Genesis 24:26 kjv
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
Genesis 24:26 nkjv
Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD.
Genesis 24:26 niv
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
Genesis 24:26 esv
The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD
Genesis 24:26 nlt
The man bowed low and worshiped the LORD.
Genesis 24 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 24:27 | "And he said, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not left destitute my master...'" | Servant's verbal praise after his act of worship. |
| Gen 24:12 | "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today..." | The prayer to which God just responded. |
| Gen 12:7 | "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.' So he built an altar there to the LORD..." | Abraham's response of worship upon divine revelation. |
| Gen 17:3 | "Then Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him..." | Act of prostration in reverence to God. |
| Exod 4:31 | "...and they believed. When they heard that the LORD was concerned...they bowed down their heads and worshiped." | Israelites worshipping upon seeing God's signs. |
| Exod 34:8 | "Moses made haste to bow his head toward the earth and worship." | Moses' spontaneous worship in God's presence. |
| Deut 8:6 | "So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him." | Implied reverence and obedience as part of worship. |
| 1 Sam 1:19 | "Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD..." | Hannah and Elkanah worshipping. |
| 1 Chr 29:10-13 | "Therefore David blessed the LORD before all the assembly; and David said: 'Blessed are You, LORD God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever...'" | David's prayer of praise and thanksgiving. |
| Neh 9:6 | "You alone are the LORD; You have made heaven...the earth...the seas...the hosts of them worship You." | Acknowledging God as Creator and deserving worship. |
| Psa 95:6 | "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker." | Invitation to physically humble oneself in worship. |
| Psa 100:4-5 | "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise...For the LORD is good..." | Importance of thanksgiving as part of worship. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." | God's guidance, leading to recognition and worship. |
| Isa 45:23 | "I have sworn by Myself...that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath." | Prophecy of universal submission and worship to God. |
| Dan 2:46 | "Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they should present an offering and incense to him." | A king acknowledging divine power, bowing down. |
| Matt 2:11 | "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him." | Magi's worship of Jesus, demonstrating His deity. |
| John 4:24 | "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." | The nature of true worship—inward and outward. |
| Acts 17:28 | "for in Him we live and move and have our being..." | God's providential care enabling human existence. |
| Phil 2:10-11 | "...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth..." | Ultimate fulfillment of universal bowing and confession of Jesus' Lordship. |
| Rom 14:11 | "For it is written: 'As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.'" | Quoting Isaiah 45:23, reinforcing universal homage to God. |
| 1 Thess 5:18 | "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." | The biblical command to be thankful in all circumstances. |
| Col 3:17 | "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." | Everything done should be an act of thanksgiving to God. |
| Rev 4:10-11 | "...the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever..." | Heavenly worship, continually offered. |
Genesis 24 verses
Genesis 24 26 Meaning
This verse describes Abraham's chief servant's immediate and profound act of reverence and gratitude. Upon confirming that Rebekah was the divinely appointed woman for Isaac, and a member of Abraham's own family, he spontaneously bowed his head and worshipped the LORD, acknowledging God's direct and faithful guidance in fulfilling his mission.
Genesis 24 26 Context
Genesis chapter 24 details Abraham's crucial mission to secure a wife for his son Isaac, a wife who must come from his own family line in Mesopotamia, not from the Canaanites. Abraham, by now old, entrusted his chief servant with this weighty task, swearing him to fulfill it and promising that God's angel would guide him. The servant embarked on the long journey, taking ten camels and various gifts. Upon arriving near the city of Nahor, he prayed for a sign: that the woman destined for Isaac would offer water not only to him but also to his camels. Immediately, Rebekah appeared and fulfilled the exact conditions of his prayer, demonstrating extraordinary kindness and hospitality. After verifying her family connection to Abraham, the servant, in an overwhelming moment of recognizing God's direct intervention, immediately responds in the worship described in verse 26. This act of worship marks the culmination of the servant's prayer being answered and the initial confirmation of Rebekah as God's chosen bride for Isaac. Historically, in the ancient Near East, lineage and divine favor were paramount in marriage arrangements, and a journey of this magnitude underscored the importance of the union and the providential care involved.
