Rebekah of Genesis

The bible doesn't give many clues about when Rebekah was born. She was younger than
husband Isaac, "we can assume that Rebekah was some twenty years younger." She lived with
her family in Abraham's homeland Nahor until Isaac needed a wife. She and Isaac had been
married 20 years before she became pregnant with twins Esau and Jacob. She was very
determined and protective of her son Jacob. He was more quiet and reserved than his brother.
Esau was materialistic and hungry, making him sell his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.
"All that was lacking was for Jacob to obtain his father's blessing which would secure to him
birthright of his older brother," Rebekah knew this and began to hatch a plan.
After tricking Isaac into giving Jacob the blessing meant for Esau, Isaac was furious with
her. Rebekah had to give up her beloved son and send him off to live with his uncle, Laben.
Giving up Jacob was a great struggle for Rebekah. She died before Jacob returned, and they
never saw each other again.
Rebekah was incredibly caring, but also mischievous. When she first appeared, she gave
a great amount of water to Abraham's servant, without even knowing who he was. She also
watered the servant's camels, which I imagine would have taken lot of work. After the servant
and his camels were no longer thirsty, Rebekah recommended that they stay with her family in
their house. She had no idea that this effort would get her a new life with Isaac in Canaan.
Much later in Rebekah's life, she was a bit more mischievous. She had raised her twin
sons and was an old woman. She loved Jacob, and knew that he would make a better leader that
Esau. "Esau lived for today...Jacob, like herself, looked into the future." She remembered that
even before the boys were born, God had told her that "two peoples born of you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger." (Gen. 25:23) She was
very protective of Jacob, and worked very hard to secure him Isaac's blessing. She deceived both
Isaac and Esau, and scholars argue whether she did it for the right reasons or not.
I believe that Rebekah really believed what God had told her. I think that she was a very
smart and brave woman, and that she was willing to do anything for her favorite son. I think that
she was aware that Esau and Isaac would be angry with her. I think that she was brave, because
she did what she thought was best for the future, even if others didn't agree. One of the
commentaries I read (Deen, Edith. All the Women of the Bible.) noted that Jacob didn't seem to
be punished or blamed for deceiving his brother and father as much as Rebekah was. The same
commentary also asked: "Does she not typify the mother down in the ages who, weak in faith,
imagines herself to be carrying out the will of God?" I think that her story shows that it is unwise
to pick favorite children.

Works Cited
Deen, Edith. All the Women of the Bible. New York: Harper Collins, 1988. Print.
Oke, Dele. "Rebekah- Women of the Bible." The Living Word Library. Cristian Resource Centre,
Date of publication unknown. Web. 26, Oct. 2014.
Holy Bible with the Apocryphal/ Deuterocanonical Books New Revised Standard Version.
American Bible Society. New York: American Bible Soc., 1989. Print.