Bible Story - Man Finds Suitable Wife for His Son

Introduction

There was a man named Abraham. He served God. God told him to go to a land God promised to give him and his descendants.

While he was in the land, his wife Sarah gave birth to a son named Isaac when she was 90 years and Abraham was 100 years. God blessed Abraham in everything he did.

After sometime, Abraham’s wife, Sarah died. Abraham himself was very old. So he, decided that it was better for him get a wife for his son Isaac while he himself was still alive. He sent for his oldest servant who was in charge of all he had.

Abraham’s Servant Made a Vow to Him

Abraham told his servant him to place his hand between his (Abraham’s) thighs and make a vow.

(When a person places his hand under another person’s thighs and makes a vow, it means the vow would be unchangeable.)

Abraham told his servant that he wanted him to make a vow that he wouldn’t choose a wife for his Isaac from among the people of Canaan where Abraham was living.

Abraham told his servant to go back to the country where Abraham was born and get a wife for Isaac from among his relatives.

But the servant asked Abraham, “What if the girl will not leave home to come with me to this land? Shall I send your son back to the land you came from?”

Abraham answered, “Make sure that you don't send my son back there!”

Abraham then told his servant that God brought him (Abraham) from his father’s home and from his relatives and promised to give the land of Canaan to his descendants. (Canaan was the land Abraham lived with his son, Isaac).

Abraham assured his servant that God would send His angel to go with him so that he would get a wife for his Isaac.

He however, said to his servant, “If the girl is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there.”

So Abraham’s servant put his hand between his master’s thighs and made a vow to do what He had asked him.

Abraham’s Servant Searches for a Wife for Isaac

Abraham’s servant went to the city where Nahor who was Abraham’s brother had lived. The place was located in Northern Mesopotamia.

When the servant arrived there, he made the camels to kneel down at a well outside the city. It was evening and the women of the city came out to draw water.

Abraham’s servant prayed that God would give him success and keep the promise He (God) made to Abraham. The servant said, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and keep your promise to my master.

Here I am at the well where the young women of the city will be coming to get water.

I will say to one of them, ‘Please, lower your jar and let me have a drink.’ If she says, ‘Drink, and I will also bring water for your camels,’ may she be the one that you have chosen for your servant Isaac. If this happens, I will know that you have kept your promise to my master.”

A Beautiful Girl Comes to Draw Water

Before Abraham’s servant finished praying, a young girl came to draw water. Her name was Rebecca. She was the daughter of a man named Bethuel who was the son of Abraham’s brother, Nahor and his wife Milcah.

Rebecca was very beautiful and young. She was still a virgin.

Rebecca went to the well, filled her water jar, and came back.

Abraham’s servant saw her and ran to her. When he met her, he said, “Please give me a drink of water from your jar.”

Rebecca quickly gave him some water. After drinking, she told him that she would bring water for his camels to drink.

She poured the water into the animals’ drinking trough and ran to the well to get more water. She continued doing so until all the camels had drunk enough water.

Abraham’s servant was watching her in silence while she was doing this. He wanted to know if God had made his journey successful.

Abraham’s Servant Gives Rebecca Expensive Gold Presents

When Rebecca finished watering Abraham’s servant’s camels, he took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large bracelets on her wrist.

Then he asked Rebecca who her father was and also asked her if there was accommodation in their house for his men and him to spend the night.

Rebecca told him that her father was Bethuel the son of Nahor and Milcah. She said that there was plenty straw and food at their house for the camels and they had accommodation for the man and his men.

Abraham’s Servant Gives Praises to God

When Abraham’s servant heard what Rebecca said, he knelt down and worshipped. He praised God who had kept His promise to Abraham by leading him to Abraham’s relatives.

Abraham’s Servant Meets Rebecca’s Relatives

Rebecca quickly ran home and told her family all that had taken place.

She had a brother named Laban. When he heard the story, he ran to the well where Abraham’s servant was.

