Following the successful marriage negotiations, the atmosphere shifts to an evening of celebration and rest [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The meal shared is not an ordinary dinner, but a proper, joyous engagement feast [העמק דבר, מלבי״ם]. During this celebration, the dynamic among the travelers changes. Previously, the servant's companions were treated as subordinates, completely secondary to Abraham's emissary. Now, a sense of equality emerges. In this moment of joy, the servant drops his air of authority, and all the men sit, eat, and celebrate together as peers [העמק דבר, מלבי״ם].
The group remains for the night, a stay that commentators agree refers strictly to a single night's rest, as daylight naturally separates one night from the next. True to this timeline, the men rise immediately the following morning [רש״י, מזרחי, ביאור יש״ר, גור אריה]. Upon waking, the servant immediately asks to return to his master to finish his mission. Although he phrases his request in the singular, asking only for his own departure, his underlying intention is obvious: the young woman must be sent along with him [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
This subtle demand is rooted in the customs of the era. It was unacceptable to leave a betrothed woman alone with individuals her future husband did not fully trust. If Rebecca were to remain with her family, the servant would have no choice but to stay behind to guard her. Thus, his insistence on leaving naturally meant she had to travel with him [העמק דבר].
This firm push to depart immediately leads to a significant turning point in the story. Tradition notes that Rebecca's father, Bethuel, died during that very night. With his passing, the absolute parental authority to marry off a daughter against her will vanished. Because the servant insists on leaving right away, the family is forced to turn directly to Rebecca and ask for her personal agreement. This pivotal moment establishes a fundamental law: a woman can only be married with her own full knowledge and consent [ברכת אשר על התורה].