Rebekah

Biblical Account

Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor. Her name first appears in Genesis 22:23. In Genesis 24, Abraham's servant traveled to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia to find a wife for Isaac. At the well, Rebekah gave the servant water and also drew water for his camels, which matched the sign the servant had asked for in prayer. When her family asked whether she would go, Rebekah answered, "I will go" (Genesis 24:58). She then went to Isaac and became his wife.

After her marriage, Rebekah remained childless for a long time, until she conceived twins in answer to Isaac's prayer (Genesis 25:21). When the children struggled within her, she inquired of the Lord and received the answer, "the elder shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Isaac loved Esau more, while Rebekah loved Jacob (Genesis 25:28).

In Genesis 27, Rebekah learned that the aged Isaac intended to bless Esau. She disguised Jacob as Esau so that he would receive his father's blessing. Afterward, to help Jacob escape Esau's anger, she sent him to her brother Laban (Genesis 27:42–28:5). Scripture does not narrate Rebekah's death; it mentions only that she was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 49:31).

Significance in Scripture

Rebekah stands at the center of the process by which the covenant line passed from Isaac to Jacob. In the New Testament, her name appears in Romans 9:10–13. There Paul points out that the statement "The elder shall serve the younger" was given before the twins were born, and he uses this to explain that God's election does not depend on human works.

Interpretations and Debates

• The deception on Jacob's behalf: Some interpreters emphasize Rebekah's faith, holding that she acted in reliance on the prophecy she had received. Others hold that her favoritism and deception produced conflict within the family. The text itself does not directly evaluate her actions.
• Romans 9 and election: The Calvinist tradition reads this passage as evidence of God's unconditional election of individuals. The Arminian and Wesleyan traditions often read it as a passage about the roles of two nations (Israel and Edom) in the history of salvation. For further discussion, see Predestination and Free Will.
• Traditions outside the text: Some Jewish traditions hold that Rebekah was very young when she married, but the biblical text does not state her age. Sermons also commonly suggest that Rebekah never saw Jacob again as a consequence of her deception. This, however, is an inference drawn from the absence of any record of their meeting again, not something the text states directly.

In the Korean Church

Genesis 24 is frequently preached in young adult ministries and in sermons on marriage as a text about God's guidance and prayer for a spouse. The scene in which Rebekah drew water even for the camels without being asked is commonly presented in sermons and Sunday school lessons as a model of kindness and service; the servant had brought ten camels (Genesis 24:10). Genesis 25 and 27 also serve as texts for sermons on family life that address the effects of parental favoritism on the home.