May 1997
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Genesis Chapter 24
A change in the "history" story of Genesis changes with the 24th Chapter. In this chapter the focus of the story starts to change from Abraham, to the beginning of Abraham’s heirs. God has told Abraham numerous times in previous verses that Abraham’s "seed" will be a blessed nation. We begin to see in this chapter the story of the descendants of Abraham.
By this time in history, Abraham had grown old. His wife, Sarah, had died and had been buried in the sepulcher (family burial plot) Abraham had chosen. One major event was needed for Abraham to establish his descendants — Isaac needed a wife. Not just any would do. God had promised Abraham a "seed" and had provided that seed in Isaac; now Abraham wanted to get a wife for Isaac in accordance with God’s standards.
Abraham did not want his son to marry from the "daughters of the Canaanites" in the land where he lived (See Gen. 24:3). Instead, Abraham wanted Isaac to have a wife from Abraham’s family back in Abraham’s homeland.
Abraham called in his eldest servant with specific instructions for finding a wife for Isaac. Abraham instructed the servant to "go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac." Gen. 24:4.
Abraham made the servant take an oath to follow his instructions to bring back a bride for Isaac. The servant was afraid he could not convince a bride to return with him and asked in Isaac could accompany him. Abraham refused to let Isaac go. Abraham told the servant that God would send an angel to help find a proper bride and indicated to the servant that the oath would be relieved if the servant followed his instructions, even if a bride could not be convinced to return.
The servant took the oath and assembled an entourage for the journey, including gifts for the bride. He headed out to the city of Nabor in Mesopotamia. He arrived outside the city at a well where the young women of the city drew water in the evenings. The servant prayed to God for guidance in selecting Isaac a bride. The servant developed a plan and prayed the Lord to bless it. He prayed that he would ask the young women to provide him a drink of water. The woman that offered him a drink and then offered to provide water to his camels would be the one he would select for Isaac’s wife. Gen. 24:9-14.
Hardly before he finished his prayer, out from the city came a beautiful young woman named Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, and the granddaughter of Milcah. Milcah had been the wife of Nabor, Abraham’s brother. Therefore, Rebekah was the second cousin of Isaac.
As Rebekah was filling her pitcher, the servant went up to her and asked for a drink. She gave him a drink and then told him "I will draw water for thy camels." Gen. 24:19.
The servant was in wonder, amazed that the Lord had guided the matter. The servant gave to Rebekah valuable jewelry and began to inquire who she was and whether he could go to her house and meet her family. Rebekah introduced herself, gave her family background, and invited the servant to her home. The servant bowed and thank the Lord for guiding him to a woman from Abraham’s "kindred".
Rebekah ran home and told her family of the incident. Her brother, Laban, ran out to meet the servant. Rebekah’s family welcomed the servant into their home and cared for the servant’s traveling entourage. Before he would eat, the servant explained the history of Abraham and the Lord’s blessing to Abraham in the birth of Isaac, He explained his instructions from Abraham, his prayer to the Lord to help him find Isaac a bride, and Rebekah’s fulfillment of his prayer.
Both Rabekah’s brother and her mother approved of Rebekah’s becoming Isaac’s bride. The servant showered the family with gifts and clothes and other precious things and they all had a big celebration. The next morning the servant wanted to leave immediately, but the family wanted Rebekah to stay for a few more days. They agreed to let Rebekah decide. Rebekah agreed to go immediately and the servant took her and her sister and a nurse.
The family sent Rebekah on her way with Abraham’s servant, telling her: "be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them." Gen. 24:60.
As the servant arrived with Rebekah, Isaac, who was about 40 years old at this time (Gen. 25:20), saw them coming and ran to meet them. When Rebekah saw Isaac coming, she jumped off her camel, confirmed with the servant that the man coming was Isaac, and took a veil and covered herself.
"And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death." Gen. 24:67.
We learn later that the seed of Isaac and Rebekah become Israel, and the twelve tribes of Israel, and the fulfillment of God’s covenant to Abraham.