Abraham, who was well in his years, asked his servant to swear to Abraham that he would bring Isaac a Jewish wife ("my own relatives") and not a Canaanite (foreigner). The servant agreed.
While on his way Aram Naharaim (northwest Mesopotamia), he prayed to God that He would give a sign. He actually prayed pretty specifically, and asked God to show him who the girl was by letting them have a particular conversation.
"May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
Amazing, the exact thing happened immediately after he finished the prayer.
Rebekah came by and they had that exact conversation. The servant visited the family, and told them about his experience. At first, they wanted to keep Rebekah for 10 more days, but the servant insisted that they let her go right away. They asked her, and Rebekah agreed to go with the servant right away.
Rebekah married Isaac, who loved her and was comforted after his mother's death.
Anyone notice how they made promises? Not a handshake, but a hand under the other person's thigh! Awkward!
ReplyDelete"Put your hand under my thigh.3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
yeah, lol. Let's do that for small group next week when we make a covenant to read the Bible together. lol . .
ReplyDeleteyeah we r back to genesis!
ReplyDeleteI saw this on the web: "It is thought that the custom referred to here came about because of the vulnerable position in which it placed the men. This vulnerable position put added weight upon what was taking place. It was a position of weakness for both men, the one placing his hands under the thigh was vulnerable to attack from above. The man whose was above was vulnerable to serious harm by the man who was in a position to cause serious pain and worse."
ReplyDelete