The longest chapter in the first book of the Bible describes how Isaac met and married Rebekah. The LORD promised Abraham that he would have offspring as numerous as the stars and sand, but he only had one son and that son was still single. So nearing the end of his life, Abraham sent a trusted servant back to Abraham’s homeland to find a match.

The pressing mission lead to a providential meeting. Traveling over 500 miles to Mesopotamia with a ten camel caravan, the servant stopped outside the city of Nahor at a well and prayed for the LORD to give him success. He asked for a sign, that the woman who would give him a drink would also initiate to water his camels, a task that might have taken one or two hours.

“Before he had finished speaking” a woman came out matching more of what the servant wanted then he could ask or imagine. He didn’t know who she was at first, but she was the answer to his prayers.

She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back and forth until the camels finished drinking. Then the servant asked what family she belonged to and when she told him, he exploded in praise. Rebekah ran home to tell her family and that brings us to the third and fourth movements in the story: the Match (verses 29-61) and the Marriage (verses 62-67).

The Compelling Match (verses 29-61)

In the longest chapter this is the longest scene. Moses tells us more about the energy the servant spends trying to persuade Rebekah’s family than he told us about the servant getting there.

We meet the fourth key character: Laban. Verses 29-30 tell us not only Laban’s relationship to Rebekah, but also his motivation for hurrying out to greet the visitor. As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms and heard the story he ran out toward the man. The singular ring was a nose ring (translated as such in the NIV), see verse 47, compared to plural earrings or rings for the fingers. And note where Laban’s attention goes: the servant was standing by the camels. Laban is checking out the goods.

And he said, ”Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” He offers, “Come right in. I’ve got a place just for you.” According to the previous verses Laban didn’t delegate preparations let alone have time to do it himself. He sees something he likes and doesn’t want this fish to fall of the hook.

They went back to the house and got everyone settled in. Here we learn that the servant wasn’t alone: the men who were with him also washed up. But when it was time to eat the servant said, ”I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” There’s not a moment to waste; dinner is not of first importance.

Verses 34-49 are an uninterrupted speech by the servant retelling of the first part of the chapter. The repetition is only valuable to the readers. Moses could have written something such as, “So the servant told Rebekah’s family everything and asked if they agreed” (see verse 66 as an example). We would assume a truthful pitch by the servant.

With the more expanded version we see the conviction and the rhetoric of the servant. He believed that what he was doing was a mission from the LORD, for the LORD, and guided by the LORD. He identified himself not by name but in connection with Abraham whom the LORD has blessed greatly. This is how the chapter started (verse 1). When Abraham sent the servant it was in faith: ”The LORD before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you to prosper your way.” When he arrived at the spring he prayed: ”O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go…” And when Rebekah revealed her identity he said, ”I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD.” The servant understood his mission as a divine mission and trusted that he would receive divine help.

Yet the servant also shows great skill in persuasive speech. What he says is true, what he emphasizes and what he leaves out are well-chosen to compel Rebekah’s family to agree.

He starts by describing material blessings. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys. In other words, “What you see on the camels—and I saw you looking—is only the petty cash. The vault back home is full of more.”

Abraham has money, and he only has one heir: to him he has given all that he has. There will be no dividing this substantial inheritance between multiple sons; there’s is just one that matters. Who is this young man? Turns out this fine catch is an eligible bachelor, and he happens to be interested in a particular type: someone who was a relative, someone just like Rebekah.

The servant leaves out why Abraham wasn’t still living in Ur or Haran. No need to bring up Abraham’s departure, or why he himself didn’t come. And since the servant reports to Abraham, he throws in that Abraham expected the woman to come to him, while leaving out that Abraham would not allow his son to leave. It’s a small detail. But the servant moves on before anyone can reply.

He’s told his mission and what future awaits such a girl, and now he shows—from his perspective—the miraculous answer to his prayer. He asked so specifically and Rebekah so completely fulfilled his request that he knew it must be God’s will. “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder…”

Note what he adds now to the end of his praise. At first, verse 27, “The LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsman.” Now, verse 48, the LORD had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.” The servant either counts his chickens before the courtship or is putting it so positively that they can’t help but be compelled into his perspective.

