Read the Passage: Genesis 24

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: Genesis 24

Eliezer’s Commission (24:1–14)

As this chapter begins, Abraham was 140 years old and a widower, and Isaac was 40 years old and single. Abraham then commissioned “the oldest servant of his house” (Gen. 24:2) to travel back to Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac. While the servant is not named in this passage, he was almost certainly Eliezer (cf. Gen. 15:1–4). Gen. 24:2–9 records a covenant that was made between Abraham and Eliezer, in which Abraham had him promise that: (1) he would not take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites, (2) he would travel back to Mesopotamia to find a bride for Isaac, and (3) he would not take Isaac out of the Promised Land to get married. Furthermore, Abraham told Eliezer that he would be released from this covenant if the woman whom he identified was unwilling to travel back to Canaan. Note the personal cost of this trip to Eliezer, as he would likely have inherited the family wealth if Isaac had no children.

Given Abraham’s advanced age, his search for a wife for Isaac was both practical and reasonable. Moreover, in Gen. 24:7–8 Abraham revealed that, at least in part, his covenant with God was driving the search for a spouse for his son. Furthermore, Abraham was confident of a successful trip, as he informed Eliezer, “God will send His angel before you” (Gen. 24:7). The trip from the Promised Land to Mesopotamia was 450 miles, which was a tenuous journey in biblical times. Note the authority that Eliezer had, as he not only was entrusted with securing a spouse for Isaac, but also “all his master’s goods were in his hand” (Gen. 24:10). As Eliezer went to the city of Nahor, where Abraham’s brother dwelt, he prayed to God for success. Eliezer’s prayer request about the identification of a bride was quite bold, as hospitality customs would not have required anyone to water his entire team of camels.

Rebekah’s Consent (24:15–61)

Earlier, at Gen. 22:20–24, Moses had recorded a brief genealogy of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. In this genealogy, Rebekah was listed as Nahor’s granddaughter. Therefore, her appearance at Gen. 24:15, as an answer to Eliezer’s prayer, is not a complete surprise. In telling how Rebekah fulfilled the identification test from Eliezer’s prayer, this passage also reveals her physical beauty (cf. Gen. 24:16a), sexual purity (cf. Gen. 24:16b), personal morality (cf. Gen. 24:19), and domestic hospitality (cf. Gen. 24:25). In response, Eliezer gave Rebekah costly jewelry and identified himself as Abraham’s servant. Once Rebekah reported this encounter to her household, her brother Laban invited Eliezer to lodge with the family. While this is the first time Laban appears in Scripture, he will later play a large role in the life of Jacob in Gen. 28–32. Note that Laban’s love of material things is discernible in this passage.

Gen. 24:32–61 is a lengthy narrative that describes what transpired when Eliezer arrived at the home of Rebekah. Note the following three observations. First, in Gen. 24:32–49, Eliezer’s faithfulness is event as he refused to eat until he’d disclosed his errand. With great detail, then, Eliezer described the events of his journey. Second, in Gen. 24:50–53, Rebekah’s father and brother agreed to allow her to depart and to marry Isaac. This decision may have been aided, in part, by Eliezer’s distribution of valuable gifts to the family. Third, in Gen. 24:54–60, there is tension between Eliezer, who desired to depart immediately, and Rebekah’s family, who desire for her to remain in Nahor for “at least ten days” (Gen. 24:55). This conflict is eventually resolved by Rebekah’s own decision to depart for Canaan. Rebekah’s consent resulted in the family blessing her with wishes of many descendants.

Isaac’s Marriage (24:62–67)

Given the lengthy distance between Canaan and Mesopotamia, as well as the challenge of finding a willing spouse from among Abraham’s family, Isaac must not have expected the traveling party to return as quickly as it did. While Eliezer’s encounter with Rebekah was certainly blessed by God, the fact that “Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi” (Gen. 24:62) was also providential. Apparently, Isaac dwelt in Beer Lahai Roi (cf. Gen. 25:11), which was in the extreme southern part of Canaan, near the Egyptian border. Abraham dwelt in Hebron, which was 75 miles northeast of Isaac’s home. Yet, just as Eliezer returned with Rebekah, Isaac was visiting his father and walking in the fields near Hebron. Upon seeing Isaac and identifying him for Rebekah, Eliezer told Isaac the details of his journey. Isaac then accepted Rebekah as his wife, married her, and was comforted after Sarah’s death.

Application Questions:

1. Does the Bible prescribe a specific way, or even general guidelines, for how believers are to find a spouse and to get married?
2. Why was Abraham concerned with finding Isaac a wife at this time? Is it wise to allow parents to influence the choice of a spouse?
3. Is it acceptable for believers to follow Eliezer’s example of constructing a test in prayer to discern God’s will?
4. Given that Rebekah had never met anyone in Abraham’s family, how can we explain her willingness to depart with Eliezer?
5. By what means did God work in the life of Rebekah and Isaac to providentially bring them together for marriage?