(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)
“They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.” Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.” He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.” They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.””
(Genesis 24:54-58)
The servant had been unwilling to eat until the situation was resolved, but afterwards joined them in a meal and celebration of the situation. But in the morning, he was eager to take Rebekah with him and go back to his master. He saw no reason to delay the completion of his task. He had been guided by God, he wanted to finish his race.
The family wanted to spend some time saying goodbye and celebrating with Rebekah. This wasn’t unreasonable. They weren’t trying to derail the servant or his mission. They simply wanted time. The servant could understand it, but he was seeing things from a different perspective. I’m sure he would have been willing to stay if they refused him, but he would have been chomping at the bit the whole time.
It was given to Rebekah to decide, which implies the decision to marry Isaac was also one she was a part of. She was given a choice. Everyone would go along with what she wanted. She was given agency. And she clearly indicated that she was willing. It had been quick. It had been unusual. But she was all in. Whether she recognized and submitted to God’s hand in all this, we don’t know. But she didn’t shy away from it. She choose the marriage, and the marriage right away.
The Torah: A Women’s Commentary writes: ‘“I will go.” Rebekah’s decision to leave her homeland and her family, go to a new place, and live with a man unknown to her, is reminiscent of Abraham, who left everything behind him in order to fulfill a divine command (12:1). Women’s contribution to the fulfillment of national destiny finds its expression not only in their role as childbearers but also in their ability to take bold and vital action at critical moments. Rebekah’s actions will later find an echo in Ruth’s leaving her father, mother, and land of her own accord. When Ruth joins her fate with that of her mother-in-law, Naomi, and subsequently marries Naomi’s kinsman Boaz, Ruth too contributes to fulfilling the national destiny, in that King David would be the future offspring of that union. The apparent role of chance in both stories, as expressed by the Hebrew root k-r-h, links the book of Ruth and the story of Rebekah. The servant requests of God “please bring me luck today” (24:12), while of Ruth it is written “as luck would have it, it was the piece of land belonging to Boaz” (Ruth 2:3). Divine providence seems to direct the fate of both these women. Moreover, when the servant learns Rebekah’s identity, he blesses God, saying, “Blessed is יהוה, God of my master Abraham, whose faithful kindness has not deserted my master” (Genesis 24:27). Likewise, when Naomi learns where Ruth gleaned, she pronounces a similar blessing, “Blessed be he of יהוה, who has not failed in kindness…!” (Ruth 2:20).’
The sage Steinsaltz writes: ‘He and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed the night, as the previous events and discussions all took place during the evening hours: He met Rebecca toward the end of the day before the sun set (verse 11). They most likely reached her house in the early evening hours, after which he dined with her family. They arose in the morning, and he, the servant, said: Send me to my master. I wish to return to him and fulfill his request. His implicit intention was that they should send the girl with him, and thereby allow him to complete his mission. Her brother, who again spoke first, and her mother said: Let the girl remain with us for a full period, one year, or ten months; afterward she shall go. It is preferable that she remain here in the meantime; she may leave after all of the necessary preparations for her departure and her wedding have been completed. They called Rebecca and said to her: Will you go with this man? Some commentaries suggest that their use of the term “this man” instead of referring to him as the servant of Abraham, was a veiled warning: Do you really agree to undertake a long journey with this unfamiliar man? She said: I will go.‘
Leave a comment