A Wife for the Young Master

Hello and welcome back to the Panhandle. It's a beautiful day here, I pray it is the same for you. 

Well last week we saw that Sara the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac died and was set in the new family crypt or cave. Now as we look at the rest of Chapter 24, we see Abraham sending his faithful servant Eliezer back to Haran to find a wife for Isaac. Talk about a hard job, but with God all things are possible even find a wife for Isaac.

Genesis 24:10-29

10 Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a girl, `Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, `Drink, and I'll water your camels too'--let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."

15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar."

18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking." 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"

24 She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor." 25 And she added, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night."

26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27 saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

28 The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things.

1. Eliezer Go To Nahor and finds Rebekah (vv. 10 – 28)

Eliezer had been promised divine guidance and he was anxious to be led. A devout man, who sought to know God's will, he prayed fervently and trustfully that minute directions might be given. A mistake, he felt, would be disastrous. Surely Eliezer was God's man for a highly important quest.

The city of Nahor. Either the city of Haran or a city named Nahor in the vicinity of Haran. Mesopotamia is the translation of the Hebrew which might literally be rendered "Aram of the two rivers," i.e., the region of the Tigris and Euphrates river valleys. Bethuel was the father of Laban and Rebekah. His parents were Nahor and Milcah. Abraham was his uncle.

When Eliezer met Rebekah at the well, he was convinced that God had answered his prayer and had guided him directly to her. The girl was beautiful and intelligent, and answered precisely to every requirement he had stipulated. So Eliezer presented her with a few preliminary gifts; a ring for the nose and then two bracelets, all showy and extremely valuable. Other gifts were to follow when the family gathered in the tent of Rebekah's mother.

(from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)

Genesis 24:28-54

29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31 "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels."

32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33 Then food was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say."

"Then tell us," [Laban] said.

34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 The LORD has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master's wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 37 And my master made me swear an oath, and said, `You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38 but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.'

39 "Then I asked my master, `What if the woman will not come back with me?'

40 "He replied, `The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family. 41 Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you--you will be released from my oath.'

42 "When I came to the spring today, I said, `O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar," 44 and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too," let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master's son.'

45 "Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, `Please give me a drink.'

46 "She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, `Drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.

47 "I asked her, `Whose daughter are you?'

"She said, `The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.'

"Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48 and I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn."

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed."

52 When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, "Send me on my way to my master."

2. Eliezer Relates His Mission (vv. 29 – 54)

Rebekah maked herself known in reply to Eliezer inquiries. "A ring of gold." The single ring was worn in the nose, the side cartilage of which was pierced for the purpose. This is a custom of the East. "A beka" was half a shekel, somewhat less than a quarter of an ounce. "Ten of gold in weight." Ten bekas would be about two ounces and a quarter. These were merely a reward for her kindness and courtesy to a stranger. Two questions were asked by the stranger-the one relating to her kindred, and the other to the means and the inclination they had to entertain a stranger, when inns were not yet in existence. She announces herself to be the daughter of his master's nephew, and assures him of the requisite accommodation.

The reception of Abraham's servant.

Laban now made an entrance. He was ready to run with his sister to find the man, and invite him, as a matter of course, to his father's house. "When he saw the ring." The presents to his sister assure him that this is the envoy of some man of wealth and position. "Thou blessed of the Lord." The name of Yahweh was evidently not unfamiliar to Laban's ears. He calls this stranger "blessed of Yahweh," on account of his language, demeanor, and manifest prosperity.

The knowledge and worship of the living God, the God of truth and mercy, was still retained in the family of Nahor. Being warmly invited, the Eliezer entered the house. "And he ungirded the camels." Laban was following the duties of hospitality. It comes out here, incidentally, as it was reasonable to infer from the number of camels, that Eliezer had a assemblage of servants with him. The crowning act of an Eastern reception is the presenting of food. But the Eliezer had to deliver his message before enjoying the friendly meal.

