Isaac & Rebekah - Genesis 24:1-67

1. An expositional study taught by Harry Morgan

2. For those of you online post your comments or questions in the “comment section” on your screen. As time affords they may be read to the class.

3. 1. How does the length of Genesis 24 compare with other chapters in this book? What do you think is the significance? Genesis 1 Genesis 2 Genesis 3 Genesis 12 Genesis 22 Genesis 32 Genesis 49 Creation Creation of Man Fall of Man Call of Abraham Offering of Isaac Jacob / Israel Jacob’s Blessings 31 vs. 25 vs. 24 vs. 20 vs. 24 vs. 32 vs. 33 vs. Genesis 24 Isaac & Rebekah 67 vs.

4. 2. What is the theme of this chapter? The Wedding of Isaac and Rebekah

5. OUTLINE Verses Location Event 1-9 Canaan Abraham Charges his Servant 10-29 Haran The Servant Meets Rebekah 29-61 Haran The Servant and Laban 62-67 Canaan Isaac meets Rebekah

6. 3. What are “types” or “figures” in the Bible? Give some examples. Defined: Biblical typology is the biblical study of types. Types, meaning symbols, are used to represent something else. τύπος (typos) = mark, copy, image, form, figure, pattern, prefiguration, foreshadowing Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type (typos) of Him who was to come.

7. 3. What are “types” or “figures” in the Bible? Give some examples. Hebrews 9:8–9 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9It was symbolic (parabolē) for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—

9. 4. How are Abraham and his servant, Isaac and Rebekah types of God’s relationship with His people? Type Antitype Abraham God the Father God the Son Isaac The Church Rebekah God the Spirit Abraham’s servant

10. 5. Moses recorded that “Abraham was now old.” What did he mean by the phrase “well stricken”? Genesis 24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. אוֹבּ(bôʾ) = enter; come to; come in (18:11) Abraham was 99 (23:1) Abraham was at least 137 (25:7) Abraham died at 175

11. 6. Describe how the Lord had blessed Abraham. Genesis 24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”

12. 7. Describe the characteristics of Abraham’s servant. Genesis 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had…

13. 8. Did Moses record the name of Abraham’s servant? Genesis 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, Genesis 15:2 But Abram said, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I [a]go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Eliezer = “God is help” or “God is comfort”

14. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? Genesis 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, Genesis 47:29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt,

15. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? According to Rabbi Ibn Ezra, the phrase “under the thigh” means literally that. For someone to allow his hand to be sat on was a sign of submission to authority. If this is the symbolism, then Joseph was showing his obedience to his father by placing his hand under Jacob’s thigh.

16. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? According to Rashi, based on the Midrash Rabbah, it does not mean literally the thigh; it means the Milah (organ of circumcision). The reason is because one who takes an oath must hold in his hand a sacred object, such as a scroll of the Torah or phylacteries. And the circumcision was his (Abraham’s) first commandment and came to him through suffering. And it was beloved to him. And (therefore) he chose it (as the object upon which to take the oath). Cf. Tosefot in the Talmud Shevuot 38b.

17. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? Genesis 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, ךְ ֵ רָי (yā·rēḵ) = loins, area of the genitals, i.e., the area of procreative power (Gen. 24:2; Num. 5:21) Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

18. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? 1) Abraham had been promised a “seed” by God, and this covenantal blessing was passed on to his son and grandson. Abraham made his trusted servant swear “on the seed of Abraham” that he would find a wife for Isaac. 2) Abraham had received circumcision as the sign of the covenant (Gen. 17:10). Therefore, the Hebrew custom of “placing the hand under the thigh” was to swear on the circumcision, the mark of God’s covenant.

19. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? • English testify is derived from the word testicles. • Latin testes is the same word for “witnesses”. • This etymological connection between testicles and witnesses is also found in Greek, French, and obviously English.

20. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? Genesis 24:2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, ךְ ֵ רָי (yā·rēḵ) = loins, area of the genitals, i.e., the area of procreative power (Gen. 24:2; Num. 5:21) Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

21. 9. Why did Abraham tell his servant “place your hand under my thigh”? • English testify is derived from the word testicles. • Latin testes is the same word for “witnesses”. • This etymological connection between testicles and witnesses is also found in Greek, French, and obviously English.

