And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
And he saith, `I am Abraham's servant;
“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
Genesis — The book of beginnings. Creation, fall, flood, covenant, election, providence — eleven generational seams stitch one unbroken story from heaven-and-earth to a coffin in Egypt.
Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.
Voices4
And he said, I am Abraham's servant. Not Abraham himself, this undeceived Laban, if he so thought, but a servant of his; which was enough to introduce his discourse, his master being a near relation of theirs, and well known to them by name, if not in person.
John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)reformed
Before I had done speaking in my heart - Which perhaps he mentions, lest it should be suspected that Rebekah had overheard his prayer, and designedly humoured it; no, saith he, I spake it in my heart, so that none heard it but God, to whom thoughts are words, and from him the answer came.
John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765evangelical
But when he has the desired success, he worships God, not the angel. Whatever benefit we have by the ministration of angels, all the glory must be given to the Lord of the angels, Rev. xxii.
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan
He was welcome before, but we may suppose him doubly welcome when he said, I am Abraham's servant. Abraham's name, no doubt, was well known among them and respected, and we might suppose them not altogether ignorant of his state, for Abraham knew theirs, ch. xxii.
Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan
