24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 6 along came Rebekah 7 with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
1 tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.
2 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
3 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
4 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
5 tn Heb “and it will be.”
6 tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.
7 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.