Genesis 24:61–67

2461 Rebekah rose, with her maids, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
     62 Now Isaac had come from the region of Beer-lahai-roi and was settled in the Negeb. 63 Isaac went out to stroll the field at the turning of sunset. He raised his eyes and saw camels approaching. 
     64 Rebekah raised her eyes and saw Isaac. She got down from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is this man walking through the field toward us?”
     The servant said, “He is my master.” She took a veil and covered her face. 66 The servant recounted to Isaac all that he had done. 67 Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother. He took Rebekah; she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus was Isaac comforted after the death of his mother.


This story can be seen as a tale of the rich and famous. Abraham has demonstrated his wealth and position. Rebekah also comes with her servants/slaves. Historically, royal weddings are not about personal relations, but backroom orchestrated deals based on the realpolitik of the moment.

The last we heard of Isaac, he was trussed and laid on a pile of wood, about to be sacrificed. We don’t hear about his being rolled off the wood to make room for a ram. Here, Rebekah rises from her decision and proceeds to implement it. In short order, the trip to Canaan happens in a flash. Rebekah’s leaving to her arriving takes no time in this story-telling universe.

Isaac appears to have taken up residence at a distance from Abraham at the place where Hagar was seen and saw a well, just as Abraham was seen and saw a ram. He likely had no clue a wife was being prepared for him. His first glance and sight of camels may well have been considered a mirage. What’s up?

Rebekah dismounts a camel and sees someone walking toward her. What’s up?

Learning the stranger is Isaac, the one she is to wed, Rebekah distances herself with a veil over her face. She is as indistinguishable close up as she was when far away.

Abraham’s servant/slave does his final task of telling the whole story, one more time. This time we only hear that he told the tale and we know from his last telling how detail-oriented he is. With his task completed, we can also stop referring to him by his position and remember his name from 15:2, Eliezer. His full identifier is Dammesk Eliezer. This is often transcribed as a reference to Damascus, but his name is not Damascan. In Hebrew, this could be a simple play on “household maintenance.” His actions are worthy of a remembered name, even if he is not of Abraham’s seed.

Isaac, psychologically, weds his mother and continues in his passive ways. Rebekah will take care of things.

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