And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, [even] the time that women go out to draw [water].
11. he made the camels to kneel down ] Throughout this chapter the camels are made to play a very prominent part. The camels being made to kneel, in order to wait and rest until they are given water, is a common scene in the East.
the time that to draw water ] We have here a familiar scene from Oriental life. The well is outside the gate of the town. It is the women’s duty to draw water: cf. 1Sa 9:11; Joh 4:7. They come when the heat of the day is past.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 11. He made his camels to kneel down] To rest themselves, or lie down, as the Septuagint has very properly expressed it, .
The time that women go out to draw water.] In Bengal it is the universal practice for the women to go to pools and rivers to fetch water. Companies of four, six, ten, or more, may be seen in every town daily going to fetch water, with the pitchers resting upon their sides; and, on their return from bathing, women frequently bring water home. – WARD.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And he made his camels to kneel down,…. Which these creatures are used to do when they are loaded and unloaded, and also when they take rest, and it was for the sake of the latter they were now made to kneel. It seems that this is what is not natural to them, but what they are learned to do: it is said r,
“as soon as a camel is born they tie his four feet under his belly, put a carpet over his back, and stones upon the borders of it, that he may not be able to rise for twenty days together; thus they teach him the habit of bending his knees to rest himself, or when he is to be loaded or unloaded.”
This was done
without the city; the city of Nahor, Haran, near to which the servant was now come: and it was
by a well of water: which place was chosen for the refreshment of his camels, as well as of himself and his men. Rauwolff s says, that near Haran, now called Orpha,
“there is a plentiful well still to this day (1575), called Abraham’s well, the water of which hath a more whitish troubledness than others. I have (says he) drank of it several times, out of the conduit that runs from thence into the middle the great camp, and it hath a peculiar pleasantness, and a pleasant sweetness in its taste.”
The time of Abraham’s servant coming hither was
at the time of the evening, [even] the time that women go out to draw [water]; which was the custom for women to do, for the necessary uses of their families; as it was especially in the eastern countries: and the Arabian women to this time, after they have been hard at work all day, weaving, or grinding, or making bread, at evening they set out with a pitcher or a goat’s skin, and, tying their sucking children behind them, trudge it in this manner two or three miles to fetch water t.
r Calmet’s Dictionary in the word “Camel”. s Travels, par. 2. ch. 10. p. 177. Ed. Ray. t Shaw’s Travels, p. 241. Ed. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(11) He made his camels to kneel down.Camels rest kneeling, but the servant did not unlade them till he knew that God had heard his prayer. (See Gen. 24:32.)
By a well of water.The well was the property of the whole city, and might be used only at a fixed hour; and the servant therefore waits till the women came to draw. This duty of fetching water is not peculiar to Oriental women, but to this day in most parts of Europe, wherever the supply comes from a public source, women may be seen thus occupied. Rebekah carried her pitcher upon her shoulder; in the south of France the Basque women, like the ancient Egyptians, carry it on their heads, and the habit of thus balancing it gives them a peculiarly erect and graceful carriage.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. He made his camels to kneel “A mode of expression taken from actual life . The action is literally kneeling, and this the camel is taught to do from its youth . The place is said to have been by a well of water, and this well was outside the city . In the East, where wells are scarce, and water indispensable, the existence of a well or fountain determines the site of a village . The people build near it, but prefer to have it outside of the city, to avoid the noise, dust, and confusion always occurring at it, and especially if the place is on the public highway. It is around the fountain that the thirsty traveller and the weary caravan assemble; and if you have become separated from your own company before arriving at a town, you need only inquire for the fountain, and there you will find them. It was perfectly natural, therefore, for Eliezer to halt at the well.
The time was evening, when women go out to draw water True to life again. At that hour the peasant returns home from his labour, and the women are busy preparing the evening meal, which is to be ready at sunset. Cool fresh water is then demanded, and, of course, there is a great concourse around the well. About great cities men often carry water, both on donkeys and on their own backs; but in the country, among the unsophisticated natives, women only go to the well or the fountain; and often, when travelling, have I seen long files of them going and returning with their pitchers ‘at the time when women go out to draw water.’” THOMSON, Land and Book, vol. ii, p. 404.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at eventide, the time when the women go out to draw water. And he said, “Oh Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, send me I pray you good speed this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. And let it come to pass that the young woman to whom I will say, “Let down your pitcher, I beg you, that I may drink”, and she shall say, “Drink, and I will give your camels drink as well”, let the same be she whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. And by that will I know that you have shown kindness to my master.’
These all important words form the basis of the covenant that the steward makes with Yahweh and around which the account is based. Yahweh is Abraham’s covenant God and the steward charges him reverently to act now to ensure the covenant succession. The terms by which he will understand Yahweh’s response are clearly outlined.
This example is not one generally to follow. This was not just seeking guidance about some mundane matter but seeking to establish something at the very heart of God’s covenant. It is not something to be applied to our everyday lives.
“Show kindness (covenant faithfulness) to my master Abraham.” Again a reverent but solemn charge that God will act towards Abraham in accordance with His covenant promises. The word for ‘kindness’ is chesed, ‘covenant faithfulness and love’.
The test is then outlined. He will stand by the well with his camels and ask for a drink from the women who come to the well. The one who offers to give drink to his camels as well will be the one chosen by Yahweh. That will be proof of God’s covenant love and faithfulness shown to Abraham.
It has been well pointed out that the test would reveal a woman who was courteous and compassionate, kind both to her fellowmen and to animals. But the matter does not stop there. The steward has been sent to Abraham’s kinsfolk (Gen 24:4). He thus expects God to ensure that the woman fits the requirements (see Gen 24:21-27). We can be sure that God has pressed on his heart this method of approach for otherwise it would not be justified. This is a genuine revelation from God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
Kneeling is a method of giving rest to camels.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, [even] the time that women go out to draw [water].
Ver. 11. And he made his camels to kneel down. ] Or, rest themselves, as the Greek interprets it. A good man is merciful to his beast; Pro 12:10 but the poor “creature groaneth and travaileth in pain” Rom 8:22 under our abuses.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
kneel: Gen 33:13, Gen 33:14, Pro 12:10
women go out to draw water: Heb. women which draw water go forth, Gen 24:13-20, Exo 2:16, 1Sa 9:11, Joh 4:7
Reciprocal: Gen 29:2 – a well Exo 2:15 – sat down
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 24:11. He made his camels to kneel down Probably to unload them; kneeling, however, is the posture in which they take their rest. Dr. Shaw, giving an account of his journeys between Cairo and mount Sinai, says, Our camels were made to kneel down in a circle round about us; and in this situation, as they are very watchful, and awake with the least noise, they served us instead of a guard.