[See Isaac's Family Tree] Rebecca is the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. She is the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham's brother, and the daughter of Bethuel. In other words, she is Abraham's grandniece, and Isaac's cousin Bethuel's daughter, making them first cousins once removed. Abraham sends his servant to his homeland to find a wife for his son Isaac. This decision was made to prevent the lineage from being corrupted by marrying a foreign woman.
Genesis 24:2I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.Genesis 24:3But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”Genesis 24:4The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?”
(이 종은 엘리에셀(아브라함의 하인)으로 추정된다.)
아브라함의 종은 나홀이 거주하는 지역에 가서 하나님께 기도했는데, 마침 기도했던 대로 지혜롭게 행동하는 리브라를 만나게 되었다.
Genesis 24:10He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.Genesis 24:11He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham), please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.Genesis 24:12Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.Genesis 24:13Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”Genesis 24:14Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.Genesis 24:15The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.Genesis 24:16The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”Genesis 24:17She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.Genesis 24:18When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”Genesis 24:19She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.Genesis 24:20The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
이런 행위로 말미암아 리브가는 지혜롭고 성실한 여성의 대명사가 되었다.