4. Isn’t “Yehovah blessed my lords very much” a religious statement?

 

5. Why did the slave give so many details?

 

6. Who is this Messenger in verse 40?

 

7. In verse 49, the slave says, “And now, if there is your doing Grace and Truth with my lords, tell to me.” What does doing Grace and Truth have to do with what they will be doing?

 

8. What does “And I will turn upon the right or upon the left” mean?

 

X. The Quick and Religious Response (verses 50-52)

Both Laban and Bethuel answered. From what they heard, their response was “The speech exited from Yehovah. We will not be able to speak unto thee bad or good.” Then they said, “Behold, Multiple-Pouring is to thy faces. Take and walk. And she will be a woman to the son of thy lords just as Yehovah spoke.” This was very good news to the slave. All sounded finalized. The slave again prostrated to the ground and worshipped Yehovah.

 

Questions

 

1. What does “The speech exited from Yehovah” mean?

 

2. Explain what they meant by “We will not be able to speak unto thee bad or good”: 

 

3. They expressed, “Behold, Multiple-Pouring is to thy faces. Take and walk. And she will be a woman to the son of thy lords just as Yehovah spoke.” Is this the way they truly felt?

 

XI. The Joy and the Delay (verses 53-61)

The slave now gave more valuables Rebekah, her brothers and her mother. The slave and his men then partied with them. They spent the night.

 

The next morning, the slave told them to send him to his lords. Rebekah’s brother and mother said, “The youth will dwell with us days or ten; she will walk afterward.” This was not what the slave desired to hear. He said, “Do not delay me. And Yehovah prospered my way. Send me. And I have walked to my lords.”

 

They had a strategy: “We will call to the youth [masc.], and we have asked her with her mouth.” They did so, asking her, “Wilt thou walk with this man?” She responded, “I will walk.” There was no reason to delay.

 

They sent Rebekah their sister, her wet-nurse, the slave and his men.

 

They then blessed Rebekah. “Thou art our sister. Thou art our sister. Be to thousands of myriads. And thy seed has possessed the gate of his haters!”

 

Rebekah and her youths arose. They rode on the camels, following the man. The mission of the slave was nearly accomplished.

 

Questions

 

1. What three valuables are first mentioned, and why were they valuable?

 

2. What were the ‘noteworthies’ that the slave gave to Rebekah’s brothers and her mother?

 

3. Did the slave give anything to her father?

 

4. Did folks do a lot of partying with alcohol and food back then?

 

5. Doesn’t the Bible condemn drinking alcohol?

 

6. Why did they spend another night?

 

7. Why did the slave say, “Send me to my lords”?

 

8. How long is days or ten?

 

9. Why didn’t Rebekah’s papa speak up instead of her brother and her mother?

 

10. Why did they desire her to say for that length of time?

 

11. What was/were the reason/reasons the slave gave to not delay him?

 

12. When they called to the youth to give her answer, what were the brother and mother expecting?

 

13. What is a wet nurse?

 

14. Why would they send the wet nurse with her?

 

15. They said to Rebekah, “Be to thousands of myriads.” What must happen for that to occur?

 

16. What does “And thy seed has possessed the gate of his haters” mean and imply?

 

17. How many youths went with Rebekah?

 

18. Were the youths slaves?

 

19. Did the youths get to ride the camels?

 

XII. Isaac’s Dream Approaches (verses 62-65)

The scene switches to Isaac. He was coming from the way of the well that Hagar had named. He was in the very hot part of the land of Israel known as the Negev (south).

 

Isaac went to do some heavy thinking (meditating) at the time when the day turned to the evening. When he looked up, he could see the camels coming.

 

Rebekah also looked up, and she saw a man in the field. She came off the camel so quickly that the text describes that she fell off (landing on her feet, of course).

 

She said to the slave, “Who is the man that is to this who is walking in the field to meet us?” It was not dark yet. It was just approaching darkness. The slave responded, “He is my lords.” Rebekah understood this to be Isaac for whom she was brought.

 

Any man could look at her, but it was not proper in her culture for her future husband to see her. She had a scarf for this purpose, and she covered herself.

 

Questions

 

1. Why did he live in the south, a very hot place in Israel?

 

2. What good does meditating do?

 

3. What is transcendental meditation, and how does it differ from what Isaac did?

 

4. What are the turnings of the evening?

 

5. How did Isaac know that the camels were coming to him?

 

6. Why did she cover herself?

 

XIII. The Happy Beginning (verses 66-67)

While Rebekah and Isaac waited, the slave gave the whole story once again. Then Isaac took this veiled woman into his mother Sarah’s tent. There was no other event or ceremony, no exchange of vows.

 

She became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was consoled now after the death of his mother.

 

1. What does scrolled mean?

 

2. How old was Isaac when he married Rebekah?

 

3. How does Isaac’s taking Rebekah into his mother’s tent differ from a man taking a woman and living with her (without marriage) today, even when it is with the consent of the other members of the family?

 

4. Since Isaac was consoled by Rebekah after his mother’s death, was Isaac a ‘mama’s boy’?

 

5. The text states that he loved her. Did she love him?