22. Other Customs in Taking Oaths • Swear on a Bible • Raise the right hand • A hand gesture

23. 10. Why did Abraham make his eldest servant “swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of earth”? Genesis 24:2-4 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, 3and I will make you swear[a]by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

24. • 12:8; 13:4 “called upon the name of the Lord” (Covenant- keeping God) • 14:22 “the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth” (Elyon – God, the Creator, is distinct from His creation and, He is not a regional deity) • 15:2,8 “Sovereign Lord” (Adonai YHWH a title Abraham used repeatedly 18:3, 27, 30, 31, 32 indicating his submission to the One who is sovereign) • 21:33 “the Lord, the everlasting God” (YHWH el olam; cf. Ezek 26:19,20 refers to the prediluvians) • 22:8 “God” (El - in Abraham’s deepest trial, he cannot voice any higher title, but still acknowledges God as the creator. Yet even here is progress, for this is the first time he uses the title of Gen 1:1.) • 21:14 “Lord” (cp. 12:8)

25. 10. Why did Abraham make his eldest servant “swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of earth”? םִיַמָש (šā·mǎ·yim) הוהי םיִהלֱֹא (ʾělō·hîm) (yhwh) ץ ֶ רֶא(ʾě·rěṣ) In the beginning God… created the heavens and the earth.

26. 11. What did Abraham make his eldest servant swear? Genesis 24:3-4 and I will make you swear[a] by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 1 2 The Faith Of A Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21-28)

27. 12. What in Abraham’s personal history made his oath so important? Joseph Marie Vien Hagar = “Stranger” “Sarah presenting Hagar to Abraham” Genesis 16 & 21

28. 13. What would have been the danger in Isaac’s marrying a wife from among the Canaanites? Genesis 24:2-4 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, 3and I will make you swear[a]by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

29. Deuteronomy 7:3-4 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

30. 13. What is the danger in a believer marrying a nonbeliever? 1 Kings 11:1–5 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

31. 14. If Canaan is the land God promised to Abraham, then to what land was Abraham referring when he declared “my land”? Genesis 24:4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.

32. 15. What two concerns did Abraham’s servant have about performing the oath? Genesis 24:5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?” 1 2

33. 16. How did Abraham respond to his servant’s concerns? Genesis 24:6-8 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your [a]descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”

34. 16. How did Abraham respond to his servant’s concerns? Genesis 24:6-8 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your [a]descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.”

35. 16. How did Abraham respond to his servant’s concerns? • He took me from that land. • He spoke to me, revealing Himself to me. • He swore to give me this land. • Surely, He will send his angel to work out any problems.

36. 17. Why did Abraham send his servant, rather than his son Isaac? Genesis 24:6-8 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. • The servant must not reverse Abraham’s initial act of obedience (Gen. 12:1-4) and take Isaac out of the land of promise. • Competing priorities? Isaac’s relation to the land of promise and the necessity that his wife is not a Canaanite. • Godly faith will not compromise either priority. Abraham obeyed and left the burden of fulfillment to God.

37. 18. How did his servant respond to Abraham? Genesis 24:9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

38. 19. What did the servant take for his journey? Genesis 24:10a Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand.

39. Israeli Camels

40. 20. How far did he travel? Genesis 24:10b And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery, Hebron (Copper Kettle)

41. 20. How far did he travel? Genesis 24:10b And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. Travel time by walk may take around 1208.3 hours if you continuously walk 3.7 mph. Nahor = Haran • Rebekah called Haran her home (27:43; cf. 28:10; 29:4) • Jacob flees to Haran from Esau

42. 21. What does Nahor mean? Genesis 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. רוחנfrom the verb רחנ (nhr), to snort vigorously Nahor • Brother of Abraham • Father of Bethuel • Grandfather of Rebekah (22:20-24)

43. 22. What is the name of Nahor’s town? What does the name mean? Genesis 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. Aram Naharaim (“Aram of the Rivers”) in NW Mesopotamia (Gen. 24:10; Deut. 23:4; Judg. 3:8,10; 1 Chron. 19:6; Psa. 60:1) Also called Padam Aram (“Plan of Aram”) in Genesis 25:20. Nahor = Haran • Rebekah called Haran her home (27:43; cf. 28:10; 29:4) • Jacob flees to Haran from Esau

45. The city walls of Haran were 2.5 miles in length and surrounded the tell. There were 6 gates, but only the western gate, the Aleppo Gate, remains standing.

46. 23. Why did the servant make the camels kneel beside the well of water outside the town? Genesis 24:11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water… • Camels kneeling is a position of rest and waiting. • Camels are very watchful, can awake with the least noise; serve guards. • Camels were not “unloaded” until 24:32.

47. 24. What time of day did he arrive at the well? Why is this significant? Genesis 24:11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.

48. 25. What did the servant pray when he was at the well? Genesis 24:12-14 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.” “kindness” דֶסֶח (ḥě·sěḏ) loyal love, unfailing kindness, devotion, i.e., a love or affection that is steadfast based on a prior relationship

49. 25. What did the servant pray when he was at the well? Genesis 24:12-14 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

50. 25. What did the servant pray when he was at the well? Genesis 24:12-14 Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”