Rebekah, also spelled Rebecca, is introduced in Genesis 22:23 as the daughter of Bethuel and the sister of Laban. She becomes the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. Her story is recorded primarily in Genesis chapters 24 through 27.
She first appears in detail in Genesis 24, where Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own relatives in Mesopotamia. The servant prays for guidance, and Rebekah appears, fulfilling the sign of hospitality he had asked for. She offers water to him and to his camels, showing her kindness and diligence (Genesis 24:15–20). This act marks her as God’s chosen bride for Isaac.
Rebekah consents to leave her home immediately and travel to marry Isaac, demons/”>demonstrating faith and willingness to follow God’s will (Genesis 24:57–59). When she sees Isaac, she covers herself with a veil, and Isaac brings her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she becomes his wife (Genesis 24:65–67).
In Genesis 25:21, Rebekah is barren, but Isaac prays for her, and God grants conception. She carries twins who struggle within her, prompting her to seek the Lord. God tells her, “Two nations are in your womb… and the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). This prophecy is key to understanding the future of Esau and Jacob.
Later, Rebekah shows initiative and partiality by helping Jacob obtain the blessing from Isaac that was intended for Esau (Genesis 27:5–17). Though her actions fulfilled God’s earlier prophecy, they involved deception, leading to family division. As a result, Jacob flees to her brother Laban, and Rebekah never sees him again.
Rebekah is a figure of faith and divine purpose, selected by God and used in the unfolding of His covenant promises. However, her life also illustrates the dangers of favoritism and the complexities of human decisions even in God’s redemptive plan.
