“I’m the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor by his wife Milcah,” she said—name enough that unless he was from some hopelessly remote place, he would recognize the stature of her family. As for lodging, Father never turned away a traveler who seemed honest, which this man certainly did, though he had not had the courtesy to give his own name. “We have plenty of food for you and for your animals,” she said, “although a house with walls is not within our power to offer, since my father’s household live in tents.”

Still the man did not thank her. Instead he bowed his head and sank to his knees, saying, “Great is the Lord God of Abraham, who blesses my master and never leaves him wanting for mercy or for truth. For I had not finished my prayer before the Lord answered it. He has sent me to the house of my master’s brother.”

Master? So this man was someone’s servant—but one with great trust, no doubt a steward, like Pillel. Which had been one of her first impressions of him. And his master was kin of theirs? But he hadn’t used the general term for a relative. Rather he had spoken as if Father were his master’s own brother. But she would have known the stewards of any of Father’s brothers—messages were always passing back and forth among the families.

Unless he meant that his master was the brother of her grandfather, Nahor. But only one of Nahor’s brothers was still alive.

Abraham.

This man was Abraham’s steward.

She dared not ask him, though, for what if she was wrong? What if he was the steward of one of her father’s brothers? Then she’d look like a fool, for who would look for Abraham’s steward to be traveling this far north, and with such a small company? What possible business would Abraham have with Father, anyway?

And then the question was answered before she could begin to think through the possibilities, for what the man had looked for and found was a gold bracelet, which he was now offering to place upon her wrist. He had come as an emissary from one great house to another. He had come with gifts for a girl.

It was not just this man whose prayer was answered almost in the moment of asking. She, too, had prayed for the Lord to hasten her marriage. And in the moment she finished her prayer, she had thought to go for water to the very well where this man was waiting. The steward of Abraham, who had come here in search of his master’s relatives. And his first act was to give her a gold bracelet—no, now there was another, and earrings as well. There could be no mistaking the meaning of such an act.