Rebekah and Isaac
Notes
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Overall theme or thread: How to hear from God.
The longest chapter in Genesis is set in marriage, but it is actually the story of a servant who listens, prays, and obeys God at every turn.
English Standard Version (Chapter 24)
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
I. Faith
I. Faith
Genesis & Exodus Genesis 24:1–67
Taking the oath put the burden on the servant to complete the commission. If the woman he found was not willing to return with him, then he was free from the oath. But by no means was he to take Isaac out of the land in the process. Abraham was thereby ensuring that Isaac would be safe, both physically and in terms of perpetuating the covenant
It only says “servant” Jewish tradition says it is Eliezer who is identified in Genesis 15:2. The servant is the hero of this story.
Abraham now acts as if the covenant is certain. Isaac cant leave the promised land.
He kept good with the locals by treating them fairly, supplying them with goods, maintaining his integrity, and keeping out of their squabbles. Taking one of their daughters in marriage would have erased that delicate boundary.
Marriage is sacred .
Marriage changes things.
Abraham is a CEO. His family is a business. Servants are employees. Abraham picked up Eliezer in Damascus (Genesis 15:2) when his caravan was traveling to the promised land. Eliezer was the Chief of Staff. Second in command. Highest manager.
6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there.
“Watch yourself” is a warning. “Be careful never to take my son there” Abraham saw danger in taking his son out of the promised land.
lesson 1: Heed the advice of godly parents. I have rarely seen parents get it wrong when they are godly people who speak with pure motives.
7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Abraham had faith that God would work ahead of him
7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
It is easy to assume that Abraham now had faith that God would always send an angel or show up when he was in need. Someone would show him the way.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:9
So the servant vput his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter
This is tied to the covenant of circumcision. That God would bless them. He is putting his hand as close to this promise as physically appropriate.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:8
But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then uyou will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there
In other words, “I think I feel God’s guidance, but if I’m wrong don’t do anything hastily- God will have another plan.”
English Standard Version Genesis 24:9
So the servant vput his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter
Weird notes: They place their hands under the thigh because it is the closest responsible place to swear on the covenant (the circumcision) and it is closest to the most valuable things a man owns. English word testify comes from the word “tesitcle”.
It is a way for Abraham to bless the marriage in the event he can’t or he dies. It is giving power of attorney
What do we want most for our kids: for them to be happy, smart, successful, or good?
At the heart you have to say good- that is to obey God. Happiness, smarts, or success apart from goodness would be negative qualities. The only reason you would say anything else is that you ALREADY believe they are good- so it goes unsaid.
English Standard Version Genesis 47:29
29 And swhen the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now tI have found favor in your sight, uput your hand under my thigh and vpromise to deal kindly and truly with me. wDo not bury me in Egypt,
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
The only other reference to this tradition
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
II. Prayer
II. Prayer
Camels were not common and made ideal pack animals for long journeys. Each beast represented a small fortune. Ten camels in Abraham’s day would have looked like a ten limousine entourage today.
Prayer: He had doubtlessly seen Abraham do this countless times before.
12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.
Lesson 2- Cover it in prayer
This would be way beyond for the woman.
14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
These were not arbitrary. He looked for a woman who had uncommon hospitality and was willing to work hard to serve.
Watering 10 camels is going above and beyond.
A camel can drink as much as fifty gallons in three minutes and he had 10. Most jars at that time were about 5 gallons.
A five gallon jar is about fifty pounds. She was about to haul five hundred gallons, five gallons at a time. That is 100 trips. If each trip takes 1 minute, she just added 2 hours of backbreaking work.
She set herself apart from the pack clearly.
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
III. Discernment.
III. Discernment.
He isn’t looking for a miracle, he only wants to see what God is actually doing. Is God moving here or not.
Rebekah was Isaac’s 1st cousin once removed. She would have worn clothing that identified her as unmarried and therefore a virgin.
Genesis 24:19–21 (ESV)
3rd principle: Look for true character.
He watched to see if she would do it. It is possible others had said they would do it. Her true character would be revealed by whether she would do it.
Rational Bible
Three mirrors.
If we want to see our appearance, we look in a glass mirror.
If we want to see our mind or thinking, we look at our writing. Writing is thinking.
If we want to see our character, we look at the people around us. If we are surrounded by bad or mean people, we are likely bad or mean.
The servant observes how Rebekah treats a stranger. This is a good way to discern character.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD 27 and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” 28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
IV. Praise/ gratitude
IV. Praise/ gratitude
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels,
A worker might expect to make 10 shekels of silver per year and often less according to archeology.
He gives her 50 or 60 thousand dollars minimum. This is tipping a nice Rolex or car.
24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
Nahor is Abraham’s brother. So she is his first cousin, once removed, aka his 1st cousin’s child.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:26–27
The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD 27 and said, “Blessed be the LORD, gthe God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken hhis steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD ihas led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen
He prays and worships as a lifestyle. He isn’t the hero in this story- God is!
Ungrateful people cannot be happy. It is impossible
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
V. Frame- He puts it in perspective of God working. How different would your life be if you saw everything as God teaching you or God moving in your life.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:33
Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
He recounts the exact story because it is so important that everyone know that none of this is an accident. It is easy to just let life happen to us.
How often do you recount your day but from the perspective of all that God did today. How often to you reinterpret your day through the lens of God moving mightily on your behalf?
Yes the news happened today. Yes there were likely frustrating things that the government did or a coworker did or a classmate- but let me tell you what God did in my life today!
This is also a way to memorize the story, so retelling it in the same story is not unusual.
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. 37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’42 “I came today to the spring and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”
VI. Providence. God uses selfish Laben. The servant can tell laben is crooked. It doesn’t take a genius. But God will use Laben.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:58
She said, “I will go
Godly people sometimes are called to make immediate, firm, longterm decisions.
Jesus’ disciples left their nets to follow him.
When you know God calls, you go.
God is the hero but it is always the result of human choices that determine where he wins!
61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
VII. Faith that God is moving.
VII. Faith that God is moving.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:65
So she took her veil and covered herself
She is identifying her to Isaac. This is how a bride to be would dress.
English Standard Version Genesis 24:67
67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was jcomforted after his mother’s kdeath
An odd note that Abraham isn’t included in the marriage . He was there, it is just the author’s way of making clear this is not a story of Abraham.
The reason the “tent of Sarah” is mentioned is that Rebekah is now the matriarch. She is the top woman.
This is a story of God’s faithfulness to the covenant and his providence to make sure it happens at all costs.
Remember it is all God. He makes things work out. He causes the events. He works around our failings and ignorances.
God works behind the scenes. He is moving in our hearts all the time to make things coincide.
There were plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong:
Servant could have failed
The sign could have been missed by the servant
Laban could have disagreed
Rebekah could have said no
We have a responsibility to ensure the next Generation follows Jesus.
We may be confident that the Lord will lead us in our faithful activities (God’s will is whatever we do according to his Ways). If I follow His ways, I’ll find his Will.
Believers must give priority to completing God’s Work. (The servant is going to get it done and won’t eat until he can get an answer) (Genesis 24:55-56)
Believers may rest assured that the Lord will complete the good work he has begun
Believers may trust the Lord to give them guidance and success through his covenant faithfulness as they act responsibly in obedience to the covenant.