"The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. The LORD has greatly blessed my masterThis phrase highlights the divine favor bestowed upon Abraham, emphasizing God's covenantal promises. In Genesis 12:2-3, God promises to make Abraham a great nation and to bless him. This blessing is a fulfillment of that promise, showcasing God's faithfulness. The use of "LORD" (YHWH) underscores the personal and covenantal relationship between God and Abraham. and he has become rich
Abraham's wealth is a tangible sign of God's blessing. In the ancient Near Eastern context, wealth was often seen as a sign of divine favor. Abraham's riches are not just material but also spiritual, as they signify God's ongoing relationship and promise to make his descendants numerous and prosperous. He has given him sheep and cattle
Livestock was a primary measure of wealth in the ancient world. Sheep and cattle provided food, clothing, and trade opportunities. This abundance reflects God's provision and the fulfillment of His promise to bless Abraham materially, as seen in Genesis 13:2, where Abraham is described as very wealthy in livestock. silver and gold
The mention of silver and gold indicates not only material wealth but also the ability to engage in trade and commerce. These metals were valuable and often used as currency. Abraham's possession of silver and gold signifies his high status and God's blessing, aligning with the promise in Genesis 13:2. menservants and maidservants
Servants were a sign of wealth and status in the ancient world. They were essential for managing large households and estates. The presence of menservants and maidservants in Abraham's household indicates his prosperity and the fulfillment of God's promise to bless him abundantly. camels and donkeys
Camels and donkeys were valuable assets for transportation and trade. Camels, in particular, were suited for long journeys across deserts, indicating Abraham's ability to travel and trade over long distances. This wealth in livestock further underscores God's blessing and provision, as camels were rare and valuable during this period. Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORDThe covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is the source of all blessings. 2. AbrahamThe master referred to in the verse, a patriarch of the faith, who has been blessed by God. 3. EliezerAbraham's servant, who is recounting the blessings of his master as part of his mission to find a wife for Isaac. 4. CanaanThe land where Abraham resides, a place of promise and future inheritance for his descendants. 5. HaranThe region where Eliezer travels to find a wife for Isaac, connecting back to Abraham's family. Teaching Points God as the Source of BlessingRecognize that all blessings, material or spiritual, come from God. Abraham's wealth is a testament to God's faithfulness and provision. Faithfulness in StewardshipAbraham's wealth was not just for personal gain but was used to fulfill God's purposes, such as securing a godly wife for Isaac. We are called to use our resources for God's kingdom. Trust in God's PromisesAbraham's life demonstrates the importance of trusting in God's promises, even when fulfillment seems distant. God's timing and methods are perfect. The Role of Servants in God's PlanEliezer's role highlights the importance of faithful service and obedience in God's plan. We are all called to serve God and others with diligence. Intergenerational FaithfulnessThe blessings on Abraham extend to his descendants, showing the impact of a life lived in covenant with God. Our faithfulness can influence future generations. Bible Study Questions 1. How does recognizing God as the source of all blessings change your perspective on wealth and possessions? 2. In what ways can you use your resources to further God's kingdom, as Abraham did? 3. How can you cultivate a heart of trust in God's promises, especially when facing uncertainty? 4. What lessons can you learn from Eliezer's faithfulness and obedience in carrying out his mission? 5. How can you ensure that your faith and values are passed on to the next generation, as seen in Abraham's legacy? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 12:2-3God's promise to Abraham to make him a great nation and bless him, which is being fulfilled in Genesis 24:35. Deuteronomy 8:18A reminder that it is God who gives the power to gain wealth, emphasizing the source of Abraham's riches. Proverbs 10:22The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it, reflecting the nature of Abraham's blessings. Matthew 6:33Encourages seeking God's kingdom first, with the assurance that all other needs will be provided, paralleling Abraham's experience of God's provision. Philippians 4:19God's promise to supply all needs according to His riches, echoing the abundant provision seen in Abraham's life. People Abraham, Aram, Bethuel, Canaanites, Isaac, Laban, Milcah, Nahor, Rebekah, SarahPlaces Beer-lahai-roi, Hebron, Mesopotamia, Nahor, NegebTopics Abundantly, Asses, Blessed, Blessing, Bondmen, Bondwomen, Camels, Cattle, Donkeys, Exceedingly, Female, Flock, Flocks, Giveth, Gold, Greatly, Herd, Herds, Maids, Maidservants, Maid-servants, Male, Master, Menservants, Men-servants, Rich, Servants, Sheep, Silver, Wealthy, Women-servantsDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 24:35 4035 abundance
4333 gold
4363 silver
4624 cow
5077 Abraham, character
8261 generosity, God's Genesis 24:12-51 5695 girls Genesis 24:28-60 5737 sisters Genesis 24:34-41 5671 clan Genesis 24:35-36 6667 grace, in OT Library Guidance in the Way
'I being in the way, the Lord led me.'--GENESIS xxiv. 27. So said Abraham's anonymous servant when telling how he had found Rebekah at the well, and known her to be the destined bride of his master's servant. There is no more beautiful page, even amongst the many lovely ones in these ancient stories, than this domestic idyll of the mission of the faithful servant from far Canaan across the desert. The homely test by which he would determine that the maiden should be pointed out to him, the glimpse …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureNo Compromise
The faithful servant of Abraham, before he started, communed with his master; and this is a lesson to us, who go on our Lord's errands. Let us, before we engage in actual service, see the Master's face, talk with him, and tell to him any difficulties which occur to our minds. Before we get to work, let us know what we are at, and on what footing we stand. Let us hear from our Lord's own mouth what he expects us to do, and how far he will help us in the doing of it. I charge you, my fellow-servants, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 34: 1888 If, Therefore, Even they who are United in Marriage Only for the Purpose Of...
22. If, therefore, even they who are united in marriage only for the purpose of begetting, for which purpose marriage was instituted, are not compared with the Fathers, seeking their very sons in a way far other than do these; forasmuch as Abraham, being bidden to slay his son, fearless and devoted, spared not his only son, whom from out of great despair he had received [1997] save that he laid down his hand, when He forbade him, at Whose command he had lifted it up; it remains that we consider, …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage Jesus Sets Out from Judæa for Galilee.
Subdivision B. At Jacob's Well, and at Sychar. ^D John IV. 5-42. ^d 5 So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 and Jacob's well was there. [Commentators long made the mistake of supposing that Shechem, now called Nablous, was the town here called Sychar. Sheckem lies a mile and a half west of Jacob's well, while the real Sychar, now called 'Askar, lies scarcely half a mile north of the well. It was a small town, loosely called …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Blessing of Jacob Upon Judah. (Gen. Xlix. 8-10. )
Ver. 8. "Judah, thou, thy brethren shall praise thee; thy hand shall be on the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall bow down the sons of thy father. Ver. 9. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey, my son, thou goest up; he stoopeth down, he coucheth as a lion, and as a full-grown lion, who shall rouse him up? Ver. 10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto Him the people shall adhere." Thus does dying Jacob, in announcing …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 24:35 NIVGenesis 24:35 NLTGenesis 24:35 ESVGenesis 24:35 NASBGenesis 24:35 KJV
Genesis 24:35 Commentaries
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