The Search for Yitzchak's Wife and the Servant's Retelling/0

The Search for Yitzchak's Wife and the Servant's Retelling

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Introduction

Bereshit 24 describes Avraham's instructions to his servant to find a wife for Yitzchak, the servant's prayer to Hashem and ensuing "test" of Rivka, and his request of leave from her family.  Somewhat surprisingly, the entire story of the search is recounted twice, first by the narrator and then again by the servant as he tells Rivka's family all that has transpired. Much of the servant's retelling matches the narrator's story word for word.  In several places, however, the servant's account differs, with additions, omissions, and changes in details or ordering. Where the accounts do not match, which version is the true one?  How are the differences to be explained?  What might have prompted either the narrator or servant to veer from what actually happened?

Comparing the Two Accounts

The following table compares the original account of the search for Yitzchak's wife with the servant's retelling. [Red lettering shows linguistic overlap, blue coloring marks differing but synonymous language, while green markings highlight contrasts or changes in order. The words left in black are sections found in one account but not in the other.]

סיפור הכתוב	סיפור העבד
(א) וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַי״י בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל.	(לד) וַיֹּאמַר עֶבֶד אַבְרָהָם אָנֹכִי. (לה) וַי״י בֵּרַךְ אֶת אֲדֹנִי מְאֹד וַיִּגְדָּל וַיִּתֶּן לוֹ צֹאן וּבָקָר וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב וַעֲבָדִם וּשְׁפָחֹת וּגְמַלִּים וַחֲמֹרִים.
(ג) וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בַּי״י אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּקִרְבּוֹ.	(לז) וַיַּשְׁבִּעֵנִי אֲדֹנִי לֵאמֹר לֹא תִקַּח אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִבְּנוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי יֹשֵׁב בְּאַרְצוֹ.
(ד) כִּי אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי תֵּלֵךְ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי לְיִצְחָק.	(לח) אִם לֹא אֶל בֵּית אָבִי תֵּלֵךְ וְאֶל מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי.
(ה) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הָעֶבֶד אוּלַי לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרַי אֶל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת הֶהָשֵׁב אָשִׁיב אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יָצָאתָ מִשָּׁם. (ו) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ פֶּן תָּשִׁיב אֶת בְּנִי שָׁמָּה. (ז) י״י אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם אֲשֶׁר לְקָחַנִי מִבֵּית אָבִי וּמֵאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתִּי וַאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לִי וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לִי לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת הוּא יִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכוֹ לְפָנֶיךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִשָּׁם. (ח) וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ וְנִקִּיתָ מִשְּׁבֻעָתִי זֹאת רַק אֶת בְּנִי לֹא תָשֵׁב שָׁמָּה.	(לט) וָאֹמַר אֶל אֲדֹנִי אֻלַי לֹא תֵלֵךְ הָאִשָּׁה אַחֲרָי.     (מ) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָי י״י אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנָיו   יִשְׁלַח מַלְאָכוֹ אִתָּךְ וְהִצְלִיחַ דַּרְכֶּךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה לִבְנִי מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּי וּמִבֵּית אָבִי. (מא) אָז תִּנָּקֶה מֵאָלָתִי כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי וְאִם לֹא יִתְּנוּ לָךְ וְהָיִיתָ נָקִי מֵאָלָתִי.
(ט) וַיָּשֶׂם הָעֶבֶד אֶת יָדוֹ תַּחַת יֶרֶךְ אַבְרָהָם אֲדֹנָיו וַיִּשָּׁבַע לוֹ עַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה. (י) וַיִּקַּח הָעֶבֶד עֲשָׂרָה גְמַלִּים מִגְּמַלֵּי אֲדֹנָיו וַיֵּלֶךְ וְכׇל טוּב אֲדֹנָיו בְּיָדוֹ וַיָּקׇם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם אֶל עִיר נָחוֹר. (יא) וַיַּבְרֵךְ הַגְּמַלִּים מִחוּץ לָעִיר אֶל בְּאֵר הַמָּיִם לְעֵת עֶרֶב לְעֵת צֵאת הַשֹּׁאֲבֹת.	(מב) וָאָבֹא הַיּוֹם אֶל הָעָיִן
