Literary Devices – Bereshit 24

Throughout the chapter, Hashem is referred to by His proper name, Hashem. At times, though, this name is accompanied by an epithet:

• י"י אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם – The servant refers to Hashem as "the God of his master Avraham" when praying in verses 12 and 27 (and in the account of that prayer in verses 42 and 48).
• י״י אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ – Avraham refers to Hashem in this manner in Bereshit 24:3 and as "אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם" alone n verse 7, the only places in Torah where this appellation is used.¹  It is not clear if the second term is simply a shortened form of the first or if there is significance to the alternative title. It is interesting that Avraham uses this term for Hashem when specifically when sending his servant to another part of the world to seek a wife for Yitzchak. Compare RashiBereshit 24:7About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki², Ibn EzraBereshit First Commentary 24:3About R. Avraham ibn Ezra,³ and RadakBereshit 24:7About R. David Kimchi⁴  for opinions as to why this specific name is used here.

Avraham's servant is referred to in several ways throughout the chapter. Interestingly, though, he is never referred to by his name, perhaps emphasizing that his role in this chapter is that of a faithful representative.  

• עַבְדּוֹ זְקַן בֵּיתוֹ הַמֹּשֵׁל בְּכׇל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ – In verse 2, Avraham’s servant is introduced as “his servant, the elder of his household who ruled over all that was his,” perhaps to make clear from the outset the trustworthiness of his character. 
• הָעֶבֶד – In verses 5-17, when the servant speaks to Avraham and heads out on his journey, he is referred to as simply "הָעֶבֶד". Again, at the end of the story, when he concludes his negotiations in verse 52 and heads back to Avraham’s family, he is again referred to as “הָעֶבֶד” many times. It seems that when on Avraham's turf, the servant is described in reference to him. He similarly identifies himself as עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם in verse 34 when he introduces himself to Rivka's family, for it is only in that role that he is of interest to them.
• הָאִישׁ – In the middle of the narrative, beginning in verse 21 when the servant begins to check into Rivka's lineage, the title "servant" disappears and is replaced by “האיש”, mentioned seven times.  The new term is perhaps meant to underscore the independence and gravitas with which he fulfills his mission, and the respect he is accorded in Rivka’s house.

• Narratives of meeting one’s spouse at a well comprise one of the most significant Biblical type-scenes. Comparing the account regarding Avraham's servant with the stories of Yaakov meeting Rachel (Bereshit 29) and of Moshe in Midyan (Shemot 2) can be revealing.

• For a full analysis of this type-scene, see Robert Alter’s Biblical Type-Scenes and the Uses of Convention.
• Michael W. Martin, ‘Betrothal Journey Narratives’, Catholic Biblical Quarterly 70, 3 (2008), 505-23, builds off Alter's thesis, identifying other typical elements in the type scene and exploring variations of the type scene throughout Tanakh, apocrypha and the New Testament.
• See R. Elhanan Samet's The Meeting at the Well, who suggests that each story highlights the principal trait of one partner in the eyes of the other (Rivka's kindness, Yaakov's love, and Moshe's sense of justice). For the Hebrew version, see here.
• See also י. גרוסמן, יעקב: סיפורה של משפחה (ראשון לציון, 2019):225-227 who compares the stories of Chapters 24 and 29, noting how the Divine hand which is evident in the former, is much less evident in the story of Yaakov.

An example of this technique is found in Bereshit 24:30, which states that Lavan noticed the jewelry given to Rivka before inviting Avraham’s servant into his home.  This hints that Lavan’s hospitality, as opposed to that of Avraham and Lot, appears tinged by self-interest.

• See Robert Alter’s article Character in the Bible, as well as his chapter on characterization in The Art of Biblical Narrative, for exploration of methods of characterization in Tanakh.

Bereshit 24 artfully utilizes the technique of repetition, recording not only the narrative account of Avraham's servant's search for a wife for Yitzchak but also the servant's recounting of that search to Rivka's family.  The doubling leads the reader to question the need for the repetition, and the slight differences between the accounts make one question which account is the true one and why either the servant or the narrative voice might have veered from the facts. 

See The Search for Yitzchak's Wife and the Servant's Retelling for a comprehensive table comparing the two accounts and analysis of the differences. The article notes that many of the servant's additions or omissions might stem from the norms of polite discourse and a desire to honor Avraham's family and best convince them to agree to sending Rivka. In the places where the two accounts actively disagree with one another, commentators either try to harmonize and equate the accounts or choose one version as the accurate one, while explaining why the other presented the story differently.