Laban had already seen the nose ring and bracelets his sister was wearing and had heard Rebecca narrate what the man told her.

When he got where Abraham’s servant was, and saw him at the well standing by his camels, he asked him to come home with him, saying that he would take care of him and his camels. So Abraham’s servant went with him.

Laban unloaded, fed and gave the camels straw. Then he brought water for Abraham’s servant and his men to wash their feet.

When it was time for them to eat, Abraham’s servant said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.”

Laban told him to go ahead and say what he wanted to say.

Abraham’s Servant States His Mission

Abraham’s servant told Rebecca’s relatives who he was. He told them how God had greatly blessed Abraham and made him a rich man.

He informed them that God had given Abraham flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys.

He went on to say that Abraham’s wife, Sarah bore him a son when he was old and he had given everything he owned to his son.

He narrated how Abraham made him promise with a vow that he wouldn’t choose a wife for his son Isaac from the young women in Canaan. He said that Abraham asked him to go to his relatives and choose a wife for his son.

The servant said that when he asked his master Abraham what he would do if the girl wouldn’t come with him. Abraham said, “The LORD, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family.

There is only one way for you to be free from your vow: if you go to my relatives and they refuse you, then you will be free.”

Continuing his story, Abraham’s servant told them all that happened when he got to the well where he met Rebecca.

He concluded, “Now, if you intend to fulfill your responsibility toward my master and treat him fairly, please tell me. If not, say so, and I will decide what to do.”

Labans and Bethuel’s Response

Laban and his father, Bethuel told Abraham’s servant that since the matter came from God, they weren’t in a position to make a decision. They told him to take Rebecca and let her become the wife of Abraham’s son.

Gifts for Rebecca and Her Relatives

When Abraham’s servant heard this, he bowed down and worshiped God. He gave gifts of clothing, silver and gold jewelry to Rebecca. He also gave costly gifts to Rebecca’s brother and her mother.

After this, Abraham’s servant and his men ate their meal and drank. They spent the night there.

Abraham’s Servant Prepares To Return Home

Early next morning, Abraham’s servant asked Rebecca’s relatives to let him go back to his master, Abraham.

But Rebecca’s brother, Laban and her mother told him to allow Rebecca stay with them at least ten days before going with him.

Abraham’s servant told them not to delay him since God had made his journey successful. But they said that they would call Rebecca and find out what she would say about the matter.

When they called Rebecca, they asked her, “Do you want to go with this man?”

“Yes.” she answered.

So they let her and her old family servant go with Abraham’s servant and his men. They blessed Rebecca saying, “May you, sister, become the mother of millions! May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!”

Rebecca and her servant girls mounted their camels and followed Abraham’s servant.

Isaac Meets His Wife, Rebecca

Isaac was staying in the southern part of Canaan. He had come into the wilderness of “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me”.

One early morning, he went out for a walk in the fields and saw camels coming.

When Rebecca saw Isaac, she climbed down from her camel and asked Abraham’s servant who Isaac was. He told her that Isaac was his master. So she took her scarf and covered her face.

The servant met Isaac and reported to him everything that had happened. Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent where his mother Sarah had lived in. Rebecca became his wife and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.

Genesis 21:1-8; 24:1-26

Questions:
• Who was Abraham’s son?
• Whom did Abraham tell to make a vow to get Isaac a proper wife?
• Where did Abraham tell his servant that he didn’t want Isaac to marry from?
• Why did Abraham tell his servant not to take Isaac back to Abraham’s home country?
• What could make Abraham’s servant free from the vow he made to him?
• Who was the girl who came to draw water from a well when Abraham’s servant was there?
• What gifts did Abraham’s servant give to Rebecca after she gave him water to drink and watered his animals?
• What did Abraham’s servant do when he realized that Rebecca was the daughter of Abraham’s relative?
• What were the names of Rebecca’s father and brother?
• What did Rebecca do when she saw Isaac?
• Into whose tent did Isaac take Rebecca?