Abraham calls his trusted servant to help him find a wife for his son, Isaac. This servant may have been Eliezer, the servant Abraham mentioned earlier as his heir if he had no son. He now trusts this man with his seed.
(This next part’s funny. Pay attention.)
Abraham makes the servant swear an oath because it concerns the covenant Abraham had with God. He has him put his hand under his thigh to show that he is making a promise to Abraham and his ... ahem ... seed.
The servant of Abraham is relying on God to pick a wife for Isaac. He prays to God as the God of his master, Abraham, not his own God. He asks for God to give him a sign of the right woman. Rebekah fulfills the servant’s prayer.
Rebekah is very beautiful.
Rebekah is very kind.
Camels are huge. And they drink a lot of water. It may have taken 80 to 100 draws from the well to water the camels. Notice that the text says that Rebekah continued until they were done. The servant just looks on.
This introduction of Rebekah shows us a woman with a great deal of vitality and initiative. In comparison, Isaac is almost passed over in the stories of the patriarchs. Later, he is shown as weak and blind. Rebekah continues to show resourcefulness vitality, and creativity as she encourages Jacob’s deception of his father. In this generation, Rebekah the wife has a greater role than Isaac the husband.
(See note at the end of this entry for info on this image.)
The servant gave Rebekah jewellery. She probably knew at this point what was going on. She also probably liked the jewellery. Part of the jewellery was a nose ring, so here is one example of many in the Bible of body piercings not being prohibited, at least culturally.
The jewellery was probably expensive, indicating the wealth of the suitor.
Rebekah ran to tell her mother about the man who gave her jewellery and then erupted into worship. No kidding.
When her brother hears her story and sees the jewellery, he is immediately hospitable to the servant.
v39 implies that Rebekah does have a choice in the matter of marrying Isaac.
When it turns out that Rebekah will come with him, the servant gives her even more jewellery and clothing, as well as more treasure for the family, presumably as a dowry.
v57 - when given an opportunity to stay with her family an extra ten days, Rebekah decides instead to go. She is eager to meet her new husband. That's sweet.
She covers herself with a veil. That's sweet, too.
Isaac loved her. That's so sweet.
When Isaac took Rebekah into Sarah's tent, he made her the new matriarch of the family.
+++++
The image above is taken from R. Crumb's illustrated book of Genesis. It is an example of one of the better sequences in this very interesting piece.
For a stark, new, and occasionally surprising graphic interpretation, I recommend it. However, this artist (whose other work is frequently pornographic) does not share my faith in the text as scripture, and his "literalist" view often leaves something to be desired. Here is a very good and thorough review of R. Crumb's Genesis that I feel expresses most of how I felt when I found it disappointing. This is also the site where I found the image.
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