(יב) וַיֹּאמַר י״י אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם הַקְרֵה נָא לְפָנַי הַיּוֹם וַעֲשֵׂה חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם. (יג) הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב עַל עֵין הַמָּיִם וּבְנוֹת אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר יֹצְאֹת לִשְׁאֹב מָיִם. (יד) וְהָיָה הַנַּעֲרָ אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ הַטִּי נָא כַדֵּךְ וְאֶשְׁתֶּה וְאָמְרָה שְׁתֵה וְגַם גְּמַלֶּיךָ אַשְׁקֶה אֹתָהּ הֹכַחְתָּ לְעַבְדְּךָ לְיִצְחָק וּבָהּ אֵדַע כִּי עָשִׂיתָ חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי.	וָאֹמַר י״י אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם אִם יֶשְׁךָ נָּא מַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכִּי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי הֹלֵךְ עָלֶיהָ. (מג) הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי נִצָּב עַל עֵין הַמָּיִם וְהָיָה הָעַלְמָה הַיֹּצֵאת לִשְׁאֹב וְאָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיהָ הַשְׁקִינִי נָא מְעַט מַיִם מִכַּדֵּךְ. (מד) וְאָמְרָה אֵלַי גַּם אַתָּה שְׁתֵה וְגַם לִגְמַלֶּיךָ אֶשְׁאָב הִוא הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר הֹכִיחַ י״י לְבֶן אֲדֹנִי.
(טו) וַיְהִי הוּא טֶרֶם כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת אֲשֶׁר יֻלְּדָה לִבְתוּאֵל בֶּן מִלְכָּה אֵשֶׁת נָחוֹר אֲחִי אַבְרָהָם וְכַדָּהּ עַל שִׁכְמָהּ. (טז) וְהַנַּעֲרָ טֹבַת מַרְאֶה מְאֹד בְּתוּלָה וְאִישׁ לֹא יְדָעָהּ וַתֵּרֶד הָעַיְנָה וַתְּמַלֵּא כַדָּהּ וַתָּעַל.	(מה) אֲנִי טֶרֶם אֲכַלֶּה לְדַבֵּר אֶל לִבִּי וְהִנֵּה רִבְקָה יֹצֵאת וְכַדָּהּ עַל שִׁכְמָהּ וַתֵּרֶד הָעַיְנָה וַתִּשְׁאָב
(יז) וַיָּרׇץ הָעֶבֶד לִקְרָאתָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר הַגְמִיאִינִי נָא מְעַט מַיִם מִכַּדֵּךְ.	וָאֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ הַשְׁקִינִי נָא.
(יח) וַתֹּאמֶר שְׁתֵה אֲדֹנִי וַתְּמַהֵר וַתֹּרֶד כַּדָּהּ עַל יָדָהּ וַתַּשְׁקֵהוּ. (יט) וַתְּכַל לְהַשְׁקֹתוֹ וַתֹּאמֶר גַּם לִגְמַלֶּיךָ אֶשְׁאָב עַד אִם כִּלּוּ לִשְׁתֹּת. (כ) וַתְּמַהֵר וַתְּעַר כַּדָּהּ אֶל הַשֹּׁקֶת וַתָּרׇץ עוֹד אֶל הַבְּאֵר לִשְׁאֹב וַתִּשְׁאַב לְכׇל גְּמַלָּיו.	(מו) וַתְּמַהֵר וַתּוֹרֶד כַּדָּהּ מֵעָלֶיהָ וַתֹּאמֶר שְׁתֵה וְגַם גְּמַלֶּיךָ אַשְׁקֶה וָאֵשְׁתְּ וְגַם הַגְּמַלִּים הִשְׁקָתָה
(כא) וְהָאִישׁ מִשְׁתָּאֵה לָהּ מַחֲרִישׁ לָדַעַת הַהִצְלִיחַ י״י דַּרְכּוֹ אִם לֹא.
(כב) וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת וַיִּקַּח הָאִישׁ נֶזֶם זָהָב בֶּקַע מִשְׁקָלוֹ וּשְׁנֵי צְמִידִים עַל יָדֶיהָ עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מִשְׁקָלָם. (כג) וַיֹּאמֶר בַּת מִי אַתְּ הַגִּידִי נָא לִי הֲיֵשׁ בֵּית אָבִיךְ מָקוֹם לָנוּ לָלִין. (כד) וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו בַּת בְּתוּאֵל אָנֹכִי בֶּן מִלְכָּה אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לְנָחוֹר. (כה) וַתֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו גַּם תֶּבֶן גַּם מִסְפּוֹא רַב עִמָּנוּ גַּם מָקוֹם לָלוּן.	(מז) וָאֶשְׁאַל אֹתָהּ וָאֹמַר בַּת מִי אַתְּ וַתֹּאמֶר בַּת בְּתוּאֵל בֶּן נָחוֹר אֲשֶׁר יָלְדָה לּוֹ מִלְכָּה וָאָשִׂם הַנֶּזֶם עַל אַפָּהּ וְהַצְּמִידִים עַל יָדֶיהָ
(כו) וַיִּקֹּד הָאִישׁ וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לַי״י. (כז) וַיֹּאמֶר בָּרוּךְ י״י אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָזַב חַסְדּוֹ וַאֲמִתּוֹ מֵעִם אֲדֹנִי אָנֹכִי בַּדֶּרֶךְ נָחַנִי י״י בֵּית אֲחֵי אֲדֹנִי.	(מח) וָאֶקֹּד וָאֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לַי״י וָאֲבָרֵךְ אֶת י״י אֱלֹהֵי אֲדֹנִי אַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר הִנְחַנִי בְּדֶרֶךְ אֱמֶת לָקַחַת אֶת בַּת אֲחִי אֲדֹנִי לִבְנוֹ. (מט) וְעַתָּה אִם יֶשְׁכֶם עֹשִׂים חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אֶת אֲדֹנִי הַגִּידוּ לִי וְאִם לֹא הַגִּידוּ לִי וְאֶפְנֶה עַל יָמִין אוֹ עַל שְׂמֹאל.

