Women in white raiment

by John Lemley

The picture of the preparations made for this embassy denotes a princely station and great wealth. “And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.”

Now comes a quaint and beautiful picture of the manners of those pastoral days. He made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water, at the time of the evening when the women go out to draw water. With the kneeling camels around the well, the aged Eliezer uncovers his head in the evening twilight, and with closed eyes and face raised towards heaven, he talks to God in this simple and yet eloquent way, “O, Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold! I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink and I will give thy camels drink also: let that same be she that Thou hast appointed for Thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.” It is to be observed that this aged servant talked to God with all the simplicity and directness of a child with its mother. He told the Lord where he stood, and it was in the most likely place about an Oriental city at evening time, for all the damsels come out to the well at that hour of the day to draw water. He did not doubt that there was a bride for Isaac in the town; and he wanted to find the right one immediately. The care of Abraham’s affairs pressed him, and he wanted to get through the matter with as little waste of time and sentiment as possible. That he might not make any mistake in his delicate mission, he tells the Lord of a little test he thought of using. He needed a sign from God to select the bride from among the women who should come to the well. He used his own judgment as far as it went; but it stopped short of a decision. He specified that the chosen one should be industrious, hospitable, deft, courteous. She should be qualified to stand at the head of a princely establishment.

His prayer was speedily granted, for thus the story goes on, “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.”

It is noticeable, how strong is the sensibility to womanly beauty in this narrative. This young Rebekah is thus announced: “And the damsel was very fair to look upon, and a virgin, and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.” Drawn by the bright eyes, and fair face, the old servant hastens to apply the test, doubtless hoping that this lovely creature is the appointed one for his young master.

“And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my Lord; and she hastened, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.”

She gave with a will, with a grace and readiness that outflowed the request, and then it is added: “And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. And she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.” Let us fancy ten camels, all on their knees, in a row, at the trough, with their long necks, and patient, care-worn faces, while the pretty young damsel, with cheerful alacrity, is dashing down the water from her pitcher, filling and emptying in quick succession, apparently making nothing of the toil; the gray-haired old servant, looking on in devout recognition of the answer to his prayer, for the story says: “And the man, wondering at her, held his peace, to wit (know) whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.”

There was wise penetration into life and the essentials of wedded happiness in this prayer of the old servant. What he asked for his young master was not beauty, or talent, but a ready and unfailing outflow of sympathy and kindness. He asked not merely for a gentle nature, a kind heart, but he asked for a heart so rich in kindness that it should run even beyond what was asked, and be ready to anticipate the request with new devices of helpfulness; the lively, lighthearted kindness that could not be content with waiting on the thirsty old man, but with cheerful alacrity took upon herself the care of all the ten camels. This was a gift beyond that of beauty, yet when it came in the person of a maiden exceedingly fair to look upon, no marvel that the old man wondered joyously at his success.

Instantly, as the camels had done drinking, he produced from his treasury golden earrings and bracelets with which he adorned the maiden. We can easily imagine the maidenly delight with which she ran to exhibit the gifts of jewelry that thus unexpectedly descended upon her.

Nor does Eliezer fail to offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for divine guidance. In this he set a worthy example to all who seek direction from God. He said, “I, being in the way, the Lord led me.” A free translation would be, “I used my own judgment as far as it would go, which was a long distance from a safe conclusion, and the Lord led me the rest of the way.”

Bethuel, when he saw the gifts and heard the words of Rebekah, hastened to the well and said to Eliezer, “Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. And the man came into the house: and he ungirded the camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him. And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, till I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.”