בראשית, פרק כ״ד, פסוק נ״ו

Following a successful mission and an agreed-upon match, Abraham's servant faces one final obstacle: the family’s desire to postpone the departure. In a firm response, he rejects any possibility of waiting and demands to leave immediately. He specifically asks them not to cause a delay, using language that implies more than just a brief pause; it indicates missing a fixed, designated time [הכתב והקבלה]. Furthermore, he implies that their request to wait is entirely optional, born of personal preference rather than any justified reason [ביאור יש״ר]. By asking them not to delay him rather than the girl, the servant makes it clear that their fates are now intertwined. He has no intention of leaving without her, meaning that holding her back pointlessly holds him back as well [רד״ק, ביאור יש״ר].

The servant grounds his demand in the fact that God has already made his journey successful. The commentators offer several layers to this argument. Theologically, true divine success brooks no delay. Since God orchestrated the match in a miraculous and immediate fashion, the timing itself is clearly dictated by heaven, and any hesitation would be an interference with God’s schedule [רשב״ם, מלבי״ם]. Detaining the girl would actively oppose His will, especially given that her future home will provide her with far superior care and conditions than she currently has [בכור שור]. There is even a veiled warning in his words. Just as Bethuel met a sudden death for attempting to hinder the match, the family might also face divine retribution if they try to stand in God's way [פני דוד]. On a psychological level, while a failed messenger might intentionally delay his return so that his master worries and is simply relieved to see him alive, a successful messenger has absolutely no reason to linger [העמק דבר]. Moreover, since the family already acknowledged that the entire event was orchestrated by God, it defies logic to force the servant to stay against his will, as a coerced delay would tarnish the very divine success he was sent to achieve [ביאור יש״ר].

To eliminate any possibility of a compromise, the servant insists that he must physically depart and return to his master. The family had previously suggested that the girl stay with them, an offer that could have been interpreted as allowing her to live in a separate residence in their city while remaining under the servant's supervision. He firmly rejects this, emphasizing that he must completely leave their territory and return to Abraham's domain [העמק דבר].

Another fascinating dimension to his urgency stems from the nature of his travel. The family had noticed that he brought fresh fruit from the Land of Israel, leading them to realize he had experienced a miraculous, instantaneous journey, arriving in a single day. They naturally assumed he could easily afford to stay for ten days and simply rely on another miracle for a swift return. The servant clarifies that the miracle only occurred on the way there, specifically timed to ensure the girl would be the exact appropriate age to marry Isaac. For the journey back, however, he will have to travel by natural means. Consequently, he cannot afford to waste time in a foreign land and must begin the long journey home immediately [חתם סופר].