Points of Contrast

Though most of the servant's account is a verbatim retelling of the original narration, several points of contrast are worth noting:

• Synonyms – In several places the servant employs language that is synonymous with, but not identical to, that of the narrator.  For example, see the following pairs: מִשְּׁבֻעָתִי / מֵאָלָתִי, הָעָיִן / בְּאֵר הַמָּיִם, הַנַּעֲרָ / הָעַלְמָה, הַשְׁקִינִי / הַגְמִיאִינִי. 

• Additions and omissions – There are several points which are included only in the narrator's version of the story or only in the servant's account, but not in both:¹

• Nature of Avraham's blessing – While the narrator does not share with the reader the nature of Hashem's blessing of Avraham, sufficing by stating "וַי״י בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל", the servant elaborates, telling Rivka's family of Avraham's many material blessings and great wealth.
• Mention of Hashem – When telling the family of the oath, the servant omits that he made it in the name of "י״י אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ". In verse 40, too, he leaves out Avraham's description of Hashem as "אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם" and the fact that Hashem took him out of Mesopotamia and promised him the land of Canaan.
• Prohibition to take Yitzchak to Mesopotamia – The servant does not tell the family that he had asked whether he was permitted to bring Yitzchak back to Avraham's homeland and does not share Avraham's negative response.
• Ten camels and journey – The account of the taking of ten camels laden with goods and the journey to Aram Naharayim is found only in the narrator's version.
• Doubts regarding success – The servant leaves out his personal questioning of whether his mission was successful (as expressed in verse 21).
• Request for lodging – The servant omits his request for lodging and Rivka's assent.

