A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Marriage is a biblical picture of our commitment
to Christ.
Abraham’s servant described his own relationship to the Lord with the expression ‘asher
hathehallaketti lefanayw translated “before whom I walk” (v. 40). The use of the hithpa’el
implies the idea of consistency; i.e., “before whom I walk habitually.” One of the reasons God
blesses the servant with success may be related to his consistent walk with God.
When the family indicated a willingness to allow Rebekah to be the bride of Isaac, the
servant distributed more valuable jewels and clothing not only to Rebekah, but also to Laban and
the mother of the bride. These gifts to the family may have been the formal bride price and a
means of concluding the matter finally (cf. 29:18).
THE SERVANT AND THE GROOM
(Gen. 24:54-67) (2026 B.C.)
When the servant planned to leave the next morning, the family sought for a delay (Gen.
24:55). The expression “a few days, at the least ten” is similar to a contemporary vague reference
to time; i.e., “a week or so.” They were in essence asking the servant to wait awhile so that they
could make their final decision. When the servant refused to agree to the delay, they consulted
with Rebekah.
It is an unusual thing in a primitive society that a woman should be consulted and her
opinion considered before an important decision would be made. But the events of this chapter
are in harmony with the apparent relative independence of Hurrian women according to Nuzi
tablets. The Hurrian marriage contracts specifically required the consent of the bride. When she
agreed to go, the family supported her decision and sent her off with a typical blessing for a
young bride (v. 60).
The Scriptures give no indication how long the 900 mile journey of the servant took, but
when he arrived in the region of Beer Lahai Roi (the well of life and vision), Isaac had already
arrived at his father’s camp. Some commentators argue that the servant’s reference to Isaac as
“my master” (v. 65) suggests Abraham had died. That is unlikely if the events of the next chapter
are assumed to be in its correct chronological order. It is more likely that Abraham had appointed
Isaac as coregent of the household, perhaps even dividing his flocks and placing Isaac over the
herd grazing in the Negev (v. 62). The Hebrew verb ba’ translated “came” (v. 62) is a qal perfect
and would be better translated “had come.” This would explain how Isaac was at his father’s
camp when the bride arrived.
Isaac was returning from an evening walk in the direction of Beer Lahai Roi meditating
as he walked. The Hebrew verb suach occurs only here in Scripture (v. 63). Some translators
argue the word means mourning and note Isaac was later comforted by Rebekah. But the LXX
translators understood the verb to refer to meditation and translated it that way. Isaac may have