023. XI. Securing A Wife For Isaac
§ XI. SECURING A WIFE FOR ISAAC Genesis 22:20-24; Genesis 24:1-61; Genesis 25:5; Genesis 25:8; Genesis 25:11 b, Genesis 24:62-67; Genesis 23:2
1. Abraham’s kinsmen in Aram. Now it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham saying, Behold, Milcah has also borne children to your brother Nahor, Uz his first-born, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo and Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel. (And Bethuel begat Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
2. Instructions to his servant. When Abraham was old and far advanced in years and Jehovah had blessed him in all things, Abraham said to the eldest of his house servants, who had charge of all his affairs, Put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh, while I make you swear by Jehovah, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, but that you will go to my country and to my kindred and take there a wife for my son Isaac. And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then bring your son back to the land from which you came? And Abraham said to him, See to it that you do not bring my son there again. Jehovah, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my nativity and who talked with me and who swore to me saying, ‘To thy descendants will I give this land,’ may he send his Messenger before you and may you secure there a wife for my son. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath to me; only never again bring my son back there. So the servant put his hand under his master’s thigh and swore to him concerning this matter.
3. The servant’s journey and arrival in Aram. Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and set out, having all kinds of his master’s precious things. Thus he arose and went to Aram Naharaim to the city of Nahor. And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at eventide, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, give me, I pray thee, good success to-day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold I am standing by the spring of water and the daughters of men of the city are coming out to draw water. May it be that the maiden to whom I shall say, ‘ Pray let down your water jar that I may drink ’; and she shall answer, ‘ Drink, and I will also water your camels,’ let her be the one thou hast destined for thy servant Isaac; and by this shall I know that thou hast showed kindness to my master.
4. His meeting and conversation with Rebekah. Then even before he had finished speaking, behold there came out Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her water jar upon her shoulder. And the maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin whom no man had known. And she went down to the spring and filled her jar, and came up. Then the servant ran to meet her, saying, Pray let me drink a little water from your jar. And she said, Drink my lord, and hastened to let down her water jar upon her hand and let him drink. When she had finished giving him drink she said, I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking. And she made haste to empty her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels. Meanwhile the man was gazing at her intently, keeping silent in order to determine whether Jehovah had made his journey successful or not. Then, as soon as the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring of a half shekel weight, and two bracelets of ten shekels weight of gold for her arms, and said, Whose daughter are you? tell me, I pray you. Is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in? And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. She also said to him, Both straw and provender are plentiful with us and there is room to lodge in. Then the man bowed his head and worshipped Jehovah, saying, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham who hath not withdrawn his mercy and his faithfulness from my master. As for me, Jehovah hath led me on the journey to the house of my master’s kinsmen.
5. His reception at her house. Then the maiden ran and told these things to her mother’s house. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. And Laban ran out to the man at the spring. And it came to pass when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and when he heard the words of Rebekah saying, Thus the man spoke to me; that he came to the man, who was still standing by the camels at the fountain. And he said, Come in, you who are blessed of Jehovah! Why do you stand outside when I have the house and room for the camels all ready? So he brought the man into the house, and ungirded the camels; and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
6.Declaration of his mission. But when food was set before him to eat, he said, I will not eat until I have made known my errand. And Laban said, Speak on. And he said, I am Abraham’s servant. And Jehovah hath blessed my master greatly, so that he has become very rich. He hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and asses. Now 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. And my master made me swear saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred and take a wife for my son.’ Then I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me. ‘But he said to me,’ May Jehovah, before whom I walk, send his Messenger with you and prosper your mission, and may you take for my son a wife of my kindred and of my father’s house. Then you will be free from your oath to me; however, when you come to my kindred, if they do not give her to you, you shall also be free from your oath to me.’ So I came to-day to the spring and said, ‘O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper my mission on which I am going, behold, I am standing by the spring of water, may it be that if I shall say to the maiden who comes forth to draw, “Give me, I pray you, a little water from your jar to drink,” and she shall say to me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,” let that one be the woman whom Jehovah hath destined for my master’s son.’ Even before I was through speaking to myself, behold, Rebekah came forth with her water jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew. And when I said to her, ‘Pray let me drink,’ she made haste, and let down her water jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank and she also watered the camels. Then I asked her, saying, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ Then I put the ring in her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. And I bowed my head and worshipped Jehovah, and blessed Jehovah the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now if you are ready to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, that I may act accordingly.
