Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Genesis 24:18 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 18. 18And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Rebekah immediately and respectfully gives the servant water, hurrying to lower her jar for him. Her action answers the first half of the requested scenario.
Read It With
- Genesis 24:10–28
Read verses 18–20 together. Verse 18 fulfills the servant's direct request, while verses 19–20 contain Rebekah's unprompted offer and sustained work for the camels—the part that especially matches the prayer.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Rebekah fulfills the direct request promptly before volunteering anything beyond it.
Read Genesis 24:17–20 together
Why these verses belong together: The servant's small request, Rebekah's immediate response, voluntary camel offer, and completed work form the central hospitality action.
Verse 17. 17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
Verse 18. 18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
Verse 19. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
Verse 20. 20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
What Remains True
Hospitality is expressed in concrete attention to another person's immediate need.
How It Can Shape Life
- Respond to reasonable needs promptly and respectfully when you can, without using generosity to control what the recipient owes you afterward.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 24:10–28 — The Servant Meets Rebekah at the WellSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? very strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, unit boundary, narrative sequence, prayer, Rebekah's actions, jewelry, kinship, worship, later retelling, willingness, and well-scene comparisons.
Exact location: Genesis 24:10–28 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 22:20–24; 24:1–9, 29–67; 29:1–14; and Exodus 2:15–22
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Geography terminology, prayer wording, covenant kindness, appointment, descriptions of Rebekah, verse 21 uncertainty, success, ring, faithfulness, and guidance.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 24:10–28; lemmas and morphology for Aram-naharaim, qarah, hesed, yakhach, na'arah, betulah, shaat, tsalach, nezem, emet, and nachah
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Translation clarification, lexical uncertainty, prayer syntax, characterization, jewelry terminology, and guidance language.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 24:10–28 and translator notes, especially city of Nahor, cause-it-to-happen prayer, appointed, repeated haste, verse 21's difficult verb, ring/nose ring, and mercy/faithfulness
Open NET Genesis 24 ↗