Midrasch zu Bereschit 24:42

And he went toward Haran. This is one of the four occasions on which the earth contracted itself. The first occasion was at the time of Abraham: He divided himself against them at night (Gen. 14:15). It occurred again for Eliezer, as it is said: And I came this day unto the fountain (ibid. 24:42). And once again in the days of Jacob,⁴Reading Jacob instead of David. as it is said, When he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah (Ps. 60:2). And this is what is meant by: And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba (Gen. 28:10). Similarly, it occurred at the time about which David said: Thou hast made the land to shake, Thou hast cleft it; heal the branches thereof; for it tottereth (Ps. 60:4). This verse teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, also contracted the earth for Joab, Abishai, and the army (when they pursued Abner).⁵He had led the revolt against David.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 28:10): BUT JACOB SET OUT. This is one of four children of Adam for whom the land (i.e., spatial distance) was contracted. They are the following: Abraham, Eleazer, Jacob, and Abishai.²³Cf. Sanh. 95 (bar.), which omits Abraham from the list. In the case of Abraham, where is it shown? < It was > when he went forth to pursue the kings < that > the land contracted before him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 14:15): AND THE NIGHT WAS DIVIDED AGAINST THEM.²⁴I.e., Abraham only needed to pursue the kings until midnight because God had shortened the pursuit. So Gen. R. 43:3; Exod. R. 18:1; cf. Gen. R. 43:3. And in the case of Eleazer, where is it shown? < It was > when he went to bring a wife for Isaac < that > the land contracted before him.²⁵Sanh. 95a; PRE 16. What is written about him (in Gen. 24:42)? AND I CAME TODAY (i.e., in one day) TO THE SPRING. The day he set out was the very day on which he arrived. And in the case of Abishai, where is it shown? When he fought with Ishbi-benob the brother of Goliath.²⁶See also Gen. R. 59:11. What did he do? He went after David with his shield at the ready. In that hour the Holy One put the fear of David upon him, since he said: How swift this man is! Where are David and his mighty men? And where is it shown? Where it is so written (in II Sam. 21:15): AND DAVID WAS WEARY. At that time David had said: Oh, that someone would put one of my sister's sons here for me. Now Joab and Abishai were far away from him where they were fighting with the children of Ammon and with Aram (cf. I Chron. 19:10f.) However, when David prayed, the Holy One contracted the land before Abishai, as stated (in II Sam. 21:17): BUT ABISHAI BEN ZERUIAH CAME TO HIS AID. And our father Jacob was also one before whom the Holy One caused the land to contract.²⁷Sanh. 95b; Gen. R. 68:8. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 28:10; 29:1): AND JACOB SET OUT FROM BEERSHEBA AND WENT TO HARAN…. [THEN JACOB CONTINUED HIS JOURNEY (literally: RAISED HIS FEET)]. Our masters have said: In the case of all the children of Adam, their feet carry them; but in Jacob's case, he keeps his feet up. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 29:1): THEN JACOB RAISED HIS FEET.

Our Rabbis were taught: For three persons did the earth (the road) shrink (they were miraculously transferred to their destination): For Eliezer, the servant of Abraham; for Jacob, our father, and for Abishai b. Zeruyah; for Abishai b. Zeruyah, as stated above; for Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, as it is written (Gen. 24, 42) And I came this day unto the well. This day means that he left on the same day; for Jacob, our father, (Ib. b) as it is written (Ib. 28, 10-11) And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went towards Haran. And he alighted (vayiphga) upon a certain place and tarried there all night, because the sun was set, etc. When he reached Haran he said: "Is it proper of me not to say prayer when I passed the place where my parents passed? He resolved to return, and soon after his resolution, the earth shrank and he came to Bethel. And whence do we know that David's children were destroyed? It is written (II Kings 11, 1) And when Athaliah the mother of Ahabiah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed. But did not Joash remain? There in the case of Nob also Abiathar remained, as it is written (I Sam. 22, 20) And there escaped one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub whose name was Abiathar. R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "Had not Abiathar remained of Ahimelech's family, nothing would have remained of David's family."

From Kirjath || Arba unto Haran was a journey of seventeen days; and in three hours the servant came to Haran. He was astonished in his mind and he said: This day I went forth, and this day I arrived, as it is said, "And I came this day unto the fountain" (Gen. 24:42).