24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 3 along came Rebekah 4 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 The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”
2 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”
3 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.
4 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.
5 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.