Rebekah Waters Eliezer's Camels at the Wellby KalebRosendahl

Genesis 24:46

And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.

Genesis 24:46 belongs to the account of God guiding Abraham's servant to find Rebekah as a wife for Isaac. It falls within the account of Isaac's marriage and of how the servant chose Rebekah to be Isaac's wife. Rebekah promptly let down her pitcher from her shoulder and gave drink to the servant and also drew for his camels. In doing so she displayed the kind, helpful, hospitable character that the servant had asked God to use as the sign of her suitability as Isaac's wife.

Abraham guided the choice of a suitable companion for his son. That course shows the responsibility of parents to guide their children's affections toward suitable marriage partners rather than leaving them wholly unguided. Isaac, trained to obey God, trusted God to direct the choice and accepted his God-fearing father's servant choosing a wife for him. His acceptance of his father's servant's role in choosing a wife rested on that trust in God's direction.

The account is left as an example for children, especially those who profess to fear God. It teaches their duty to respect parental authority. That duty and that parental responsibility belong together in the lesson of the marriage.