7. Consent of Rebekah’srelatives. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The matter is in the hands of Jehovah. We cannot give you either an adverse or a favorable answer. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as Jehovah hath spoken. And it came to pass that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before Jehovah. Then the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother precious things. And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and remained all night.
8.His departure and return with Rebekah. When they rose up in the morning, he said, Send me away to my master; but her brother and her mother answered, Let the maiden remain with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go. But he said to them, Hinder me not, since Jehovah hath prospered my mission. Send me away that I may go to my master. Then they said, We will call the maiden and consult her. And when they called Rebekah and said to her, Will you go with this man? she said, I will go. So they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse with Abraham’s servant, and his men. And they blessed Rebekah, saying to her, Our sister! may you become thousands and thousands! And may your descendants possess the gates of their enemies.
Then Rebekah arose with her maids and, riding upon the camels, followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went away.
9.Abraham’s death. Now Abraham had given all that he had to Isaac. And Abraham had breathed his last, dying in a good old age, old and satisfied with living, and had been gathered to his father’s kin. And Isaac dwelt by Beer-lahai-roi.
10.Meeting with Isaac. And Isaac had come from the direction of Beer-lahai-roi, for he dwelt in the South Country. And as Isaac was going out to meditate in the field at eventide, he lifted up his eyes and saw that there were camels coming. Rebekah too lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel. And she said to the servant, Who is this man walking in the field to meet us? And when the servant said, It is my master, she took her veil and covered herself. Then the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. And Isaac brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. Thus was Isaac comforted concerning his mother, who had died at Kirjaith-arba (that is Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
I.Literary Form of the Story. This story is told with greater detail than any other in the book of Genesis. The stream of the narrative does not flow on rapidly as in the preceding stories, but slowly, even turning back upon itself, with one or two long repetitions. The story is an idyll in seven scenes, each portraying with rare grace and vividness the successive stages in the unfolding of the plot. Each individual acts his part nobly, and the narrative runs on to a happy conclusion without a discordant note. It was a story doubtless retold many times beside the camp fires, and especially at the marriage feasts in ancient Israel.
II.Abraham’s Faithful Servant. The opening paragraph introduces the dramatis persona. The twelve sons of Nahor represent twelve Aramean tribes living to the east and northeast of Palestine. The most attractive character in the story is Abraham’s trusty slave. The English term, household servant, here reproduces most nearly the meaning of the Hebrew term for slave, for the interests of the master and servant are identical, and the sacred trust that the dying Abraham leaves to his aged liegeman is not betrayed. The means by which a wife is secured for Isaac are those of the East, where the father, not the son, arranges all the marriage preliminaries. The event was of supreme importance, for the fulfilment of Jehovah’s promises to the race depended upon it. The oath taken with the hand under the thigh was of the most solemn and binding nature. It was again used by Jacob when he imposed a solemn promise upon his son Joseph (§ XVIII), and it probably signified that the oath was also binding upon the descendants of the one thus swearing. It was often employed by primitive peoples, and is still in use among certain Australian tribes. The oath of Abraham’s servant also reflects the pride which the Hebrews always felt in their Aramean ancestry, and their growing abhorrence, in later days, for the corrupt Canaanite civilization.
III.His Successful Mission. Laden with rich treasures to be used as the bridal dowry, the servant journeys toward western Mesopotamia, to the land lying on either side of the central Euphrates valley. As he waits at eventide outside Haran, he prays fervently that the God of his master will prosper him in the difficult mission which he has undertaken. Soon a beautiful maiden appears with a water jar upon her shoulder. At his request she gives him water to drink; then, exceeding even the oriental laws of hospitality, but in accord with the chosen sign, she waters his camels also.
