Avraham was old. He was concerned that he might die without seeing his son married off; therefore he resolved to seek a wife for him without delay. Place your hand. Because of his wealth Avraham was concerned that someone unworthy might bribe Eliezer into taking his daughter for Yitzchok. For this reason he made him swear not to take a Canaanite woman.

אלוקי השמים ואלוקי הארץ, a veiled warning to Eliezer that if he were to betray his trust, there would be a higher power to hold him accountable for such a betrayal.

אשר יצאת משם, a place which you had despised. If I now swear to you to take a wife from there and the girl I choose refuses to come here, my betrothing her to your son will obligate him to fulfill his conjugal duties including living with her as husband and wife. If he refuses to join her there he will have become guilty of betrayal of his bride. Shall I really bring him back there?

אלוקי השמים...ישלח מלאכו, may it be the will of the Lord that He will send His angel from the celestial regions. Seeing that it was he Who had taken me from there, and all events are under His constant supervision, He will not arrange matters in such a way that my son would be legally obligated to migrate to that land.

ואשר דבר לי, furthermore, I remember that he assured me specifically that my offspring will become known as offspring of Avraham though my son Yitzchok.

ואשר נשבע לי, seeing that He made me this promise reinforced by an oath, I am certain that He will not renege on it. [even if I were to fall out of favour in His eyes due to my own fault. Ed.] He will see to it that my son will be able to marry a suitable soul-mate and thus make His oath come true.

וישבע לו על הדבר הזה, he accepted all of Avraham’s conditions as part of his oath.

ויקח העבד עשרה גמלים מדמלי אדוניו וילך. He took permission from his master to set out on the way after he made prepared the camels for the journey.

וכל טוב אדוניו בידו, he took with him many silver and golden trinkets. He did not need to ask for permission to do this seeing that all of these items were under his authority on an all year round basis in his capacity of being Avraham’s general manager.

ויקם וילך, on his way.

והיה הנערה אשר אמר אליה, this was not a statement but a prayer that things should develop in this fashion. He did not rely on any magic, i.e. that the signs he stipulated would determine his actions. We find a similar occurrence with Yonathan son of King Sha-ul in Samuel I 14,10, where he does not rely on the אות which he had stipulated, but where he asked G’d in prayer for help, saying that if certain things were to happen he would regard this as a sign that his prayer had been answered favourably (compare Ibn Ezra there) When the Talmud Chulin 95 כל נחש שאינו כאליעזר עבד אברהם ויהונתן בן שאול אינו נחש, the meaning is that “any divination which is not like that of Eliezer or that of Yonatan ben Sha-ul is not a divination,” i.e. is not permissible, but is akin to relying on witchcraft [Unless the person requesting a sign does so as a prayer directed to G’d it is forbidden. Ed.].

I will also water your camels. A supplicant should ask for less than his needs and the giver should provide him with all his needs or more.

Whom You have determined. Hochachta in Hebrew can also be rendered “whom You have rebuked” — You admonished and instructed her until she was worthy of marrying Yitzchok.

טרם כלה, he had not yet finished. This is what Isaiah 65,24 had in mind when he said that G’d answers a prayer before it has been articulated.

אשר ילדה לבתואל בן מלכה, he was not a son of Re-umah the concubine. [if the Torah had not wanted to make this point, it could simply have written Betuel, son of Nachor.]

טובת מראה, she had beautiful skin colouring.

ותכל להשקותו ותאמר, she waited with speaking until Eliezer had finished drinking his fill. She followed the dictum of our sages that one should not engage in conversation while eating (during the meal) (Taanit 5)

ותמהר, by being quick in what one does, a person performing a service indicates that the one whom she serves is someone esteemed highly in his eyes. Rivkah expressed this by the speed with which she went about her tasks.

ותרץ עוד אל הבאר, the one in front of the well ((מעיין which was designed for the beasts to drink from.

Wondering at her. He was amazed at her zeal.

Remained silent. He did not try to dissuade her from troubling herself. Waiting to determine. The way she performed her good deeds was to be the test.

Whether Ad-noy had made. If she acted out of pure kindness he would know that his mission was successful.

Or not. If she expected payment she was not the right one

When the camels had finished. He did not give her the jewelry immediately after she finished drawing the water because he was waiting to see if she would ask for remuneration.

ושני צמידים על ידיה, according to the size that fitted her wrists; this is similar to Exodus 28,22 ועשית עלי החושן שרשות גבלות, “you shall construct around it plaited chains of beaten gold,” or Exodus 25,11 ועשית עליו זר זהב, “you shall construct around it a golden border.” In each of these instances the measurements of the chains or border had to fit the pricipal artifact.

