Topical Bible: Prayer by Abraham's Servant

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Topical Encyclopedia

The prayer by Abraham's servant is a significant event recorded in the Book of Genesis, specifically in Genesis 24. This prayer is notable for its demonstration of faith, reliance on God, and the seeking of divine guidance in fulfilling a critical task. The servant, traditionally understood to be Eliezer of Damascus, is entrusted with the responsibility of finding a suitable wife for Isaac, Abraham's son, from among Abraham's relatives in Mesopotamia.

Context and Background

Abraham, advanced in age and blessed by the LORD in all things, is concerned about securing a godly wife for Isaac to ensure the continuation of God's covenant promises. He instructs his servant to swear an oath not to take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites but to go to his country and kindred to find a bride (Genesis 24:2-4). The servant, aware of the gravity of his mission, embarks on the journey with ten camels and a variety of gifts.

The Prayer

Upon reaching the city of Nahor, the servant stops by a well outside the city at evening time, the customary hour when women go out to draw water. It is here that he offers a prayer to God, seeking success in his mission. The prayer is recorded in Genesis 24:12-14 :

"Then he prayed, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a young woman, "Please let down your jar that I may drink," and she replies, "Drink, and I will water your camels as well"—let her be the one You have chosen for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.'"

Elements of the Prayer

1. Invocation of God's Covenant Relationship: The servant begins by addressing God as the "God of my master Abraham," acknowledging the covenant relationship and the promises made to Abraham. This invocation underscores the servant's understanding of his role within the broader context of God's plan.

2. Request for Success and Kindness: The servant explicitly asks for success in his endeavor and for God to show kindness to Abraham. This reflects a deep reliance on divine providence and the belief that God is actively involved in the affairs of His people.

3. Specific Sign: The servant requests a specific sign to identify the chosen woman. This sign involves the woman offering water not only to him but also to his camels, demonstrating her kindness and hospitality. The specificity of the sign indicates the servant's desire for clear guidance from God.

Immediate Answer to Prayer

Remarkably, before the servant finishes his prayer, Rebekah, the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham's brother, comes to the well. She fulfills the sign exactly as the servant had prayed, offering water to him and his camels (Genesis 24:15-20). This immediate answer to prayer is a testament to God's faithfulness and His willingness to guide those who seek Him earnestly.

Significance

The prayer by Abraham's servant is a profound example of faith in action. It highlights the importance of seeking God's guidance in decision-making and trusting in His provision. The servant's prayer is characterized by humility, specificity, and a desire to align with God's will. This narrative also underscores the theme of divine providence and the unfolding of God's covenant promises through the lineage of Abraham.

The account of this prayer serves as an encouragement to believers to approach God with confidence, knowing that He hears and answers the prayers of those who seek Him with a sincere heart.

Nave's Topical Index

Genesis 24:14
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down your pitcher, I pray you, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give your camels drink also: let the same be she that you have appointed for your servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that you have showed kindness to my master.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Abraham, the Man of Prayer
... Almighty God knew His servant Job as a man of prayer, and He could afford to send
these friends ... It was Abraham's rule to stand before the Lord in prayer. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bounds/prayer and praying men/iii abraham the man of.htm

Intercession Every Christian's Duty
... his prayer as answered. And did Christians now pray for their friends in the same
particular manner, and with the same faith as Abraham's servant did for his ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/intercession every christians duty.htm

Chapter xxiv
... had lent wings to the girl's return was the startling news, conveyed incidentally
by the servant's prayer, that here was a delegate from Abraham, their own ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxiv.htm

Letters of St. Bernard
... See, Brother Bernard, called to be abbot of Clairvaux, if the prayer of a ... out to
meditate, when Rebekah was first brought to him by Abraham's servant, to be ...
/.../st bernard of clairvauxs life of st malachy of armagh/letters of st bernard.htm

No Compromise
... delight is in him: he communes with him; he hears his prayer, he accepts ... Abraham's
servant said, "Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 34 1888/no compromise.htm

Isaac the Shepherd Prince.
... a desert to cross and many dangers to meet, but the old servant believed in ... Before
his prayer was ended, Rebekah, of the family of Abraham's brother Nahor ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter iv isaac the shepherd.htm

Hooker -- the Activity of Faith; Or, Abraham's Imitators
... If he prays, faith must indite his prayer; if he ... When Abraham was called, "Behold
(saith he) here I am ... so Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth," and so ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/hooker the activity of.htm

What do we Count them Worth?
... feeling that we must learn more of the power of prayer ourselves if ... village she knelt
down under a banyan tree, and, remembering Abraham's servant, prayed for ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter xxix what do we.htm

Jacob, a Prince of God.
... where Rebekah had lived, and where Abraham's servant went to ... that He had first given
to Abraham, and told him ... Jacob's prayer had been answered, and Esau ran to ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter v jacob a prince.htm

Order and Argument in Prayer
... Sodom was to be pleaded for, and Abraham begins, "Peradventure ... he has declared that
God hears prayer, and firm ... Hast thou brought thy servant to this place to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 12 1866/order and argument in prayer.htm