 
Eliezer narrated in some detail the striking fulfillment of his prayer for guidance and assurance. This Godly man knew that the Lord had led him and that Rebekah was God's choice for his young master. Eliezer's story was told, he explains his business, and then left the matter in the hands of the family. His children by Hagar and Keturah were dismissed with portions during his life, and the main bulk of his property was given to Isaac.

Genesis 24:55-60

55 But her brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go."

56 But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the LORD has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master."

57 Then they said, "Let's call the girl and ask her about it." 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?"

"I will go," she said.

59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

"Our sister, may you increase

to thousands upon thousands;

may your offspring possess

the gates of their enemies."

3. Laban Handles The Arrangements (vv. 55 – 60)

Laban betrayed his true character when, upon seeing the expensive ring and bracelets, he decided that nothing should be spared in holding on to Eliezer. He could not fail to be hospitable to a man who could make such gifts. The ornaments were but the beginning. Soon jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and beautiful clothes were bestowed upon Rebekah. And precious things (v. 53), special gifts, were presented to the mother and the brother of the bride. In a way these gifts made up for the loss of such a beloved member of the family.

Laban, as the full brother of Rebekah, has a voice in the disposal of her hand; but only the father had the power to ratify the contract. Eliezer first bows in acknowledgment to the Lord, who had now manifested his approval of the choice he had made, and then proceeded to distribute costly gifts to the bride, and to her brother and mother. Now at length the thankful Eliezer partook of the fare set before him along with the entertainers, and after the night's relaxation requests to be dismissed. "A few days;" perhaps a week or ten days. The mother and brother naturally plead for a little time to prepare for parting with Rebekah.

This is the only free choice in the matter that seems to have been given to Rebekah. Her consent may have been modestly indicated, before her family ratified the contract. It is plain, however, that it was thought proper that the parents should receive and decide upon a proposal of marriage. The extent to which the maiden's inclinations would be consulted would depend very much on the custom of the country, and the intelligence and good feeling of the parents. Rebekah's decision shows that she concurred in the consent of her relatives.

"And her nurse." Her name, we learn afterward (Gen 35:8), was Deborah. The nurse accompanied the bride as her confidential adviser and faithful attendant, and died in her service; a beautiful trait of ancient manners.

"And her damsels." We here learn, again, incidentally, that Rebekah had more female attendants than her nurse.

Genesis 24:62-67

62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?"

"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

4. Isaac Meets His Bride (vv. 62 – 67)

Isaac finally met his bride. He had been at Beer-lahai-roi, the scene of the interview of Hagar with the angel of the Lord-a spot calculated to awaken thoughts of an overruling Providence.

"To meditate." This is a characteristic of Isaac's retiring, contemplative mood. Abraham was the active, authoritative father; Isaac was the passive, submissive son. In this hour of his grave reflection comes his destined bride with her faithful escort upon his view. Rebekah lights off the camel. Doubtless the conversation with the Eliezer had made her aware of their approach to the residence of her future husband.

She concluded at once that this must have be Isaac, and, getting off her camel, she asked if he was. On being informed by the Eliezer that this was his young master, she put on the veil, which covers the head, and hung down gracefully both behind and before. The aged servant reports the success of his mission, and presented Rebekah. Isaac brought his cousin's daughter into the quarters formerly occupied by his mother, and accepted her as his wife. The formalities of the interview, and of her presentation to Abraham as his daughter-in-law, are all untold.

"And he loved her." This is the first mention of the social affections. It comes in probably because Isaac had not before seen his bride, and now felt his heart drawn toward her, when she was presented to him. All this was evidently done in accordance to God's will, as became those who were to be the lineage of the seed of promise. We have here a description of the marriage. It was a simple taking of a woman for a wife before all witnesses, and with suitable feelings and expression of reverence toward God, and of desire for his blessing. It was a pure and holy relation.