Genesis 24:17
Genesis 24:17 in Multiple Translations
So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher.
And the servant came running to her and said, Give me a little water from your vessel.
The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
Then the seruant ranne to meete her, and said, Let me drinke, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher.
And the servant runneth to meet her, and saith, 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher;'
The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water from thy pitcher.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
Then Abraham’s worker ran to meet Rebekah. He said to her, “Please let me drink a little bit of water from your jar.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 24:17
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Genesis 24:17 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יָּ֥רָץ
הָ/עֶ֖בֶד
לִ/קְרָאתָ֑/הּ
וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר
הַגְמִיאִ֥י/נִי
נָ֛א
מְעַט
מַ֖יִם
מִ/כַּדֵּֽ/ךְ
וַ/יָּ֥רָץ
rûwts
H7323
to run
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
הָ/עֶ֖בֶד
ʻebed
H5650
servant/slave
Art | N-ms
לִ/קְרָאתָ֑/הּ
qirʼâh
H7125
befall
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
הַגְמִיאִ֥י/נִי
gâmâʼ
H1572
to swallow
V-Hiphil-Impv-2fs | Suff
נָ֛א
nâʼ
H4994
please
Part
מְעַט
mᵉʻaṭ
H4592
little
N-ms
מַ֖יִם
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
N-mp
מִ/כַּדֵּֽ/ךְ
kad
H3537
jar
Prep | N-fs | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 24:17
וַ/יָּ֥רָץ
rûwts
H7323
"to run"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
To run or rush, often used to describe someone moving quickly, as seen in the story of the runners in Jeremiah 51:31. This verb appears in various forms, including running swiftly or darting. It is used to convey a sense of urgency or haste.
Definition: : run/runner/messenger 1) to run 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to run 1a2) runners (participle as subst) 1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry 1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away
Usage: Occurs in 92 OT verses. KJV: break down, divide speedily, footman, guard, bring hastily, (make) run (away, through), post. See also: Genesis 18:2; 2 Kings 11:6; Psalms 18:30.
הָ/עֶ֖בֶד
ʻebed
H5650
"servant/slave"
Art | N-ms
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Definition: 1) slave, servant 1a) slave, servant, man-servant 1b) subjects 1c) servants, worshippers (of God) 1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc) 1e) servant (of Israel) 1f) servant (as form of address between equals) Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
Usage: Occurs in 714 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant. See also: Genesis 9:25; Exodus 11:3; 1 Samuel 8:16.
לִ/קְרָאתָ֑/הּ
qirʼâh
H7125
"befall"
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a | Suff
To encounter or meet someone or something, either by accident or on purpose, as seen in the story of Joseph meeting his brothers in Genesis 37:23. This word can also mean to befall or happen to someone. It is used in various contexts, including friendly or hostile encounters.
Definition: 1) (BDB) to encounter, befall, meet 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to meet, encounter 1a2) to befall (fig)
Usage: Occurs in 98 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] against (he come), help, meet, seek, [idiom] to, [idiom] in the way. See also: Genesis 14:17; 2 Samuel 10:9; Psalms 35:3.
וַ/יֹּ֕אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
הַגְמִיאִ֥י/נִי
gâmâʼ
H1572
"to swallow"
V-Hiphil-Impv-2fs | Suff
This Hebrew word means to swallow or absorb liquids, like drinking water. It appears in the Bible when describing actions like swallowing or gulping. In the KJV, it is translated as swallow or drink.
Definition: 1) to swallow (liquids) 1a) (Piel) to swallow 1b) (Hiphil) to drink
Usage: Occurs in 2 OT verses. KJV: swallow, drink. See also: Genesis 24:17; Job 39:24.
נָ֛א
nâʼ
H4994
"please"
Part
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Definition: 1) I (we) pray, now, please 1a) used in entreaty or exhortation
Usage: Occurs in 374 OT verses. KJV: I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh. See also: Genesis 12:11; Judges 4:19; 1 Kings 13:6.
מְעַט
mᵉʻaṭ
H4592
"little"
N-ms
This Hebrew word means something is small or little in amount, like a few people or a short time. It appears in various Bible translations as almost, few, or small. In the Bible, it often describes something that is limited or lacking.
Definition: 1) littleness, few, a little, fewness 1a) little, small, littleness, fewness, too little, yet a little 1b) like a little, within a little, almost, just, hardly, shortly, little worth
Usage: Occurs in 92 OT verses. KJV: almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, [idiom] very. See also: Genesis 18:4; Job 15:11; Psalms 2:12.
מַ֖יִם
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
מִ/כַּדֵּֽ/ךְ
kad
H3537
"jar"
Prep | N-fs | Suff
A jar is a container made of clay, used for storing liquids or foods. In Mark 14:13, Jesus sends His disciples to find a man carrying a jar of water. This word is also used in Luke 22:10 to describe a container for water.
Definition: jar, large jar (portable)
Usage: Occurs in 17 OT verses. KJV: barrel, pitcher. See also: Genesis 24:14; Genesis 24:46; Ecclesiastes 12:6.
