What Does Genesis 24:11 Mean in the King James?

And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

Genesis 24:11 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

The Hebrew for “made his camels to kneel” shares its root with “blessed,” so the lowered posture at the well carries a hidden echo of blessing.

THE MEANING

A journey can reach its threshold and pause beside a source. The camels are brought low at the well as women go out to draw water, placing the pause within the rhythm of ordinary need.

THE ROOT

בָּרַךְ

barakh

GROWS FROM

ב־ר־ך

Bend the knee; bless.

The verb translated “made his camels to kneel down” is a causative form of ⁨בָּרַךְ⁩ (barakh, bend the knee; bless). The bodily bend and the act of blessing belong to one word-family, a connection the English wording does not show.

ALSO GROWS

berekh: Knee

בֶּרֶךְ

This branch makes the root’s bodily sense explicit: the camels are lowered onto their knees.

berakhah: Blessing

בְּרָכָה

It carries the same root into the language of blessing, linking this verse’s kneeling posture to the chapter’s description of Abraham as blessed.

THE PATTERN

A well becomes a gathering threshold where ordinary need brings lives into the same place.

And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.

Genesis 29:2 · KJVA well gathers flocks and people around the everyday need for water.

Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

Exodus 2:16 · KJVThe daughters’ regular work of drawing water brings them to the same place as Moses, seated by the well.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

John 4:7 · KJVThe ordinary act of coming to draw water becomes the setting for an unexpected conversation.

THE THREAD

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Genesis 24:1 · KJV

In 24:1, ⁨בָּרַךְ⁩ (barakh, bless) describes what the LORD does for Abraham; here its causative form describes how the servant brings the camels to their knees. One Hebrew root holds both blessing and the bent posture beside the well.

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