Isaac himself had even less liberty of choice than Jacob. He courted
Rebekah by proxy--or rather his father courted her through her father,
for him, by proxy! When Abraham was stricken with age he said to his
servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had, and
enjoined on him, under oath,
"thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters
of the Canaanites, among whom I shall dwell; but thou
shalt go into my country, and to my kindred, and take a
wife for my son Isaac."
And the servant did as he had been ordered. He journeyed to the city
of Mesopotamia where Abraham's brother Nahor and his descendants
dwelt. As he lingered at the well, Rebekah came out with her pitcher
upon her shoulder. "And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a
virgin, neither had any man known her." And she filled her pitcher and
gave him drink and then drew water and filled the trough for all his
camels. And he gave her a ring and two bracelets of gold. And she ran
and told her mother's house what had happened. And her brother Laban
ran out to meet the servant of Abraham and brought him to the house.
Then the servant delivered his message to him and to Rebekah's father,
Bethuel; and they answered: "Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her,
and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife." And he wanted to take
her next day, but they wished her to abide with them at the least ten
days longer. "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. And they sent away Rebekah
their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men." And
Isaac was in the field meditating when he saw their camels coming
toward him. Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she
lighted off her camel, and asked the servant who was the man coming to
meet them; and when he said it was his master, she took her veil and
covered herself. And Isaac brought her into her mother's tent and she
became his wife, and he loved her.
Such is the story of the courting of Rebekah. It resembles a story of
modern courtship and love about as much as the Hebrew language
resembles the English, and calls for no further comment. But there is
another story to consider; my critics accused me of ignoring the three
R's of Hebrew love--Rachel, Rebekah, and Ruth. "The courtship of Ruth
and Boaz is a bold and pretty love-story." Bold and pretty, no doubt;
but let us see if it is a love-story. The following omits no essential
point.