Monday, October 13, 2008

Genesis Chapter 24 v.26-66

Rebekah, it turns out, was actually the daughter of the son of Abraham's brother, so the servant praised god for making his job of finding a suitable wife for Isaac super easy. But the servant, knowing his place, only praises god with the moniker "the God of my master Abraham."

Rebekah ran home and told everyone about the nice man with the jewelry, and her brother Laban went out and brought the servant back to their place. They made dinner and put up the camels, but the servant wouldn't eat until he had told everyone what he needed to tell them.

The servant began by saying that he was Abraham's servant, and that the lord had blessed Abraham and made him wealthy. We, the readers, know exactly how Abraham became wealthy, and it was pimping, not godly blessings. But whatever. The servant went on to say that Abraham's wife Sarah had given him a child in her old age (long after she had procured wealth for him by telling rich men she wasn't married) and Abraham wanted a wife for his son from his hometown.

Then the servant told them all about his deal with god, that the first girl to answer his request would be the one god chose, and asked Rebekah's family if he could take her back with him.

Laban and Bethuel, Rebekah's brother and father, said that it was pretty obvious that god had made all this happen, probably because it sounded psychotic, and that she could go with him. The servant bestowed costly gifts upon the family, and stayed the night with them.

In the morning Rebekah's brother and mother didn't want to let her go. Give her ten days or so, they asked. But the servant would have none of it. They asked Rebekah, and Rebekah said, 'hell yeah, let's blow this popsicle stand!' or something, and they left. They took with them Rebekah's nurse and the servents 'men.' This is the first time the author mentions the servant having 'men.'

Rebekah's family blessed her, saying,
"Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands"

much like the ameoba, and

"may your offspring possess
the gates of their enemies"

so they can charge a toll and get rich.

They all rode back to Canaan, and when they got close they saw Isaac standing in a field. As he walked over to them Rebekah covered herself with her veil and they were introduced, and they got married.

The last line in this chapter is "and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."