Study Notes — Genesis 24:17
Show Verse Quote Highlights
Context — Rebekah Is Chosen
15Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
17So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
18“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John 4:7 | When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” |
| 2 | Isaiah 21:14 | Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food. |
| 3 | Genesis 26:1–35 | Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you. Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” So Isaac settled in Gerar. But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.” When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.” “What is this you have done to us?” asked Abimelech. “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.” So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, “Whoever harms this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” Now Isaac sowed seed in the land, and that very year he reaped a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, and he became richer and richer, until he was exceedingly wealthy. He owned so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. So the Philistines took dirt and stopped up all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham. Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Depart from us, for you are much too powerful for us.” So Isaac left that place and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died. And he gave these wells the same names his father had given them. Then Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found a well of fresh water there. But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen and said, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well and quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah. He moved on from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. He named it Rehoboth and said, “At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” From there Isaac went up to Beersheba, and that night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of My servant Abraham.” So Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there. His servants also dug a well there. Later, Abimelech came to Isaac from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army. “Why have you come to me?” Isaac asked them. “You hated me and sent me away.” “We can plainly see that the LORD has been with you,” they replied. “We recommend that there should now be an oath between us and you. Let us make a covenant with you that you will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you but have done only good to you, sending you on your way in peace. And now you are blessed by the LORD.” So Isaac prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank. And they got up early the next morning and swore an oath to each other. Then Isaac sent them on their way, and they left him in peace. On that same day, Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We have found water!” they told him. So he called it Shibah, and to this day the name of the city is Beersheba. When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah. |
| 4 | 1 Kings 17:10 | So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” |
| 5 | Isaiah 41:17–18 | The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the barren heights, and fountains in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water, and the dry land into flowing springs. |
| 6 | John 4:9 | “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) |
| 7 | Isaiah 30:25 | And from every high mountain and every raised hill, streams of water will flow in the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall. |
| 8 | Isaiah 35:6–7 | Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus. |
| 9 | Isaiah 49:10 | They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. |
Genesis 24:17 Summary
In this verse, the servant asks Rebekah for a drink of water from her jar, which may seem like a simple request, but it's actually a test to see if she's the right woman for Isaac. This shows us that even small actions can be important, and that we should always be willing to serve others, as Jesus taught in Matthew 25:35. By asking for water, the servant is also showing respect and humility, which are important qualities for us to have in our relationships with others (Philippians 2:3-4). As we read this verse, we can think about how we can show kindness and humility in our own lives, just like Rebekah and the servant did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the servant ask Rebekah for water from her jar?
The servant asked Rebekah for water from her jar as a test to see if she was the right woman for Isaac, as he had prayed to God for a sign in Genesis 24:14. This request also showed Rebekah's kindness and willingness to serve others.
What can we learn from the servant's approach to Rebekah?
The servant's approach to Rebekah teaches us about the importance of humility and respect in our interactions with others, as seen in Philippians 2:3-4, where we are called to consider others more important than ourselves.
How does this verse relate to the overall story of Genesis 24?
This verse is a pivotal moment in the story of Genesis 24, as it marks the beginning of the servant's encounter with Rebekah, who will eventually become Isaac's wife, fulfilling the promise made by God in Genesis 24:7.
What does Rebekah's response to the servant reveal about her character?
Rebekah's response to the servant reveals her kind and generous nature, as she not only gives him a drink but also offers to draw water for his camels, demonstrating a willingness to serve others, as encouraged in Galatians 5:13.
Reflection Questions
- How can I, like the servant, look for opportunities to serve and test the character of those around me?
- What are some ways I can demonstrate kindness and generosity to those in need, like Rebekah did for the servant?
- How can I apply the principle of humility and respect, as seen in the servant's approach, to my own interactions with others?
- What can I learn from the servant's trust in God's provision and guidance in this situation, and how can I apply that to my own life?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 24:17
And the servant ran to meet her,.... He did not stop her as she went to the well, but stayed till she had been there and filled her pitcher, and then he made all the haste he could to meet her, in
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 24:17
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, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 24:17
Genesis 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.Ver. 17. And the servant ran to meet her.] For although he was at the well before, praying, yet, having stood at a distance till she had done drawing, he now ran to meet her. Though marriages are made in heaven, and a good wife must be sought of God, adhibenda tamen sunt media ordinaria et ordinata, yet due means must be used, &c.
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 24:17
17. The servant ran — To him the fair young virgin appears all that he had desired and hoped to meet.
Sermons on Genesis 24:17
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(Genesis) Genesis 24:15-20 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Rebekah from the book of Genesis. He highlights her polite and courteous nature, as well as her beauty. The preacher emphasizes |
|
Unreached Peoples: The Tribes of Myanmar Burma the Kayah by Paul Hattaway | This sermon reflects on a visit to a family in a village near the capital city, observing their daily activities like fetching water, threshing grain, and preparing a traditional d |
|
Dealing With the Pressure of Time by Charles Stanley | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of making a choice regarding one's eternal existence. He warns against delaying the decision to accept Jesus Christ as person |
|
(Following the Footsteps of Christ) With Nicodemus at Night by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher describes a wicked and cruel man who imprisoned God's servants and put them in darkness. However, an earthquake later occurred, freeing the prisoners. |
|
|
(John) the Appointment of Christ by Willie Mullan | In this sermon on John chapter 4, the preacher focuses on four main points. Firstly, he emphasizes that the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman was not a coincidence, but |
|
Come, See a Man by Norman Meeten | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the invitation to "come and see" Jesus. He describes Jesus as the Word made flesh, the fulfillment of God's promises and plans for humanity. |
|
|
The Well of Sychar by Norman Meeten | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of doing the will of God and finishing His work. He references John chapter 4, where Jesus tells his disciples that his meat |