This account of the search for a wife for Isaac forms the core of a narrative sandwich that illumines some of the important theological aspects of the Patriarchal Narratives:
A1. Abram builds his First Altar, 12:7.
A2. Abram builds his Second Altar, 12:8.
A3. Abram builds his Third Altar, 13:3-4.
A4. Abram builds his Fourth Altar, 13:18.
B. Isaac's First Altar Experience (on which he was to be sacrificed), 22:9.
C. God's promises to bless Abraham and to increase his descendants because he fears (tira') God, 22:12.
D. Death of Sarah and Burial at Hebron, Chap 23.
E. The Search for a Wife for Isaac, Chap 24
D'. Death of Abraham and Burial at Hebron, Chap 25.
C'. God encourages Isaac not to fear (tira'), and promises to bless him and increase his descendants, 26:24.
B'. Isaac builds an altar, 26:25.
A1. Jacob builds his First Altar, 33:19-20.
A2. Jacob builds his Second Altar, 35:1.
A3. Jacob builds his Third Altar, 35:3.
A4. Jacob builds his Fourth Altar, 35:7.
The account of the servant's journey to find Isaac a wife is itself intricately and artistically told, though most of us impatient with the repetitions tend to skip over them quickly:
A. Abraham weeps at Sarah's death, 23:1-2.
B. Abraham's Negotiation with the Hittites for the Burial Ground for Sarah, 23:3-20.
C. The Servant's Journey to the City of Nahor as told by the Author, vv.1-33.
a. The Servant's Commission: Abraham, blessed by God and advanced in years, sends his servant on a mission to look for a wife for Isaac among his kinsmen, with strict prohibition against a Canaanite wife, vv.1-4.
b. The Servant's Concern: what if the woman was un-willing to come, v.5.
c. Abraham's Assurance and Yahweh's Help and Spells out Terms for Releasing the Servant from Oath, vv.6-9.
d. The Servant's Prayer: for clear indication of the woman Yahweh has chosen, vv.10-14.
e. Rebekah's Action: she does exactly as the servant had prayed for ("Before he had done speaking, behold Rebekah . . . came out with her water jar upon her shoulders . . .she went down to the spring . . .") vv.15-21.
f. The Servant Learns of Rebekah's Identity: the girl is daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, and gives her a nose ring and bracelets, vv.22-25.
g. The Servant Bows Down and Blesses Yahweh, vv.26-27.
h. Laban's Welcome to the Servant ("Come in, O blessed of Yahweh"), vv.28-31.
i. The Servant and his men refuse to Eat until he has told of his errand, vv.32-33.
C'. The Servant's Journey to the City of Nahor as reported (mostly) by the Servant to Laban, v.34-54
a. The Servant Tells of his Commission by Abraham: Abraham blessed by God, and sends him to look for a wife for Isaac among his kinsmen, with strict prohibition against a Canaanite wife, vv.34-38.
b. The Servant's Concern ("Perhaps the woman will not follow me!"), v.39.
c. Abraham's Assurance of Yahweh's Help and Spells out Terms for Releasing the Servant from Oath, vv.40-41.
d. The Servant's Prayer: for clear indication of the woman Yahweh has chosen, vv.42-44.
e. Rebekah's Action: she does exactly as the servant prayed for ("Before I had done speaking . . . behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulders, and she went down to the spring . . ."), vv.45-46.
f. The Servant Learns of Rebekah's Identity: the girl is daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, and he gives her a nose ring and bracelets, v.47.
g. The Servant Bows Down and Blesses Yahweh, vv.48-49.
h. Laban and Bethuel Acknowledge this Happening was Yahweh's Doing, and Offers Rebekah to be Isaac's Wife, vv.50-51.
i. The Servant and His Men, having completed their errand, Eat and Rest for the night, vv.52-54.
B'. The Servant Negotiates with Laban and Bethuel for the Release of Rebekah, 24:55-61.
A'. Isaac marries Rebekah, and is comforted after Sarah's death, vv.62-66.
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Low Chai Hok
©Alberith, 2018