Genesis 24:65
in Genesis 24and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And she said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant said, It is my master: and she took her veil, and covered herself.
KJV
For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
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This verse in Genesis 24
Commentary
8 notes on this verseShe took a veil - הצעיף hatstsaaif. This is the first time this word occurs, and it is of doubtful signification; but most agree to render it a veil or a cloak. The former is the most likely, as it was generally used by women in the east as a sign of chastity, modesty, and subjection.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
However, in regard to those who are betrothed, I can declare and avow this with more than my usual firmness: their heads should be covered from the day when they first trembled at the kiss and handclasp of their future husband. For in these symbols they have pledged every bit of themselves—their life throughout its full development, their flesh throughout their lifetime, their spirit through their understanding [of the contract], their modesty through the exchange of a kiss, their hope through their expectation and their mind through their willingness. For us, Rebekah stands as sufficient example; when her future husband had been pointed out to her, she covered her head with her veil merely because she knew she was to marry him.
(Verse 65.) And he took a theristrum, and covered himself. Theristrum is called a cloak, also a type of Arabian garment, with which the women of that province are veiled.
Like Rebecca, who, upon learning that Isaac was coming towards her, descended from the camel and covered herself with a cloak (Genesis 24:65): so too this bridal soul anticipated the marriage insignia, lest she be rejected as not having the bridal garment; or lest she veil her head because of the angels.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those that by faith are espoused to Christ, and would be presented as chaste virgins to him, must, in conformity to his example, humble themselves, as Rebekah, who alighted when she saw Isaac on foot, and must put themselves into subjection to him who is their head ( Eph. v. 24 ), as Rebekah, signifying it by the veil she put on, 1 Cor. xi.
For she had said unto the servant,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Those that by faith are espoused to Christ, and would be presented as chaste virgins to him, must, in conformity to his example, humble themselves, as Rebekah, who alighted when she saw Isaac on foot, and must put themselves into subjection to him who is their head ( Eph. v. 24 ), as Rebekah, signifying it by the veil she put on, 1 Cor. xi.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
she took a veil, and covered herself--The veil is an essential part of female dress. In country places it is often thrown aside, but on the appearance of a stranger, it is drawn over the face, as to conceal all but the eyes.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֣אמֶר | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הָעֶ֗בֶד | haeved | the servant | H5650 → | 799 times |
| מִֽי־ | mi- | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| הָאִ֤ישׁ | haish | [is] the man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הַלָּזֶה֙ | halazeh | this | H1976 → | |
| הַהֹלֵ֤ךְ | haholekh | who is walking | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בַּשָּׂדֶה֙ | basadeh | in the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּ | likratenu | to meet us | H7122 → | 139 times |
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הָעֶ֖בֶד | haeved | the servant | H5650 → | 799 times |
| ה֣וּא | hu' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֑י | ʾadoni | [is] master my | H113 → | 333 times |
| וַתִּקַּ֥ח | vatikach | and she took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| הַצָּעִ֖יף | hatzaif | the veil | H6809 → | 3 times |
| וַתִּתְכָּֽס׃ | vatitkas | and she covered herself | H3680 → | 152 times |
וַתֹּ֣אמֶרand she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הָעֶ֗בֶדthe servant
haevedH5650 →799 times
מִֽי־who?
mi-H4310 →423 times
הָאִ֤ישׁ[is] the man
haishH376 →1663 times
הַלָּזֶה֙this
halazehH1976 →
הַהֹלֵ֤ךְwho is walking
haholekhH1980 →1546 times
בַּשָּׂדֶה֙in the field
basadehH7704 →334 times
לִקְרָאתֵ֔נוּto meet us
likratenuH7122 →139 times
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
הָעֶ֖בֶדthe servant
haevedH5650 →799 times
ה֣וּאit
hu'H1931 →1879 times
אֲדֹנִ֑י[is] master my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
וַתִּקַּ֥חand she took
vatikachH3947 →966 times
הַצָּעִ֖יףthe veil
hatzaifH6809 →3 times
וַתִּתְכָּֽס׃and she covered herself
vatitkasH3680 →152 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Timothy 2:9Likewise, I want the women to adorn themselves with respectable apparel, with modesty, and with self-control, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:3–5
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes,
- Titus 2:3–5
Older women, likewise, are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers or addicted to much wine, but teachers of good.
- Jeremiah 4:30
And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain;…
- Psalms 149:4
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He adorns the afflicted with salvation.
- Isaiah 3:16
The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—
- 1 Peter 3:3–5
Through
1 Corinthians 11:10For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
it leads to
- Genesis 24:64–65
And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
- Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Genesis 24:64–65
Through
Genesis 20:16And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 27:5
Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
- Proverbs 27:5
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Isaac and the Soul; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, ON PRAYER 22.10.