Question: "Who was Rebekah in the
Bible?"
Answer: Rebekah in the Bible was the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau. We first meet Rebekah in Genesis 24:15, where she is identified as āthe daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abrahamās brother Nahor.ā This would have made Rebekah a great-niece to Abraham and second cousin to Isaac.
Abraham had been looking for a wife for his son, Isaac, but he was unwilling for Isaac to marry a CanaaniteāAbraham and his family were living in Canaan at the time. So Abraham sent his servant to his own kinsmen, to the city of Nahor, to find a wife for Isaac. The servant came to a well and prayed that God would give him success in this mission. Specifically, he prayed that whichever young woman provided water for him and his camels would be Godās choice to be Isaacās wife. As the servant was praying, along came a beautiful young virgin named Rebekah, who not only gave the servant a drink but also watered his camels, providing the sign to Abrahamās servant that she was the appointed bride (Genesis 24:10ā28).
Everything was settled peaceably between Abrahamās servant and Rebekahās fatherāand her brother, Labanāand the servant took Rebekah back to Isaac. Isaac and Rebekah were married (Genesis 24:67), but for many years Rebekah could not have children. Isaac prayed for his wife; the Lord answered his prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant (Genesis 25:21). Rebekah became the mother of Jacob and Esau, the first twins mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 25:22ā24). From these twins came two conflicted nations. God gave Rebekah a prophecy during her pregnancy. She had noticed that the twins were struggling against one another in her womb, and she asked the Lord why they were fighting. The Lord told her that two nations were in her womb and that those nations would be at odds with one another (Genesis 25:22ā23). This prophecy came true. Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28), became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Esau became the father of the Edomites, who warred against Israel for ages and were finally wiped out (Obadiah 1:1ā21).
Esau was born first, and he was Isaacās favorite son (Genesis 25:28). The younger Jacob was Rebekahās favorite. As the firstborn, Esau was due the birthright, but Rebekah helped Jacob deceive Isaac so that the blessing would fall to the younger son instead of to the elder (Genesis 27:1ā40).
When Esau discovered Jacob and Rebekahās deceit, he planned to kill Jacob. Rebekah devised a plan to help save her favorite son, but it again involved deceiving her husband, Isaac. Rebekah made up an excuse to send Jacob to her brother, Laban, to look for a wife for himself (Genesis 27:41ā46). Deceit was apparently a family trait.
Rebekahās marriage to Isaac was the result of Godās providence, her pregnancy was an answer to prayer, and the lives of her sons fulfilled prophecy. Rebekahās choice to lie and deceive her husband is an example of how wrongdoing in human beings does not thwart the plans of God and how God can ultimately bring about His will, through His mercy and wisdom, despite our sin (see Genesis 50:20).
Answer: Rebekah in the Bible was the wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob and Esau. We first meet Rebekah in Genesis 24:15, where she is identified as āthe daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abrahamās brother Nahor.ā This would have made Rebekah a great-niece to Abraham and second cousin to Isaac.
Abraham had been looking for a wife for his son, Isaac, but he was unwilling for Isaac to marry a CanaaniteāAbraham and his family were living in Canaan at the time. So Abraham sent his servant to his own kinsmen, to the city of Nahor, to find a wife for Isaac. The servant came to a well and prayed that God would give him success in this mission. Specifically, he prayed that whichever young woman provided water for him and his camels would be Godās choice to be Isaacās wife. As the servant was praying, along came a beautiful young virgin named Rebekah, who not only gave the servant a drink but also watered his camels, providing the sign to Abrahamās servant that she was the appointed bride (Genesis 24:10ā28).
Everything was settled peaceably between Abrahamās servant and Rebekahās fatherāand her brother, Labanāand the servant took Rebekah back to Isaac. Isaac and Rebekah were married (Genesis 24:67), but for many years Rebekah could not have children. Isaac prayed for his wife; the Lord answered his prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant (Genesis 25:21). Rebekah became the mother of Jacob and Esau, the first twins mentioned in the Bible (Genesis 25:22ā24). From these twins came two conflicted nations. God gave Rebekah a prophecy during her pregnancy. She had noticed that the twins were struggling against one another in her womb, and she asked the Lord why they were fighting. The Lord told her that two nations were in her womb and that those nations would be at odds with one another (Genesis 25:22ā23). This prophecy came true. Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel (Genesis 32:28), became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Esau became the father of the Edomites, who warred against Israel for ages and were finally wiped out (Obadiah 1:1ā21).
Esau was born first, and he was Isaacās favorite son (Genesis 25:28). The younger Jacob was Rebekahās favorite. As the firstborn, Esau was due the birthright, but Rebekah helped Jacob deceive Isaac so that the blessing would fall to the younger son instead of to the elder (Genesis 27:1ā40).
When Esau discovered Jacob and Rebekahās deceit, he planned to kill Jacob. Rebekah devised a plan to help save her favorite son, but it again involved deceiving her husband, Isaac. Rebekah made up an excuse to send Jacob to her brother, Laban, to look for a wife for himself (Genesis 27:41ā46). Deceit was apparently a family trait.
Rebekahās marriage to Isaac was the result of Godās providence, her pregnancy was an answer to prayer, and the lives of her sons fulfilled prophecy. Rebekahās choice to lie and deceive her husband is an example of how wrongdoing in human beings does not thwart the plans of God and how God can ultimately bring about His will, through His mercy and wisdom, despite our sin (see Genesis 50:20).
Blessings,
Cheryl
Source: GotQuestions.org
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