Gladdened by the discovery that the beautiful maiden is the grand daughter of his master’s brother, and by the unmistakable signs of divine guidance, Abraham’s servant accepts the generous oriental hospitality which is offered him in response to Rebekah’s report. When he and his servants and camels are all under the hospitable roof, and before he will partake of the offered food, he tells his tale and presents his suit. He also reenforces it after the oriental fashion by lavish gifts. These are given not only to the desired bride, but also to her mother and brother, who, since the father is evidently dead, stand at the head of the household. The final decision is left to Rebekah herself. She responds in a spirit worthy of the ancestress of a race destined to go forth and possess many an unknown land. The parting blessing of her kinsmen voices the familiar hope that her descendants may be countless and triumph over their many foes.
IV.The Return. The form of Abraham’s command to his servant suggests that the aged patriarch was on the point of death. The final scene in the story implies that Abraham had died before the servant’s return, but in Genesis his death is recorded in a subsequent passage which was taken from the late priestly narrative (chap. 25). In the present text this brief, stately, expressive account of Abraham’s decease has been restored to what appears to have been its original place in the prophetic history. The vivid story reaches its climax in the picturesque meeting of Isaac and Rebekah in the wilderness at eventide. Oriental custom left no place for the expression of individual sentiment until the bride had been conducted to the tent of her future husband. By this act the eastern marriage ceremony was completed. The narrative, however, states that Isaac loved Rebekah and that she filled in the heart of the only son the place left vacant by the death of his mother.
V.Historical Significance of the Story. Few stories have been preserved regarding Isaac. An early prophetic narrative tells of his experiences at the court of the king of Gerar. Fearing lest the natives will kill him in order to seize his beautiful wife, he declares that Rebekah is his sister. His deception, however, is soon discovered, and he is sharply rebuked by the king of Gerar. Nevertheless, as the heir of the divine promises, prosperity still attends him. At Beersheba he makes a covenant of peace with the king of Gerar and seals it by a solemn oath. Hence to Isaac the oldest stories attribute the origin of the name Beersheba (Well of the Oath).
Isaac is the hero of the South Country, just as Abraham is of Hebron, and Jacob of Bethel and the sanctuaries east of the Jordan. Beer-lahai-roi, Gerar and Beersheba, to the south of Canaan, are the sites about which the Isaac stories gather, and at these sacred places they Were probably first treasured. Thus tradition fixes his abode in the half nomadic, half agricultural land that lies midway between the territory of the Hebrews and of the Edomites, who regarded him as their common ancestor. From this same wilderness region came many of the tribes which later united to form the Hebrew nation. The account of Rebekah’s journey westward with her attendant servants may also be the form in which early tradition recorded the fact that later bands of Aramean immigrants followed and reenforced the first great migration represented by Abraham. The fact that her kinsmen are Aramean tribes and her descendants are two great nations, at least suggests that, although there may be an ultimate basis of individual history, the stories reflect the early movements of tribes and races.
VI.Aim and Teachings. The primary aim of this story was evidently to interest and entertain the audiences that gathered about the ancient story-teller. The narrative also illustrates the divine guidance of the destinies of the race. The character of Isaac is not so fully portrayed, nor is it as significant as that of either Abraham or Jacob. Isaac has his father’s mildness and love of peace without the same commanding faith. He is conventionally pious, and goes out to meditate at eventide; but is stirred by no exalted ambition. To him the divine promise is renewed, yet it is not for his own sake but for that of Abraham. Isaac is a loving husband, but he is inclined to follow the line of least resistance, even though his wife is endangered by his cowardly deception. He is a true type of the average man of any age or race.
Rebekah in the story realized the oriental ideal of a wise, brave woman and wife. The portrait of the servant is of perennial value. His complete forgetfulness of self, his fidelity, his zeal and tact in carrying out the commands of his master, even though he be but a slave, and his child-like faith in God’s leadership, are qualities which make men valuable members of society in every age.