Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Genesis, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
God, Humanity, and Creation
Mistrust, Disobedience, and Death
Covenants and Faith in God’s Promises
The Role of Women
Summary
Analysis
Abraham is getting old. He tells his oldest servant to swear to him that he will find a wife for Isaac, not among the Canaanites, but from Abraham’s native country. Isaac must not return to that land; the woman must be willing to follow the servant back to the land of the Canaanites. So the servant swears and goes on his way, taking camels laden with gifts.
Abraham doesn’t want Isaac to marry a native Canaanite, implicitly fearing that such a marriage would draw Isaac away from worshiping God. The next phase of the patriarchal history begins with a servant’s journey back to the land from which Abraham came, in order to secure Isaac’s future.
Themes
When the servant arrives in the city of Nahor, his camels drink from a well on the outskirts. The servant prays that God will give him success in this errand, and that God will show him a sign—when he asks a girl for a drink, the one who offers to water his camels as well will be Isaac’s future wife. As the servant finishes praying, Rebekah, Nahor’s granddaughter, approaches. When the servant asks Rebekah for a drink of water, she immediately offers to draw water for his camels as well.
The servant travels to Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) in search of a young woman who will meet certain specifications—one who takes initiative and shows a caring disposition. God quickly answers the servant’s prayer by sending Rebekah (Abraham’s grandniece, making her a cousin of Isaac).
Themes
When Rebekah finishes watering the camels, the servant gives her gold jewelry and asks her name. She introduces herself as Bethuel’s daughter and Nahor’s granddaughter; then she invites him to spend the night with her family. The servant gratefully worships God, thankful for his faithfulness toward Abraham. Rebekah runs home and tells everyone about the guest. Her brother, Laban, comes to welcome the servant and listens to his errand. After he hears the servant’s news about Abraham and the details of his conversation with Rebekah, Laban says this is obviously God’s doing.
Rebekah continues to show her generous and hospitable nature, and the servant thanks God for showing his faithfulness by leading the servant to the woman who will help extend Abraham’s family line. To Laban, too, God’s orchestration of events appears evident.
Themes
The servant gives Rebekah and her family more costly gifts. The next day, the servant urges them to send Rebekah to Canaan without delay. When the family asks Rebekah, she agrees to go with the servant and become Isaac’s wife. Rebekah’s family sends her off with a blessing. One day, while Isaac is walking in the field, he sees camels approaching. When Rebekah sees Isaac from a distance, she covers herself with her veil. The servant tells Isaac about his successful errand, and Isaac takes Rebekah as his wife.
Rebekah’s willingness to leave her homeland and family behind and go to Canaan is important—a further sign that God has brought about these circumstances. The first meeting between Isaac and Rebekah, approaching one another from across a field, brings the episode to a dramatic conclusion. By taking Rebekah as his wife, Isaac takes another step toward becoming the great nation God has promised to make of him.
Themes
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