The Bible: Commentary and Controversy

The story of Isaac and Rebekah is, perhaps, the exception to my misogynist rule. It’s actually a very charming story in which a woman is one of the major characters, and in which a husband is actually described as loving his wife.

Abraham sends his major domo to get a wife for Isaac from the Canaanite women – Abraham’s country, his relatives.

The servant asks “what if she won’t come with me? Shall I take your son there to choose his own wife?”

Abraham tells him under no circumstances is he to take Isaac there, saying “The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.”

He says if the woman does not want to come, then the servant is relieved of the duty.

So the servant packs up and travels to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. He stops outside the city, with his camels, in the evening, when women go out to draw water.

The servant prays, saying “O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show loving kindness to my master Abraham.” Then decides how he will know the right woman.

“Now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’ — may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown loving kindness to my master.”

Immediately a beautiful young girl comes out with a jar on her shoulder. A virgin, though I have no idea how the servant was able to discern that fact. She draws some water, the servant asks her for a drink, she agrees, and offers to water the camels. So the servant knows she is The One.

They go to Rebekah’s house, where he meets the family and explains his mission. The family agrees, but Rebekah’s mother, and her brother Laban, suggest they not leave for a while – say ten days.

The servant responds “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”

Her family then says “we will call the girl and consult her wishes.” Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” Abraham’s servant gives Rebekah and her family many precious and valuable items, and they leave to go back to Isaac, who was living in the Negev.

Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the camel.

She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her veil and covered herself.

Then Isaac brought her into his mother’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

A sweet story, punctuated at the end by the words “and he loved her.”