He then related the purport of his journey, of the prayer that he had uttered at the well, and of its fulfillment in a generous-minded and beautiful young maiden, and thus he ends his story: “And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
Bethuel answered, “Behold, Rebekah is before thee; take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken.”
“And it came to pass, that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.”
And now comes a scene most captivating to female curiosity. “The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.” The scene of examining jewelry and garments and rich stuffs in the family party would have made no mean subject for a painter. No wonder such a suitor sending such gifts found welcome entertainment. So the story goes on: “And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning and he said, Send me away unto my master. And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten, and after that she shall go.”
“And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away, that I may go to my master. And they said, We will call the damsel and inquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.” Her prompt reply to this important question was an index to her character. The Divine approval of her ready obedience gave her a grand prophetic Messianic promise that thousands of millions should be gathered into His Kingdom from the conquest “of those which hate them.” This extra Hebrew prophecy was a flash of God’s light on the fact that our Lord should be the Saviour, not only of the Jews, but of the entire world.
Thus far this wooing seems to have been conceived and conducted in that simple religious spirit recognized in the words of the old prayer, “Grant that all our work may be begun, continued and ended in thee.” The Father of nations has been a never-failing presence in every turn.
“And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.”
It was a long way from the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia to Hebron in the southern borders of Palestine, and between the Euphrates and the land of promise stretched leagues of hot desert sands, through which the camels slowly and patiently toiled day after day with their precious burden. But at length Damascus with its refreshing streams, and Mt. Hermon with its dome lifted among the clouds, were passed, and, towards evening of the last day, just as they reached the head of the valley of Eschol, from the summit of which opens a magnificent view through the whole length of the valley, “Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master; therefore she took a veil and covered herself.”
Doubtless for days Isaac had walked the mile and a half from his mother’s tent to where the valley of Eschol forms a junction with the plain of Mamre, from whence he could look up the narrow valley and view the approaching caravan at a considerable distance. The expectant bridegroom, brought up with the strictest notions of filial submission, waits to receive his wife dutifully from his father’s hand, and yet, we fancy, day after day he goes out to meet her, and now the long-expected caravan, with Eliezer, his father’s most trusted servant, at its head, is approaching at eventide, and he quickens his step to meet his bride.
From what we have already seen of Rebekah, she is lively, lighthearted, kind, possessed of an alert readiness, prompt to see and do what is to be done at the moment. No dreamer is she, but a wideawake young woman who knows her own mind exactly, and has the fit word and fit action ready for each short turn in life. She was quick, cheerful and energetic in hospitality. She was prompt and unhesitating in her resolve; and yet, at the moment of meeting, she knew the value and propriety of the veil. She covered herself that she might not unsought be won.