The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 366

hip (vid.e Thomson, 'Laud and Book,' p. Lange, Calvin)-held his peaoe, to wit-i. e. 592). that he might know-silence being tho cus- VeT. 16.-And the damsel was very fair tomary attitude fo1 tho soul in either ox• to look upon. Liternlly, r,ood of counten- pecting or receiving 11, Di vino communication ance, like Sarah (eh. xii. ll) and Rachel (eh. (cf. Levit. x. 3; I's. xxxix. 2; Acts xi. 18) xxix. 17; cf. eh. xxvi. 7 of Rebekah). A -whether the Lord had made his journey virgin. Bethulah, i e. one separated and prosperous or not. This inward rumination secluded from inteTcom-se with men ; from obviously took place while the whole scene bathal, to seclude (ef. Deut. xxii. 23, 28; was being cnaetea before his eyes-the beauti- 2 Sam. xiii. 2, 18). :Neither had any man ful you_ng girl filling the. water-troughs, and known her. A repetition for the sake of the thirsty camels suckmg up the coolin" emphasis, rather than because bcthulah some- drink. _The lovel!ness. of mind e.nd body: times applies to a. married woma.n (Joel i. 8). both which ho desired 111 Isaac's bride, was And she went down to the well,-" nearly manifestly present in Rebekah ; but still the all wells in the East aTe in wadys, and have questions remained to be determined, Was steps down to the water" (Thomson, 'Land she one of Abraham's kindred 1 was she and Book,' p. 592)-and filled her pitcher, single i and would she follow him to Ca- and came up-probably wholly unconscious naan ?-points of moment to the solution of of the old man's admiration, though by no which ho now proceeds. means unprepared for his request, which Vers. 22-27 .-And it came to pass, as immediately followed. the camels had done drinking,-" If it is Vers. 17-19.-And the servant ran to remembered that camels, though endowed in meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, an almost marvellous degi·ee with the power drink a little water of thy pitcher (a re- of enduring thirst, drink, when an oppor- quest which was at once complied with). tunity offers, e.n enormous quantity of water, And she said, Drink (and with the utmost it will be acknowledged that the trouble to politeness), my lord (and with cheerful ani- which the maiden cheerfully submitted re- mation): and she hasted, and let down her quired more than ordinary patience" (Kalisch) pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. -that the man took a golden earring of "Rebekah's address to the servant will be half a shekel weight,-the CB was neither given you in the exact idiom by the first a J?endant for the ear (LXX., Vulgate) nor gentle Rebekah you ask water from ; but I a Jewel for the forehead (A.V., margin), but have never found any young lady so gener- a. ring for the nose (ver. 47), the side car- ous as this fair daughter of Bethnel" ('Thom- tilage, and sometimes the central we.II, of son, 'Land and Book,' p. 592). And when which was pierced for the purpose of admit- she had done giving him drink, she said, I ting it (cf. Ezek. xvi. 11, 12). Such rings will draw water for thy camels also, until a.re still worn by Oriental women, and iu they have done drinking-thus proving that particular "the nose-ring is now the usual the kindly disposition within her bosom was engagement present among the Bcdouins" "not simply the reflex of national customs, (Delitzsch), The Weight of that presented but the invisible sun beaming through her to Rebekah was one lli2::;!, or half (Be. shekel), mind, and freely bringinq forward the blos- soms of sterling goodness ' (Kalisch). from lli2;, to divide-and two bracelets for Ver. 20.-And she hasted, and emptied her hands of ten skekels weight of gold;- her pitcher into the trough (or gutter made the i•r,,¼', from i~'i, to bind or fasten, meant of stone, with which wells were usually pro- a circle of gold for the wrist or arm. So vided, and which were filled with water favourite a.n ornament is this of Oriental when animals required to drink), and ran ladies, that sometimes the whole arm from again unto the well to draw water, and wrist to elbow is covered with them ; some- drew for all hi■ camels. "At one point times two or more are worn one above the we came upon a large village of nomade other ; and not unfrequently are they so Bedouins dwelling in their black tents. For numerous and heavy as almo&t to appear the first time we encountered a shepherd burdensome to the fair owners (Kalisch)- playing on his reeden pipe, and followed by and said, Whose daughter art thou 1 tell nu flock. He was leading them to a. foun- me, I pray thee : is there room in thy taiu, from which a maiden was meanwhile father's house for us to lodge in 1 The pro- drawing water with a rope, and pouring it duction of the bridal presents, and the tenor into a large stone trou?b. She was not so of the old m11n's inquiries, indicate that beautiful as Rebekah" ( In the Holy Land,' a.lrcady he entertained the belief that he by Rev. A. Thomson, D.D. p. 198). • looked upon the object of hie search. All Ver. 21.-And the man wondering at her dubiety was dispelled by Rebekah's answer. -gazing with attention on her (LXX., Vul- And she said unto him, I em the daughter gale, Gesenius, Furst); amazed and aston- of Bethuel the son of lllilcah, - to show iEhed at her (Rosenmiiller, Delitzsch, Keil, that she was not descendecl from N,1hor'ij .'.llT. XXIV. 10-28.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 303