Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 24:42-67
Many modern women rail against the patriarchy and think they have a rough life. They have a long list of grievances about modern life which they insist proves that women are oppressed.
It is true that life is not fair. It is true that men have some advantages in life which women do not have, particularly when it comes to physical safety. However, today’s passage illustrates something for which modern women should give thanks. We will read about a situation Rebekah faced which is not at all common for western women in the 21st century.
Abraham sent a servant to find a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives. Yahweh led the servant to Rebekah, who was a granddaughter of Abraham’s brother. Laban, Rebekah’s brother, invited the servant to their house and prepared a meal for the servant. Before they ate, the servant insisted on explaining his mission. He recounted how Abraham had made him swear to take a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives. The following verses are the servant talking to Laban.
Gen. 24:42 ¶ “So I came today to the spring and said, ‘O Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful;
Gen. 24:43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”;
Gen. 24:44 and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; she is the woman whom Yahweh has decided upon for my master’s son.’
Gen. 24:45 ¶ “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah was coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
Gen. 24:46 Then she hurried and lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give water to your camels to drink’; so I drank, and she also gave water to the camels to drink.
Gen. 24:47 Then I asked her and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
Look at the phrase “on her nose”. In modern society, nose rings are somewhat unusual and considered a bit rebellious. Apparently, in Abraham’s day they were normal.
Gen. 24:48 And I bowed low and worshiped Yahweh; and I blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the true way to take the daughter of my master’s relative for his son.
Gen. 24:49 So now if you are going to show lovingkindness and truth with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right or to the left.”
Gen. 24:50 ¶ Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The matter comes from Yahweh; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.
Look at the phrase “The matter comes from Yahweh.” Laban and Bethuel were confident Yahweh was giving direction in this matter.
Gen. 24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as Yahweh has spoken.”
Notice Laban and Bethuel did not ask Rebekah if she was willing. They made the decision for her.
Consider this from the perspective of Bethuel and Laban. They are living life, and one day a servant of Abraham shows up and asks them to send Rebekah to be the wife of Isaac. This was an abrupt change to their lives.
Gen. 24:52 ¶ Now it happened that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before Yahweh.
Gen. 24:53 The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
Gen. 24:54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. And then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
The text is clear that the servant wanted to return home the morning after he arrived and made the arrangement for Rebekah to marry Isaac. Consider this from the perspective of Rebekah’s family. The servant wanted them to send Rebekah away with less than 24 hours notice.
Gen. 24:55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, or even ten; afterward she will go.”
Rebekah’s family negotiated for some time to say goodbye.
Gen. 24:56 And he said to them, “Do not delay me, since Yahweh has made my way successful. Send me away that I may go to my master.”
Gen. 24:57 And they said, “We will call the young woman and ask about her wishes.”
In this case they gave Rebekah a say in the matter.
Gen. 24:58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
Gen. 24:59 Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men.
Gen. 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“May you, our sister,
Become thousands of ten thousands,
And may your seed possess
The gate of those who hate him.”
Gen. 24:61 Then Rebekah arose with her young women, and they mounted the camels and went after the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went.
Unlike today when people get married and fully expect to see their own family after the wedding, Rebekah left her family with very little hope of ever seeing her parents and her brother again. She was embarking on a journey of at least two weeks, so going back home every once in a while was not very practical.
Consider this whole situation from the perspective of Rebekah. She is living life, and one day a servant of a distant relative shows up, and within hours she is engaged to a man she never met. Furthermore, she is expected to travel a long distance with the servant to go live with her husband and his family, knowing she would probably never see her family again.
Many modern women rail against the patriarchy and think they have a rough life. They have a long list of grievances about modern life which they insist proves that women are oppressed.
It is true that life is not fair. It is true that men have some advantages in life which women do not have, particularly when it comes to physical safety.
However, 21st century western women seldom face the situation faced by Rebekah. 21st century women living in the west have control over who they marry. They are not told who to marry, and then told they have to travel for two weeks with a complete stranger to meet her new husband who is also a complete stranger.
While it is true that being a female has its disadvantages, modern women should also be thankful for what they do have. Modern women have much more control over their lives than has been typical for women throughout human history. Modern technology gives us the ability to stay in contact with family in a manner not enjoyed in previous centuries.
Gen. 24:62 ¶ Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the land of the Negev.
Gen. 24:63 And Isaac went out to muse in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.
Gen. 24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac and dismounted from the camel.
Gen. 24:65 Then 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.
Gen. 24:66 And the servant recounted to Isaac all the things that he had done.
Gen. 24:67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus, Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
Notice the phrase “he loved her”. Modern society thinks biblical love is an emotional attraction. Isaac did not meet Rebekah before they were married, so he did not have the opportunity to marry someone to whom he was emotionally attracted. Instead, he chose to love her. Biblical love is a choice and an action. It is not an emotion.
Many modern women have a long list of grievances about modern life which they insist proves that women are oppressed. It is true that men have some advantages in life which women do not have, particularly when it comes to physical safety. However, today’s passage illustrates something for which modern women should give thanks.
Rebekah was living life, and one day a servant of a distant relative showed up, and within hours she was engaged to a man she had never met. Furthermore, she was expected to travel a long distance with a complete stranger to meet her new husband who was also a complete stranger, knowing she would probably never see her family again. Very few western women in the 21st century are asked to do something like that. This is something for which women should give thanks.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”