Commentary for Genesis 24:61

AND REBEKAH AROSE, AND HER MAIDS. Scripture relates that after they gave permission for Rebekah and her nurse to go, as well as for Abraham’s servant and his men, Rebekah rose and called her maids. And they rode upon the camels, and followed the man because he led them on the way.

ויקח העבד את רבקה, this describes the transfer from the father’s emissaries to those of the husband, as described in Ketuvot 48. Once the marriage became consummated she became the mistress, and Eliezer became her servant also.

ותקם, after they had departed from accompanying her on foot, Rivkah mounted the camel and rode. It is not good manners for the departing person to ride while those accompanying her are walking on foot. This part of the story teaches us this basic point of good manners, something that Rivkah was aware of.

ויקח העבד את רבקה וילך, “The servant took Rivkah and he went.” The Torah here describes the servant’s desire to quickly complete his mission, after all the women had first accompanied Rivkah to the outskirts of the town, now Eliezer personally took over the task of watching over her to protect her against any possible mishap. Alternatively, seeing that the entire entourage of Rivkah and her family and friends had delayed the orderly departure as they had difficulty in parting from her, Eliezer now told the locals to turn back and let him get on with his task; i.e. ויקח, he now took matters in hand, etc. Ibn Ezra opines that the meaning of the apparently repeated mention of Eliezer taking Rivkah is that he personally walked along side her until they eventually met Yitzchok, and that he did not mind the inconvenience of walking (instead of riding on a camel).

ויקח העבר. Rebekka und ihre Dienerinnen ritten, Elieser aber führte das Kamel Rebekkas und ging zu Fuß.

אחרי האיש, for he knew the way so that he had to be in the lead and Rivkah and her entourage behind him.

AND THE SERVANT TOOK REBEKAH, AND WENT HIS WAY. The purpose of this is to tell of his zealousness for after having left the city with all the women following him, the servant took Rebekah to him and did not part from her in order to guard her against any mishap along the way. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that it means that he walked with Rebekah and never felt the weariness of the journey until Isaac came and met him.

ויקח העבד את רבקה, he took her to be by his side so that she would not be apart from him, a sign of his high regard for her.