• Discrepancies – In several places, the servant's account contrasts with or even contradicts the original:
• Family or homeland – While the narrator has Avraham tell the servant to go "אֶל אַרְצִי וְאֶל מוֹלַדְתִּי", the servant states he was told to go "אֶל בֵּית אָבִי... וְאֶל מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי" emphasizing Avraham's family rather than homeland.  Which was the key criterion in finding a wife, that she be from Mesopotamia rather than Canaan, or that she be from Avraham's family specifically?
• Order of gifts - The servant says that he gave Rivka jewelry only after learning that she was from Avraham's family, while in the original narrative he appears to do so before hearing of her lineage. Which is the true order of events?  How might the different possibilities affect how one views the servant's mission and whether he was meant to choose a wife only from Avraham's relatives?
• Potential refusal – In the original account, the servant states his fear lest the woman not agree to accompany him, while in the servant's account he stresses the possible refusal of the family at large.
• Prayer – The narrator presents the servant as praying that he succeed for the good of Avraham (stating twice "וַעֲשֵׂה חֶסֶד עִם אֲדֹנִי"), while in the retelling, the servant speaks of praying for his own success ("אִם יֶשְׁךָ נָּא מַצְלִיחַ דַּרְכִּי").

Understanding the Differences

I. Synonyms – See RadakBereshit 24:4Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:39About R. David Kimchi who suggests that these changes are insignificant and to be expected: "כן מנהג הכתוב בשנות הדברים שומר הטעמים אבל לא המלות".‎²

II. Additions and omissions – Many commentators³ assume that the servant's various additions or omissions stem from the norms of polite discourse and a desire to honor Avraham's family and best convince them to agree to sending Rivka:

• The servant elaborates on Avraham's wealth, knowing it will pique their interest.⁴
• He omits mention of the prohibition of having Yitzchak move to Aram Naharayim (and similarly, that Avraham had been commanded to leave his homeland)⁵ as this might be insulting to the family, who might conclude that Avraham wanted to distance himself from them and that perhaps he felt that he was above them.
• The servant does not describe Hashem as the God of heavens and earth, which would be a foreign concept to idolaters.⁶
• The servant omits Rivka's acquiescence to his request for lodging, lest the family be angered that she made such a decision on her own.
• The servant does not allude to his personal doubts⁷ since he does not want to give them any reason to wonder why he would fear failure.⁸

III. Discrepancies – 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: [See When was the Jewelry Given and A Wife for Yitzchak for further discussion.]

• Servant's account takes precedence – Several commentators give priority to the servant's account, assuming that he was tasked with looking for a wife from Avraham's family specifically. As such, they assume that the servant gave the jewelry to Rivka only after knowing her lineage. These commentators must reinterpret the narrator's version:
  
  • Family vs. homeland – RashbamBereshit 24:4Bereshit 24:22About R. Shemuel b. Meir claims that Avraham himself had mandated that the servant look specifically for a relative, asserting that the word "מולדת" is synonymous with "family".⁹ Cf. R. SaadiaCommentary Bereshit 24:4Commentary Bereshit 24:22About R. Saadia Gaon and Radak Bereshit 24:4Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:39About R. David Kimchiwho instead suggest that that despite the fact that "מולדת" means homeland, it was understood that Avraham's intent was that the servant choose a relative. He mentioned his homeland only because that was where his family was to be found.¹⁰
  • Order of gifts – RashbamBereshit 24:4Bereshit 24:22About R. Shemuel b. Meir suggests that the narrator changes the true the order of events only for literary reasons, so as not to interrupt the servant's speech.¹¹
• Narrator's account takes precedence – Ibn Kaspi Tirat Kesef 105-107Bereshit 24:23Bereshit 24:38About R. Yosef ibn Kaspiand MalbimBereshit 24:10Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:37Bereshit 24:39Bereshit 24:42Bereshit 24:47About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, in contrast, give priority to the narrator's account, understanding that Avraham charged his servant to find a wife from Mesopotamia, but not necessarily from his family. Character was more important than lineage. As such, the servant gave gifts to Rivka as soon as she passed his test, even though her family was still unknown to him. They view the differences in the servant's account as intentional changes made to better accomplish his goal.
• The servant on his own introduced the idea that he was looking for a relative only so as to please Rivka's family.
• He similarly led them to believe that he bestowed gifts on Rivka only due to this relationship so they would feel honored and be more likely to agree to the match.
  
