Rebekah
Rebekah became the wife of Isaac after Abraham's servant identified her through a divine sign at a well in Haran, establishing her as a key matriarch in the lineage of the Israelites. As the mother of twins Esau and Jacob, she received a prophecy from God that the older son would serve the younger, which influenced her actions later in life. When Isaac prepared to bless Esau, Rebekah orchestrated a deception by disguising Jacob, enabling him to receive the blessing intended for his brother. This event holds significance in Scripture as it demonstrates God's sovereign choice and the continuation of the Abrahamic covenant through Jacob, despite human scheming.
Biography
- Father
- Bethuel
- Spouse
- Isaac
- Children
- Esau, Jacob
- Era
- Patriarchs
- Nationality
- Aramean
Family
Did You Know?
Rebekah received a direct divine oracle during her difficult pregnancy revealing that her twins were rival nations and that the elder would serve the younger, a prophecy Isaac never received and which shaped her later actions.
Upon first sighting Isaac in the field, Rebekah dismounted her camel and covered herself with a veil, following an ancient Near Eastern custom that signaled both modesty and her new status as a betrothed woman entering her husband's domain.
As the granddaughter of Abraham's brother Nahor through Bethuel, Rebekah's marriage preserved the family's deliberate endogamy, keeping the covenant line within their Aramean kin rather than mixing with Canaanite populations.
Rebekah's barrenness lasted twenty years until Isaac prayed, after which she alone was told the future destinies of her sons, underscoring the unusual pattern of matriarchs receiving independent revelation in Genesis.
In orchestrating Jacob's deception, Rebekah used goatskins and Esau's garments to mimic the elder son's scent and feel, exploiting Isaac's reliance on sensory confirmation in a culture where physical touch validated identity and blessing.
Key Passages
Rebekah Chosen as Isaac's Wife
Genesis 24:15-28
This passage shows how God lovingly guides faithful prayers to fulfillment through simple acts of kindness and hospitality.
15nd it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abrahamโs brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Birth of Esau and Jacob
Genesis 25:21-26
This passage shows how God sovereignly fulfills His promises through prayer, struggle, and unexpected choices that shape His redemptive plan.
21nd Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Rebekah's Plan for Jacob
Genesis 27:5-17
This passage reveals how God's promises advance even through flawed family choices, inviting us to trust His wisdom over our own schemes.
5nd Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.