52
Whenוַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁרAbraham’sאַבְרָהָםservantעֶבֶדheardשָׁמַעtheir words,אֶת דִּבְרֵיהֶםhe bowed downוַיִּשְׁתַּחוּto the groundאַרְצָהto YHWH.לַיהוָה
Genesis 24:52
Study it in the app“When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground to YHWH.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 24:52, word by word
- Whenיְהִיyehi
happen
For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.
Where else “yehi” appears- Abraham’sאַבְרָהָםavraham
Abraham
Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.
Where else “avraham” appears- servantעֶבֶדeved
servant
Someone who works for another, or a king's official.
Where else “eved” appears- heardשָׁמַעshama
obey
To obey: "listen to the voice" of someone.
Where else “shama” appears- their wordsדִּבְרֵיdivre
word
What someone says or announces, above all what YHWH says.
Where else “divre” appears- he bowed downיִּשְׁתַּחוּyishtachu
worship
To bow before God in adoration.
Where else “yishtachu” appears- to the groundאַרְצָartsa
ground
What is underfoot: bowing down to touch it.
Where else “artsa” appears- to YHWHיהוָהyhva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yhva” appears
The context
51Look, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your lord’s son, as YHWH has spoken.”
52 · This verse (above)
53The servant brought out objects of silver and objects of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; and costly gifts he gave to her brother and to her mother.
To study Genesis 24 in a group
1. What it says
What did Abraham’s servant ask of YHWH by the well, and what did Rebekah do (vv. 12-20)?
2. What it means
What does it show about the servant’s prayer that he asks YHWH for guidance in his task (vv. 12-14, 26-27)?
3. How I live it
In what pending decision can you ask Elohim for guidance and pay attention to what happens?