Four Who Asked Rashly and How Three Were Answered Fittingly

"Behold, I stand by the well of water, and let it be that the maiden" (Genesis 24:13-14). Four there were who made requests improperly. To three of them He gave fittingly, and to one He gave unfittingly. And these are they: Eliezer the servant of Abraham, and Caleb, and Saul, and Jephthah. Eliezer: "and let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say" - had a mere bondwoman come out and given him drink, he would have married her to his master's son! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him fittingly, "and behold, Rebecca came out" (Genesis 24:15). Caleb said: "He that smites Kiriath-sefer and takes it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife" (Joshua 15:16) - had a slave captured it, he would have given him his daughter! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him fittingly: "And Othniel son of Kenaz captured it" (Joshua 15:17). Saul said: "And it shall be that the man who smites him" and so forth - had a Cushite or a gentile or a slave gone out and smitten him, he would have given him his daughter! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him fittingly: "And David, the son of an Ephrathite man" (1 Samuel 17:12). Jephthah said: "And it shall be that whatever comes forth, that comes out of the doors of my house" - had a donkey or a dog come out, he would have offered it up as a burnt offering! The Holy One, blessed be He, arranged for him unfittingly: "And Jephthah came to Mizpah, and behold, his daughter came out to meet him" (Judges 11:34).