What Is the Story of Rebekah in the Bible?

Rebekah lived in Abraham’s home country. Abraham was born in what is now modern-day Iraq. In biblical times, the location was called “Ur of the Chaldees.” This is the place where Rebekah was born. Genesis 22:23 states, “Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor.” Milkah was Abraham’s sister-in-law and married to his brother, Nahor. Bethuel was one of their sons and Rebekah’s father. We can think of Bethuel as essentially Abraham’s nephew and Rebekah as Abraham’s great-niece.

Rebekah was a very beautiful woman. Genesis 24:16 describes her as “very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known.” Her name meant “ensnarer.” Men were captivated, or bound, by her beauty. Her good looks even caused her husband, Isaac, to lie. In Genesis 26, we find a story where Isaac claimed Rebekah was his sister in fear of the other men killing him out of jealousy.

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In this old age, Abraham wanted to make sure his son, Isaac, was taken care of. Abraham asked his servant to go back to his country and find a wife for him there. He did not want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman. The servant traveled to Abraham’s home country with ten camels. Once there, he prayed for God to reveal the right woman for his master’s son, Isaac. In the evening, the servant went to the spring where the woman drew water. He prayed that the right woman would agree to let him have a drink and offer water to his camels. 

Even before he was done presenting his request, Rebekah came to the spring with a jar to collect water. The servant asked her for a drink. She obliged and then offered water to his camels. This is what the servant had prayed for. The servant gave Rebekah a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets. He asked about her family, and Rebekah brought him to her home. The servant explained everything to Rebekah’s brother, and he agreed to let her go back with the servant to become Isaac’s wife.

The next morning, Rebekah’s mother and brother were hesitant to have her leave right away. Instead, they wanted her to spend more time with them before she left. The servant was anxious to leave and bring Rebekah back to Abraham. Her mother and brother asked her if she would go with the servant, and she agreed. Rebekah and the servant traveled back to Abraham’s home. Isaac met them when they arrived. He introduced Rebekah to his family, and they were married.

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Isaac and Rebekah did not have children for nineteen years. Isaac desperately prayed for his wife to become pregnant, and she conceived twin boys. Rebekah noticed the babies struggling in her womb. She went to the Lord to ask him about it. Genesis 25:23 says, “The LORD said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.’” Later, she gave birth to Esau and Jacob. Esau was born first. He’s described as coming into the world red and hairy. Jacob came next, holding Esau’s heel. Jacob would be the father of the nation of Israel and part of Jesus’s lineage. Esau’s relatives became the Edomites.

Growing up, Esau preferred to be outside hunting, and his father, Isaac, was fond of him. On the other hand, Jacob was content working at home. Rebekah favored her second son. One day, Esau came home to find Jacob cooking stew. Famished, he asked Jacob for some. Jacob said he would share the stew if Esau sold his birthright to him. Esau agreed, saying he would die of hunger if he didn’t eat, and then his birthright would be no good anyway. Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil soup. His brother left full, but despising the birthright he had sold. 

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In his old age, Isaac called Esau to him. He asked him to go hunting and prepare a meal so he could give Esau his blessing before he died. Rebekah overheard Isaac talking to Esau, and, favoring Jacob, devised a plan for him to receive the blessing instead of her other son. Rebekah told Jacob to retrieve two goats. She would prepare a meal for Esau and have Jacob take it to him. Even though his father was nearly blind, Jacob pointed out that Esau was hairy while his own skin was smooth. He was nervous that Isaac would touch him and discover the scheme.

Rebekah had Jacob dress in Esau’s clothes. She also brought goat skins for him to put around his hands and neck. Then, they went forward with the plan. Jacob brought his father the food, claiming to be Esau, and asked for his blessing. Issac asked him to come to the bedside so he could touch him to see if he was truly Esau. Isaac felt the hairy goat skins on Jacob’s hands. He said the boy’s voice sounded like Jacob’s, but he had hairy skin like Esau’s, so he went forward with his blessing. Isaac asked Jacob to come closer so he could kiss him. After smelling Esau’s clothes, he was more convinced the boy was Esau and gave him an additional blessing. 

“May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed and those who bless you be blessed.” (Genesis 27:28-29)

Shortly after, Jacob left, and Esau returned. Esau prepared food for his father and asked for his blessing. Isaac realized he had been tricked and that Jacob was the one who came in earlier to receive the blessing. Upset, Esau asked if his father had another blessing he could give him. Genesis 27:39-40 says, “His father Isaac answered him, ‘Your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness, away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword and you will serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck.’” Esau became furious and planned to kill his brother. Rebekah found out about Esau’s plan and told Jacob to flee to her brother, who lived in Haran.

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From Rebekah’s story, we see the consequences of sin and people taking matters into their own hands. Isaac and Rebekah knew Jacob would ultimately receive the blessing. However, Issac favored Esau and made plans to give him the blessing. Overhearing Isaac’s idea, Rebekah made her own plan to ensure Jacob received what was his. 

While we can see that Rebekah’s intentions were good, she went about the situation in the wrong way. Instead of being truthful and honest with her husband, she made a plan to deceive him. Not only did she trick Issac, but she negatively influenced Jacob as well. After the plan unfolded and Jacob received the blessing, he had to flee from home due to Esau’s anger against him. Rebekah never saw her treasured son again.

Both Isaac and Rebekah schemed to devise their own plans instead of trusting in God. The influence of sin led to harsh consequences. Instead of taking matters into our hands when things are not going the way we think they should, we should turn to God and trust in his plans and sovereignty. We may think we know what’s best, but ultimately God’s way is better than any plan we could devise ourselves.

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