The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 365

ield or plain, a.a in eh, xxv. 20. The lattor upon a sign by which God should enable \g not an Elohistic expression as distin- him to detect the bride designed for Isaac. guished from the former, whic~ some ascribe Behold, I stand here by the well of water ;- to the Jehovist (Knobel, et alii), but 11 more literally, Behold me standing (cf. .er. 43) exact description of a portion of Mesopotamia, -and the daughters of the men of the Yiz., of that where Laban dwelt. Unto the city come out to draw water (vule on ver. city of Nahor-i. e. Haran, or Charran (eh. 11, and cf. eh. xxix. 9; Exod. ii. 16) : a.nd uviii. 10; vide eh. xi. 31). Nabor must let it come to pass that the damsel-ll!ET, have migrated thither either along with or with the vowels of the Keri ; the word used shortly nfter Terah. for .Abraham's young men (cf. eh. xiv. 24; Ver. 11.-And he made his camels to xviiL 7; q. v.). In the Pentateuch it occurs kneel down-" a mode of expression taken twenty-two times, "'ithout the feminine term- from actual life. The action is literally ination, meaning a girl (vide eh. xxiv. lG, kneeling ; not stooping, sitting, or lying 28, 55; xxxiv. 3, 12; Dent. xx. 15, &c.); uown on the side like a horse, but kneeling a proof of the antiquity of the Pentateuch, on his knees ; and this the camel is taught and of this so-called J ehovistic section in to do from his youth" (Thomson, 'Land particular, since in the latter books the dis- iind Book,' p. 592)-without the city by a tinction of sex is indicated by the affix ;-, well of water. "In the East, where wells being appended when a girl is intended nre scarce and water indispensable, the exist- ('Speaker's Commentary'); but this happens ence of a well or fountain determines the site at least once in the Pentateuch (Dent. xx..ii. of the village. The people build near it, but 19)-to whom I shall say, Let down thy prefer to have it outside the city, to avoid pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; ,;he noise, dust, and confusion always occur- and she shall say, Drink, and I will ring at it, especially if the place is on the give thy camels drink also :-the sign fixed highway" (lbul. ). At the time of the even- upon was the kindly disposition of the ing, even the time that women go out to maiuen, which was to be e,inccu in a par- draw water. Literally, that women that ticular wuy, viz., by her not only acceding draw go forth. "It is the work of females with promptitude to, but generously exceed- in the East to draw water both morning and ing, his request. It is probable that tho evening ; and they may be seen going in servant was led to chooso this sign not by groups to the wells, with their vessels on the his own natural tiict and prudence, but by hip or on the shoulder" (Roberts' 'Oriental that Divine inspiration and guidance of Illustrations,' p. 27). "About great cities which he had been assured (ver. 7) before men often carry water, both on donkeys and setting out on his importnnt mission-let on their own backs; but in the country, the same be she that thou hast appointed nmong the unsophisticated natives, wome:n for thy servant Ise.ao. "The three qualifi- only go to the well or the fountain; and cations in the mind of this venerable do- often, wlien travelling, have I seen long files mestic for n bride for bis master's son are o. of them going nnd roturning with their pica.sing exterior, a. kindly disposition, and pitchers "at the time when women go out the approval of God" (Murphy). And to draw water" (Thomson, 'Land and Book,' thereby-Iv TOVT'f' (LXX.), per hoe (Vul- p. li92). gate) ; but rather, by her, i. e. the damsel- Vers.12-14.-And he said,-commcncing shall I know the.t thou hast showed kind- his se!lrch for the m11iden by prayer, !ls neaa unto my master. •• he closes it with thanksgiving (ver. 26)-a Ver. 16.-And it co.me to pass (not cer- beautiful exnmple of piety and of the fruits tainly by accident, but by Divine arrange- of Abmhllm's cure for the souls of his house- ment), before he had done speaking, that, hold, eh. xviiL 19 (Wordsworth)-O Lord -his prayer WllS nnswered (cf. Iso.. !xv. 24; God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, Do.n. ix. 20, 21). From vcr. 46 it appears send me good speed this day. Litemlly, that the servant's prayer WllS not articulately cause to meet (or come before) me, i. e. what spoken, but offered "in bis heart ; " whence I wish, the maiden of whom I am in quest ; the LXX. add,., Tp o,aa,oiq. auTou-behold, hence , iuiow11ov 1vavTiov ,µov, make the Rebekah oame out, who was born to Bethuel, way prosperous before me (LXX.); less accu- son or Mi.J.cah, the wife of Nabor, Abraham's rately, occurre obsecro mihi (Vulgate). And brother (vide eh. x.xiL 23), with her pitcher show kindneBB unto my m11ster Abraham. -the cad (cf. ~aooc, cadus) was n pail for 'l'he personal humility and fidelity displayed drawing water, which women were accus- by this aged servant are only le~s remarkable tomed to carry on their shoulders ; it wa~ than the fervent piety and childlike faith this sort of vessel Gideon's men employed which discover themselves in th~ method he (Judges vii. 20) -upon her shoulder - iu adopts for finding the bride. Having cast exact correspondence with Oriental custom- the matter upon God by prayer, RB a concern the Egyptian and the negro can-ying on the which specially b~longed to him, ho fixes head, the 8yrian on the shoulder or lhd  THE BOOK OF GENESIS. (en. liXIV, 10--28 .•