Genesis 24:18

24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering ¹  her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink.

Genesis 24:16

24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. ²  She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up.

Genesis 24:45

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.’

[24:18]  ¹ tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”

[24:16]  ² 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.

[24:45]  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.

[24:45]  ⁴ tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.