Genesis 24: A Wife for Isaac

¹ Abraham was now old, getting on in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything. ² Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who managed all he owned, "Place your hand under my thigh,³ and I will have you swear by the LORD, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live, ⁴ but will go to my land and my family to take a wife for my son Isaac."

 Abraham really did not want his son to marry a Canaanite, the people he was living among at the time. Abraham knew his time was almost up, so he made his eldest and most loyal servant swear an oath that he would find for Isaac a wife that wasn't a Canaanite. Abraham made his instructions very clear, because he knew his time was coming, and that he might not live to see the servant return with Isaac's new wife. 


The servant set out on his journey and brought with him 10 camels. He brought the camels near a well outside the town of Nahor, Aram-naharaim, and had his camels kneel there. It was around evening, when the women came to draw water from the well. Before they came out, the servant said a prayer to the Lord, asking for guidance and success in fulfilling the oath he made to Abraham. He asked the Lord for a sign, so that he could be sure that he had chosen the right woman. He immediately saw Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel and son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, carrying a jug over her shoulder. She was extraordinarily beautiful, and no man had known her intimately, so she was still pure. The servant ran up to her and asked for a drink of water. She said yes and quickly lowered her jug for the servant, and then drew water for the camels. This was the sign that the servant had asked from the Lord, and the Lord answered.


The servant, seeing that this is the woman the Lord had chosen, gives her a golden ring and two bracelets. He asks if he can stay at her father's place and she replies that there is plenty of food and a place to sleep. The servant immediately bows down to worship, praise, and give thanks to the Lord. 


So they went to Rebekah's father's house. Her brother Laban, came out to see them, and sees the gold ring and bracelets on Rebekah. They offer the servant food, but he refuses to eat, only wanting to tell them his story. The servant tells the entire story of how Abraham wanted him to find a wife for Isaac, a woman that wasn't a Canaanite. Then he tells them of his prayer to the Lord, and how the Lord answered and gave him guidance. 

⁵⁰ Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. ⁵¹ Rebekah is here in front of you. Take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has spoken."

Because they agreed, the servant gave highly valuable gifts to Rebekah, clothes and jewelery, and he also gives them to her mother and brother. It was customary for the bridegroom or the bridegroom's representative to give gifts of value to show that they are able to provide for the bride.


The family wants Rebekah to stay with them for 10 more days, so that they can say their goodbyes. But, the servant says that they should leave immediately, because the Lord had given the servant success in his journey. They let Rebekah decide, and she agrees to leave immediately as well.

 ⁶⁰ They blessed Rebekah, saying to her:
    Our sister, may you become
    thousands upon ten thousands.
    May your offspring possess
    the gates of their enemies.

Then Rebekah left with the servant, and with her she took her slaves. The got back early evening, and when Rebekah saw Isaac in the distance, she asked the servant who he was, and the servant told her. Upon hearing that it was her future husband, she covered herself with a veil, a sign of her modesty, and chastity. 

  ⁶⁷ And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah to be his wife. Isaac loved her, and he was comforted after his mother's [death].