היש בית אביך מקום, are they prepared to welcome strangers as guests as was customary in that time?

ללין, so that both we and our camels can stay the night there?

גם תבן גם מספוא, not only do we have room for the camels but we also have feed for them.

גם מקום ללון, both for yourself and the men with you.

וירץ לבן אל האיש, to take a look at the wealthy visitor that had come to town, not to invite him to his own home.

When he had seen. He felt obliged to show gratitude for the gifts.

And heard the words. That Eliezer had asked for lodgings.

He came to the man. To bring him to his home. Standing beside the camels.

He did not show any expectation of being granted lodgings until Lavan offered

?למה תעמוד בחוץ, why did you only ask about spending the night? Why would you and your men stand around on the outside?

ואנכי פניתי הבית, for you and your men,

ומקום לגמלים, I also cleared space to accommodate the camels.

ברך את אדוני, there is no question that many notable families in our own land would want their daughters to become the wife my master’s son.

אחרי זקנתו, this is why this son was beloved for him from the day he was born.

וישביעני אדוני, seeing that my master despises the people in his own land and has chosen you to become his in-laws, he has sent me on this errand.

היא האשה אשר הוכיח, she is the woman whom He has appointed. This recalls the statement in the Talmud Sotah 2 that already prior to birth a heavenly voice proclaims which girl is destined to marry which young man.

אני טרם אכלה לדבר, this was proof to me that all of this has been planned so by G’d.

"And now if ye will deal kindly" - that in order to satisfy my master, nullify your desires and agree to send your daughter to a faraway land, and don't be concerned about acquiring relatives in your own land through her.

"And truly" - that you desire results and the honor of your daughter, like which is fitting for you, and this will come with her entry into the house of Abraham.

לא נוכל דבר אליך רע, in order to neutralise His decree.

או טוב, to make His decree come true, seeing that He does not need our help in this respect.

Take her and go. Since it is Hashem’s will, you are able to take her even without our permission.

As Hashem has spoken. Hashem declares who a person will marry and in this case He has given a clear sign of what He has decreed.

A year. Give her time to adjust to the idea of moving to another country.

ונשאלה את פיה, if she is willing and able to travel with you at this time.

May you become. May you so please your husband that all his offspring will come through you and your descendants will inherit Hashem’s vow to Avraham

לאלפי רבבה ויירש זרעך, as the G’d in heaven has blessed the descendants of Avraham.

ויקח העבד את רבקה, this describes the transfer from the father’s emissaries to those of the husband, as described in Ketuvot 48. Once the marriage became consummated she became the mistress, and Eliezer became her servant also.

בא מבוא לחי ראי, to articulate a prayer at the spot where the prayer of his mother’s servant maid Hagar had been answered.

והוא יושב בארץ הנגב, Yitzchok personally resided to the south of that location; he had gone there only to attend to his business affairs, not to establish a new residence.

ויצא יצחק לשוח, he had detoured from his regular path to the field in order to pour out his heart to G’d in prayer. He did not want to be interrupted in his devotion by passing travelers whom he would have to greet. This was in spite of the fact that he had already prayed in Beer lachay Ro-i. His prayer had been answered already, in accordance with Daniel 10,12 מן היום אשר נתת את לבך להבין ולהענות...נשמעו דבריך, “for from the first day you set your mind to get understanding, practicing abstinence before your G’d, your prayer was heard and I have come because of your prayer.”

והנה גמלים באים, when he had gone out to pray, the camels were already headed in his direction. This is what Rivkah referred to when she asked about the man walking “toward us?” (verse 65) This is because when Yitzchok returned from Beer lachay Ro-i to his house he was walking from the north to the south. People coming from Charan (Aram Naharaym) headed for Avraham’s house would be traveling from the east to the west. This is why after having deviated from his route which would have taken him from north to south, and walking in an easterly direction instead, Yitzchok would be walking in the direction from which the camels were approaching, from the land known also as ארץ בני קדם the land belonging to the people of the East. He had reason to believe that Rivkah would come from that direction.

ותפול מעל הגמל, she inclined her head while remaining on the camel in honour of Yitzchok. We have a similar expression meaning the same in Kings II 5,21 ויפול מעל המרכבה where there is no reason to understand this as Naamon, the general, “falling” off his chariot, but the verse describes a deferential behaviour by Naamon.

ותתכס, for she was afraid to look more closely, similar to Moses being afraid to look more closely at the burning bush in Exodus 3,6.

וינחם יצחק אחרי אמו, until this time he had refused to accept consolation for the death of his mother, seeing that she had been such an outstanding person.