Isaac and Rebekah
About this date: Narrative sequence is clear; no secure absolute BCE date is available.
The covenant promise continues through Isaac and Rebekah's family.
Historical context
The marriage narrative follows negotiations between households, the servant's journey, Rebekah's hospitality, and her departure. The continuation of the ancestral family depends on actions by people beyond its patriarch.
Key points
- Rebekah provides water for the traveler and his animals.
- Her family discusses the proposed marriage and timing of departure.
- She agrees to go and becomes part of Isaac's household.
People
- Isaac
- Rebekah
- Abraham's servant
Scripture
- Genesis 21 — Isaac is born to Sarah and Abraham, and the chapter also recounts Hagar and Ishmael's departure.
- Genesis 24 — Abraham's servant meets Rebekah, who leaves her family and becomes Isaac's wife.
- Genesis 26 — Isaac encounters disputes over wells, and the covenant promise is reaffirmed to him.
Sources and further reading
- Genesis 24 (King James Version)
Hospitality, negotiation, Rebekah's departure, and marriage. - USCCB introduction to Genesis
Literary and historical introduction; retained from the original record.