Rebekah’s name (fettering, as being captivating by her beauty) is mentioned only thirty times in the Old Testament and once in the New; see Rom. 9. 10. The first occasion outlines her family relationship to Abraham. Abraham had two brothers, Nahor and Haran. Haran had three children: Iscah (according to Josephus, the Jews believed she was Sarah), Lot (who travelled with Abraham to Canaan), and Milcah (who married her uncle Nahor). Milcah and Nahor had eight children, their eighth being Bethuel, father of Rebekah.
There is no record of her death; her story concludes with her burial in the family crypt at Machpelah, Gen. 49. 31. The other references to her can be grouped into five incidents.
1. Her betrothal and marriage to Isaac, Gen. 24. Notice some characteristics of Rebekah in this passage. Her servant attitude is seen in not only giving Abraham’s servant a drink, but his camels as well (a thirsty camel on a hot day can consume more than 50 gallons, or 200 litres!). ‘I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking’, v. 19. Other virtues include her physical beauty and virginity, v. 16; her hospitable spirit, v. 25; and her willingness to yield to God’s will by faith, vv. 50, 58. Her blessing in verse 60 links with Christ’s words in Matthew 16. 18.
2. The birth of her twins, Esau and Jacob, chapter 25. In answer to Isaac’s prayer, Rebekah conceived. In answer to her prayer in the midst of a difficult pregnancy, the Lord revealed the historic proportions of the struggle within her, vv. 22-23. The wrestling would continue through the chapter, and indeed throughout history between Edomite and Jew.
3. Her being denied by Isaac in Gerar, ch. 26, reminds us of the warning that, by sinning ourselves, we can set a trap for our children as well, Gen. 12. 13; 20. 2; see Jer. 32. 18.
4. Her choice of Jacob over Esau and the plot to take the blessing, ch. 27, show the damage done by favouritism; 1 Tim. 5. 21.
5. Her grief over her Hittite daughters-in-law, 26. 34-35; 27. 46, reminds us that every home has its sorrow, and we do well not to be proud if, at present, our family is doing well. The best Father in the universe has wayward children.
