Chapter 24
This is a VERY LONG chapter in Genesis. A lot happens. It is primarily narrative, but with other elements also. Abraham's determination to keep Isaac from intermarrying with Canaan, the trusted servant on a mission for his master, the request for God's direction, and God's answer to that prayer.
Abraham sends his servant back to his homeland to find a wife for Isaac. He meets Rebekah, and the sign is that she also gives his camels water.
2025 - This verse:
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. [Gen 24:7 ESV]. Here, an angel is to be "assigned" to the servant who makes this journey. The duties of the angel are not specified here. We can assume the angel was to do whatever was necessary to make this journey successful in accomplishing Abraham's purpose. A safe journey for all. No robbers, no lack of food or water. And at the other end, connection with Abraham's family and a suitable bride for Isaac. How did an angel do all these things? How does an angel affect the physical world? My guess is that when an angel is sent to do something, that angel is granted access to the physical - to manipulate it, to turn away the thoughts of evil men so they will not come up against those who are to be protected...and in extreme cases, perhaps to fight directly with men to turn them aside. We see later that this trip is very successful, so there is no reason to believe this was not at least partly due to the activity of the angel.
Abraham is very old. He makes his oldest (most trusted?) servant swear to get Isaac a wife from his homeland, and NOT let Isaac marry a Canaanite. There is the whole "put your hand under my thigh" procedure. The servant also swears not to take Isaac back to Abraham's homeland. The bride to be must come to Canaan.
2026 - Priorities set. This verse:
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." [Gen 24:8 ESV].
It was more important to Abraham that his son remain in the land promised by God than that he get a wife from among his own family. Surely there are lessons here about staying where God puts you no matter the desire to return home.
The servant departs, bearing many enticing gifts. And probably more than a little escort.
He arrives in the city where Nahor lives. Rebekah, who is Nahor's granddaughter, comes out after the servant prays for a sign. So Rebekah is Abraham's great-niece, and Isaac's first cousin, once removed. Don't think I realized before that they were related.
An interesting verse indeed:
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. [Gen 24:47 ESV] It was a nose ring. Not a finger ring. It weighed 8/10's ounce of gold. Pretty heavy for a nose ring. The interlinear renders it "...so I put the earring upon her face". Strong's says the word means "breathing place" so nose or nostril. And there is only one of them given. It was a nose ring.
Laban, Rebekah's brother, seems to have been in charge of negotiations. Perhaps Rebekah's father was dead by this time. No....vs 50 says that both Laban and Bethuel answered Abraham's servant. Maybe Bethuel couldn't get around very well, or maybe tradition was that the son went out to invite the guests. Both Laban and Bethuel say "Take her and go". Hmm...perhaps she wasn't the greatest person to be around???
After giving them gifts all around, the servant leaves with Rebekah, her nurse, and some other servants apparently. As they go, we are told that Isaac is now living in the Negeb, and it is implied that he has changed his location since the servant left to find him a wife. They spot Isaac, and they each learn of the other. It is apparently love at first sight. This verse:
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. [Gen 24:67 ESV]