Genesis 24 26 Word analysis
- And: (Hebrew: Wa-) A simple conjunction indicating continuity and immediate consequence. It connects the discovery of Rebekah's identity and her actions to the servant's responsive worship, showing it as a spontaneous and direct reaction.
- the man: (Hebrew: hāʾîš) Refers to Abraham's chief servant, consistently unnamed throughout the narrative. His anonymity highlights God's primary role in guiding the events and the providential nature of the outcome, rather than human skill or wisdom. He acts as an obedient agent, focusing all attention on the divine orchestrator.
- bowed down: (Hebrew: wayyiqqōḏ, from root qāḏaḏ - קדד) This verb specifically means "to bend low," "to bow the head," or "to stoop." It describes a physical posture of deference, respect, humility, or sorrow. Here, it signifies the immediate, deep humility of the servant.
- Original Context: Bowing was a common gesture of profound respect or submission, whether to a superior, royalty, or a deity. The specific mention of "his head" emphasizes the conscious and deliberate nature of this humbling gesture.
- his head: (Hebrew: rōʾšô) Explicitly specifies the object of bowing. This detail intensifies the depiction of the servant's humility and complete submission. It suggests a focused, personal act of homage.
- and worshipped: (Hebrew: wayyiššaḥû, from root šāḥāh - שחה) This verb denotes prostration, bowing down to the ground, specifically in an act of reverence or adoration. While qāḏaḏ (bowed down) describes the physical lowering of the head, šāḥāh refers to a more comprehensive act of spiritual devotion or homage, often implying complete prostration and veneration. It is a fundamental term for religious worship.
- Significance: The use of two distinct verbs, qāḏaḏ and šāḥāh, emphasizes the depth and sincerity of the servant's response. He physically lowers himself, and simultaneously performs an act of profound spiritual devotion. It highlights a combination of physical humility and heartfelt reverence.
- Polemics: This act of worship is directed to "the LORD" (YHWH), not to any other god or idol. In a world saturated with polytheism and idol worship (e.g., in Laban's household, which would later feature household idols/teraphim, Gen 31:19), this verse affirms monotheistic worship of the one true God, Abraham's God, the covenant God of Israel. It stands in contrast to common pagan practices where people would bow down to multiple deities or physical idols.
- the LORD: (Hebrew: YHWH - יהוה) This is the personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Abraham and later to Moses. It emphasizes God's faithfulness to His promises, His personal involvement with His people, and His unchangeable nature. The servant recognizes that the precise unfolding of events is the direct handiwork of YHWH, the God of his master, Abraham, who had promised divine guidance (Gen 24:7). This is a worship of a living, active, and promise-keeping God.
Genesis 24 26 Bonus section
The anonymous nature of the servant in Genesis 24 subtly yet powerfully shifts the focus from human effort to divine activity. He is consistently referred to as "the servant" or "the man," preventing any undue praise from being directed towards his competence or faithfulness, and instead drawing all attention to God as the true orchestrator of events. This narrative choice highlights God's providential care in detail, showing how He orchestrates even seemingly minor interactions (like a drink of water for camels) to fulfill His grand redemptive plan. The servant's worship becomes a model of humble dependence and attentive faith, not merely efficient task execution.
Genesis 24 26 Commentary
Genesis 24:26 serves as a powerful testament to the immediate and genuine response of a faithful heart when divine providence becomes undeniable. The servant's act is not perfunctory but a spontaneous overflow of a soul recognizing the miraculous fulfillment of prayer and the faithfulness of God. His prostration signifies deep humility, acknowledging God's sovereignty over human affairs, while his worship expresses profound gratitude and adoration for the God who actively intervenes. This immediate turning to God in worship, even before sharing the news with his master's family, highlights that recognition of God's hand should first lead to praising God. It underscores a key biblical principle: seeing God at work should naturally lead to a posture of worship. This verse teaches believers to be attentive to God's leadings, to trust in His answers to prayer, and to respond with sincere, immediate reverence and thanksgiving. For instance, when a long-awaited prayer is answered in a remarkably specific way, or when circumstances align unexpectedly in a way that clearly reveals God's direction, the believer's natural response, like the servant's, should be one of humble worship and grateful praise to the Almighty.