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Obviously, there were many ways to find a wife. We’ll look at one seemingly approved way that’s described in some detail in the Bible. (It would be good to open your Bible to Genesis 24 now–or later.
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The male characters:
Abraham (old, wealthy, and with a bachelor son)
Eliezer¹ (a trusted, long-time servant)
Isaac (the “needy” son designated to continue the family line)
The underlying assumption: “Father knows best.”
As to the female character?
Not to worry; she comes in later.
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For more open the DOOR.
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[MORE]
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We’ll paraphrase and select from Matthew chapters 22 through 24.
Abraham is getting very old and God has blessed him in many ways, though his wife has recently died. He has a single male heir named Isaac, more than old enough to be married, but who is still single. Abraham is now in land that God had promised to him, but was surrounded by people from a culture that was foreign to him, and one that worshiped other gods.
Now come the series of events to get Isaac properly married:
(1) Abraham gets news from the family circle, that includes his brother Nahor who lives many miles away. He’s had success, and probably from the old hometown there might be a suitable single woman who would come and marry Isaac.
(2) Abraham tells his chief trusted servant, Eliezer¹, to return to his old home with 10 camels and rich gifts and find a such a woman for Isaac. But, he adds, don’t take Isaac back there.
(3) Eliezer makes the long journey and does what he’s told.
(4) At the end, he makes the camels stop and kneel down near a spring where Nahor lives and where girls come in the evening to draw water.
(5) Eliezer prays for help in making a good choice. “God, when I ask for a drink, let her willingly agree to give me water, and also water for my camels.”
(6) Girls draw water there in large jars.
(7) Rebekah, a granddaughter of Nahor appears. (It seems that Eliezer doesn’t know her identity yet.)
(8) Eliezer “hurries” to meet her. He asks her for a drink.
(9) After she gives him a drink, she volunteers, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking².”
(10) She then goes back and forth to and from the well at the spring filling a trough until the camels are satisfied.
(11) Eliezer watches her closely.
(12) He sees she is very “beautiful.”
(13) (And obviously strong, helpful, and patient.)
(14) Without saying a word Eliezer gives her a gold nose ring and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.
(15) Then he asks her, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me is there room in your father’s house for us [he’s not traveling alone] to spend the night?”
(16) She answers, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” And then she volunteers, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”
Several details follow, and Rebekah, her brother Lot, and her parents welcome Eliezer and his caravan, and in short time, Rebekah, along with her nurse and “maids,” agree to leave for Abraham’s home, and eventually arrive there.
(17) At the arrival of the caravan, Isaac sees her coming.
(18) Rebekah sees him and asks who it is. She is told.
(19) She gets off her camel and covers herself with a veil.
(20) Isaac goes to meet her.
(21) Now Genesis 24:66. “Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
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¹ It’s not absolutely certain it was Eliezer, but it most probably was.
² When camels are finally given water, they can drink for a long, long time.
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