• Equating the accounts – ShadalBereshit 24:4Bereshit 24:22About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto's reading¹² of the story manages to eliminate the major differences between the two accounts.
• He claims that "מולדת" is synonymous with "family"¹³ so the servant did not really deviate from Avraham's words when saying that he was sent "אֶל מִשְׁפַּחְתִּי". [Shadal does note, however, that Avraham had only mentioned this as a preference not as a requirement].
• He further raises the possibility that the servant simultaneously gave the gifts and questioned Rivka regarding her family.¹⁴ As such, there is no contradiction between the accounts. 
  

¹ The list below does not include facts which the narrator includes out of necessity for the reader or that the servant would not know, such as the full identity of Rivka or her virgin status (which the servant would understandably not repeat regardless).

² It is possible that he thinks that some of the other differences might be explained similarly.  As long as the essential meaning is the same, even omissions or additions might be irrelevant.

³ See R. HirschBereshit 24:35About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, MalbimBereshit 24:10Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:37Bereshit 24:39Bereshit 24:42Bereshit 24:47About R. Meir Leibush Weiser and R. D"Z HoffmannBereshit 24:35About R. David Zvi Hoffmann in particular.  See also N. Lebowitz, Iyyunim BeSefer Bereshit (Jerusalem, 1992): 162-165. Earlier commentators take a similar approach in understanding the discrepancies between the accounts (as discussed below) but often do not address the various omissions and additions.

⁴ Cf.MalbimBereshit 24:10Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:37Bereshit 24:39Bereshit 24:42Bereshit 24:47About R. Meir Leibush Weiser and R. D"Z HoffmannBereshit 24:35About R. David Zvi Hoffmann.

⁵ See R. David Zvi HoffmannBereshit 24:35About R. David Zvi Hoffmann and MalbimBereshit 24:10Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:37Bereshit 24:39Bereshit 24:42Bereshit 24:47About R. Meir Leibush Weiser similarly.

⁶ See N. Leibowitz, cited above, who makes this point.

⁷ He similarly omits his request of Hashem "הַקְרֵה נָא לְפָנַי" which might emphasize his worries regarding the success of his mission.

⁸ See R. S.R. HirschBereshit 24:35About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch.

⁹ See, for example, its usage in Bereshit 43:7, Esther 2:10, and 8:6.

¹⁰ The Hoil Moshe takes almost the exact opposite approach, suggesting that the servant had not meant to limit himself to members of Avraham's family (as, in his opinion, Avraham had not specified that the wife be a relative). He described his mission as being sent to look for a woman "מִמִּשְׁפַּחְתִּי וּמִבֵּית אָבִי" only because almost the entire city was composed of various relatives of Avraham.

¹¹ R"Y Bekhor ShorBereshit 24:22About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor and RadakBereshit 24:4Bereshit 24:22Bereshit 24:39About R. David Kimchi offer a different explanation.  They note that the original account does not say that the servant actively gave the jewelry before asking about Rivka family, only that he prepared it. Thus, the narrator's account does not contradict the servant's tale. It, too, assumes that it was only after hearing of Rivka's relationship to Avraham, that the servant gave the gifts

¹² He offers two explanations of the change in order of giving the gifts, only the second of which attempts to show that there is no contradiction between the accounts.

¹³ Cf. Rashbam above.

¹⁴ As, according to Shadal, Avraham's main concern was not that the woman be from his family, but that she not be from the local Canaanites, there was no need to know who Rivka was before bestowing the presents.