Rebekah


Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother

And 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

A descendant of Terah.

Abraham learns of his nephews, one of whom fathered Rebekah

Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

(Genesis 22:21-23)

Rebekah becomes Isaac's wife

Rebekah came to the well in the evening to draw water with her water jar on her shoulder. When she filled her jar, Abraham's servant ran to meet her and asked, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.

When the camels were satisfied, he gave her a gold ring weighing half a shekel and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels and asked whose daughter she was and whether there was room in her father's house to spend the night. She replied, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night." The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master's kinsmen." Rebekah ran and told her mother's household about these things.

As soon as Laban saw the ring and bracelets and heard his sister's words, he ran toward the man at the spring and invited him in. "Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." The man came to the house and cared for his camels and men, but when food was set before him, he insisted, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." He told them everything about his oath to Abraham and what he had seen then asked if Rebekah's family would show steadfast love and faithfulness to his master. Laban and Bethuel answered, "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." So the servant bowed himself to the earth and gave them gifts: jewelry of silver and gold and garments for Rebekah and costly ornaments for Laban and her mother. They ate, drank, and stayed the night.

In the morning, the servant asked to leave with Rebekah, but her bother and mother wanted to delay her 10 days. When asked, Rebekah agreed to leave right away. They sent her with her nurse and blessed her, saying, "Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”

Isaac had gone out to meditate in the field toward evening when he saw camels were coming. When Rebekah saw him, she dismounted from the camel and asked, "Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?" He said it was his master, so she took her veil and covered herself.

After the servant told all that he had done, 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.

(Genesis 24)

Rebekah was barren when Isaac married her, but Isaac prayed for her and she conceived.

The children struggled together within her, and she said, "If it is thus, why is this happening to me?" She inquired of the Lord, Who answered, "Two nations are in your womb, / and two peoples from within you shall be divided; / the one shall be stronger than the other, / the older shall serve the younger."

She gave birth to two twins: Esau and Jacob. She loved the younger, Jacob, while Isaac loved Esau.

(Genesis 25)