Genesis 24:44 (KJV)

What does Genesis 24:44 mean?

Genesis 24:44 describes the sign Abraham’s servant has asked the LORD to give him while he seeks a wife for Isaac, his master’s son. The servant will understand a woman’s offer to draw water for his camels, as well as give him a drink, as the answer to his request.

The servant is speaking to Rebekah’s family, telling them what he prayed at the well. His words complete the request begun in verse 43: he had asked that the woman approached for water would offer more than he requested.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 24:44

• “draw” — שָׁאַב (sha’av): This means to draw water. At a well, providing water involved bringing it up before the animals could drink.
• “appointed out” — יָכַח (yakach): This word can carry the sense of deciding or determining. In the servant’s request, the woman’s response would identify her as the one the LORD had chosen for Isaac.

Why Genesis 24:44 matters

• The requested sign includes an offer of extra work, not simply an answer to a request for a drink. The servant asks for a woman who says, “I will also draw for thy camels.”
• The servant’s account presents Rebekah’s actions as an answer to a specific prayer. In verses 45–46, he tells how she came to the spring and offered water to him and his camels.
• The servant is explaining his journey to Rebekah’s household. His reference to “my master’s son” identifies the man for whom he has come seeking a wife, as described in verses 37–38.