Then he pushes them. ”Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or the left.” He’s a closer and his final comment is loaded. They either know or he’s going to take his camels and gold and go. They can agree or they can be wrong. How could they argue with any of this?

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.” (Genesis 24:50–51)

Where has Bethel, Rebekah’s dad, been before now? He doesn’t act again in the story; Laban and his mom take charge. Whether he’s too old or debilitated to do more, he and his son agree to the match.

I am not convinced that they act out our faith or reverence to the LORD. They acknowledge the LORD’s name. They use the servant’s language. But we cannot speak to you bad or good is not an expression of rejoicing but of resignation, “one way or the other” (NIV) or “we have no choice in the matter” (HCSB), “we have nothing else to say.” They will get gifts out of this, and an honorable marriage for Rebekah. We know for sure later on that Laban has household idols, and his behavior is anything but upright. Even now it’s likely that he’s doing what will benefit himself.

The servant hears the “Yes” and that’s what he came for more than their thrill. So he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD in thankfulness and then brought jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. Losing a daughter/sister was losing a worker and any of her future kids as help; this was a kind of compensation. Then dinner.

They spent the night there and when they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” He’s ready to get back on the road.

But can a good story end so smoothly? Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” They slept on it, or maybe they didn’t sleep. This could be good-bye forever; they are sad. Or it could be that they already got the gifts, why not keep the gifts and the girl? The translation a while, at least ten days is fine, but it’s an indefinite period of time. They aren’t really proposing a schedule, just putting up a delay.

But [the servant] said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” Even after that, though they had agreed, they stalled again and put the pressure of the decision on Rebekah. She simply said, ”I will go” and no more hurdles.

As Rebekah and Deborah (see Genesis 35:8) left they blessed Rebekah and said to her:

“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”
(Genesis 24:60)

They didn’t know how truly they spoke. Both the offspring and the defeat of enemies are promised to Abraham through Isaac (see Genesis 22:17), and now Rebekah will be part of it. Ten thousand is rebabah, close to rebekah and berakah (“blessing”). Posterity and prosperity will come from her.

The Comforting Marriage (verses 62-67)

How long it’s been since the servant left and returned we don’t know for sure. It’s been a minimum of two months and a day, but based on Genesis 25:20 it may have been closer to three years. Sarah died when he was 37 and he married Rebekah when he was 40. Isaac was dwelling in the Negeb, apparently not with his father who, last we read, was living near Hebron. Oddly enough, Abraham isn’t mentioned in this last scene at all and the servant reports to Isaac as my master. It could be that Abraham has died, but because chapter 25 details Abraham’s death and doesn’t drop this marriage onto the end of that timeline, it seems the servant had word or just knew to go to the groom.

Isaac went out to mediate in the field toward evening. The word mediate is questionable, though some time to think or pray by oneself is an old practice. While out minding his own thoughts he saw the camels, he recognized the group.

Rebekah also saw Isaac and dismounted from the camels and asked ”who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” When the servant told her, she took her veil and covered herself, a typical practice for a bride. It’s interesting that our English word “nuptial” referring to wedding things comes from the Latin word nuptum meaning “cover” or “veil.” The servant told Isaac all the things he had done. No second or third repetition is given here.

Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. It probably didn’t happen that same night, and Moses doesn’t say anything about the ceremony. But the marriage worked and Isaac came to love Rebekah and was comforted after his mother’s death.

[I]t would have been psychologically impossible for a wife to have replaced his father in Isaac’s affections. Rather, it underlines that Rebekah is the new Sarah, just as Isaac is the new Abraham. (Wenham)

Conclusion

This story moves the Abraham section of Genesis nearer its end. A bride for his son is another blessing and she would marry into the conduit of God’s blessing to the nations.

Again we see God’s power to bring people to the right places at the opportune time. We see God’s use of a man’s faithfulness and winsomeness and conviction to bring about decisions by others all toward the end that the LORD wanted. There is passion and prayer and praise and providence all to accomplish God’s word to Abraham.

We can always say, “The thing has come from the LORD.” But as those who know and trust the Lord, we can and should speak good. God’s sovereignty means that we can “give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It means that we can “Rejoice in the Lord always” and “not be anxious about anything” when we pray with Him in perspective.