Once upon a time there was a dear man named Abraham. Abraham wanted his son Isaac to marry a nice woman. So he sent his faithful servant on a journey to find a wife for Isaac. The servant set out with many camels, full of gifts and good things.
The servant traveled far and long until he came to a city. There was a well in front of the city, and there he stopped. The servant was tired, and so were the camels. He prayed to God: “Please, God, help me find the right wife for Isaac. If I ask a girl to give me water and she says, ‘I’ll give you water and also your camels,’ then she’s the one!”
He had hardly prayed when a girl came to the well with a water jug. Her name was Rebekah. The servant went to her and said, “Please, may I drink some water from your pitcher?” Rebekah smiled kindly and said, “Yes, drink! I also draw water for your camels.” That was a lot of work, because camels drink a lot of water!
The servant was very glad. He knew that God had answered his prayer. He gave Rebekah beautiful gifts and asked, “Whose daughter are you?” Rebekah told him about her family, and the servant realized that she was the right wife for Isaac.
Full of gratitude, the servant fell to his knees and praised God: “Thank you, God, for leading me to Rebecca! You’re so good!” Rebekah rejoiced, and soon she was to meet Isaac and become his wife.
Message of history
God hears our prayers and helps us to find the right path. If we trust, he will show us his plan.
Bible passage
The story of Rebekah and the camels is found in 1. Moses 24:10-27. Here is the text in the Schlachter 2000 translation:
*_”Then the servant took ten camels from his master’s camels, and went there, and had with him all kinds of his master’s goods; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahors. 11 So he made the camels lie down outside the city by a fountain of water, in the evening, at the time when the creators come out. 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my lord Abraham, let me succeed today and show mercy to my lord Abraham.” 13 Behold, I am standing here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the people of this city will come out to draw water. 14 So if a girl comes to whom I say, ‘Draw your pitcher so that I may drink.’ — and it says, “Drink, and I will also give water to your camels.” May it be the one whom you have bestowed upon your servant Isaac, and by this I will know that you have shown mercy to my Lord. 15 And it came to pass, before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah the daughter of Bethuli the son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, came out; she carried a jug on her shoulder. 16 And the maiden was very beautiful in face, a virgin, and no man had recognized her. She descended to the spring, filled her pitcher, and climbed up again. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” 18 And she said, “Drink, my lord! And she hurried down the pitcher on her hand and gave him something to drink. 19 And when she had given him something to drink, she said, “I will also draw your camels until they have drunk enough.” 20 And she hurried out her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels. 21 But the man looked at them in silence to see whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
22 And it came to pass, when the camels had all drunk, that the man took a golden headband weighing half a shekel, and two clasps for her hands, weighing ten shekels of gold, 23 and he said, “Whose daughter are you?” Tell me! Is there also room for us to spend the night in your father’s house? 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor. 25 And she said to him, “There is also a lot of straw and fodder with us, and room enough to spend the night.” 26 Then the man bowed down and bowed down to the Lord, 27 and he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not withdrawn his mercy and faithfulness to my Lord.” The Lord has geführt._ me the way to the house of my Lord’s brothers*
