Lesson 13: Rebekah at the Well (A Bride for Isaac) - God Guides Our Steps Through Prayer and Kindness

1. Key Bible Reading

Passage: Genesis 24:1 – 24:67 (also referencing Isaiah 65:24 and Proverbs 3:5–6, World English Bible – WEB).
Teachers and parents: Read Genesis 24:1–27 and Genesis 24:50–67 aloud with the children. Point out how polite, prayerful, and thankful Abraham’s servant was, and how eagerly Rebekah served others.

2. Memory Verse to Learn by Heart

“He said, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.’”
— Genesis 24:27 (WEB)

3. What We Will Learn Today

• Why Abraham sent his most trusted servant back to his relatives in Mesopotamia (the city of Nahor) to find a godly wife for his son Isaac, promising that God would send His angel before him.
• How the servant took ten camels and stopped by the well of water at evening to pray for a specific sign of kindness and generosity.
• How Rebekah (the daughter of Bethuel, son of Abraham’s brother Nahor) came out before he had even finished praying, gave him a drink, and ran back and forth to draw water for all ten thirsty camels!
• How the servant immediately bowed his head and thanked Yahweh for answering his prayer so faithfully.
• How Rebekah bravely said, “I will go” (Genesis 24:58), and travelled to Canaan to become Isaac’s beloved wife.

4. The Complete Story of Rebekah at the Well

Part A: Abraham’s Mission & the Servant’s Prayer by the Well (Genesis 24:1–14)

After Sarah passed away at the age of 127, Abraham was very old, and his promised son Isaac was now forty years old. Abraham wanted Isaac to marry a woman who loved and respected Yahweh, not someone who worshipped the false idols of Canaan. So Abraham called his oldest, most trusted servant and gave him a special mission:

“I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live; but you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” — Genesis 24:3–4 (WEB)

Abraham encouraged his servant with a wonderful promise of faith: “Yahweh, the God of heaven... he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there” (Genesis 24:7, WEB).

The servant took ten camels loaded with gifts and travelled hundreds of miles north to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. When he arrived at the town well in the evening, he made the ten camels kneel down. How would he know which young woman in that whole city was the right bride for Isaac? He did the wisest thing anyone can do: he prayed to Yahweh!

“He said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham... Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, “Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,” and she will say, “Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,”—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac.’” — Genesis 24:12, 14 (WEB)

Notice what the servant asked for! He did not ask for someone proud or lazy; he asked God to show him a young woman with a kind, generous, hardworking heart—someone who would willingly draw gallons and gallons of water for ten thirsty camels!

Part B: Rebekah’s Extraordinary Kindness at the Well (Genesis 24:15–27)

How quickly did God answer the servant’s prayer? Look at the very next verse:

“Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.” — Genesis 24:15 (WEB)

Before the servant had even said “Amen,” Rebekah walked out to the spring! When she filled her clay pitcher, the servant ran to meet her and politely asked for a little sip of water. Listen to how Rebekah responded:

“She said, ‘Drink, my lord.’ She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink. When she had done giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will also draw water for your camels, until they have done drinking.’ She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.” — Genesis 24:18–20 (WEB)

Do you know how much water a thirsty camel can drink after a long desert journey? One camel can drink up to twenty gallons of water—so watering ten camels meant Rebekah had to run up and down the steps of the well dozens and dozens of times with her heavy clay pitcher! Yet she did it hurriedly and cheerfully without being asked!

The servant watched in silent amazement, and when he learned that she was Rebekah, the granddaughter of Abraham’s brother Nahor, he gave her golden jewellery gifts and immediately bowed his head to worship and thank God:

“The man bowed his head, and worshipped Yahweh. He said, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.’” — Genesis 24:26–27 (WEB)

Part C: “I Will Go!” — Isaac and Rebekah Meet in Canaan (Genesis 24:28–67)

Rebekah ran home to tell her family, and her brother Laban and her father Bethuel welcomed Abraham’s servant and his men into their house, washed their feet, and fed the camels. Before the servant would even eat his supper, he told the whole family how God had answered his prayer at the well!

Laban and Bethuel saw clearly that this was God’s doing: “The thing proceeds from Yahweh... Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Yahweh has spoken” (Genesis 24:50–51, WEB). The next morning, when her family asked Rebekah if she was ready to leave right away for the distant land of Canaan, she answered with brave faith:

“They called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will go.’” — Genesis 24:58 (WEB)

Her family blessed her, and Rebekah and her nurse Deborah rode on the camels back to Canaan. One evening in Canaan, as Isaac walked out in the field to meditate and pray, he lifted up his eyes and saw the camels returning!

“The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” — Genesis 24:66–67 (WEB)

5. Quick Revision Table: Key Facts of Rebekah at the Well (WEB)

6. Class Discussion Questions

1. What did Abraham’s servant do as soon as he arrived at the well outside the city of Nahor (Genesis 24:12–14)? Why should we always pray before making choices?
2. Rebekah was only asked for a small sip of water, yet she volunteered to draw water for ten camels too! What does it mean to “go the extra mile” when helping our parents, teachers, or neighbours?
3. What did the servant do as soon as he saw that God had answered his prayer (Genesis 24:26–27)? Do you remember to say “Thank You, Lord!” when God answers your prayers?
4. How did Rebekah show courage and faith when she said, “I will go” (Genesis 24:58)?

7. Fun Children’s Activity

8. Closing Prayer

“Loving Heavenly Father, thank You for guiding our steps when we pray to You, just as You led Abraham’s faithful servant to the well. Give us cheerful, generous, and hardworking hearts like Rebekah so that we always delight to serve others and bring joy to our families. Lead us in Your truth every day. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.”