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Chapter 11—The Marriage of Isaac
This chapter is based on
Genesis 24
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The Canaanites were idolaters, and the Lord had commanded
that His people should not intermarry with them, lest they should
be led into idolatry. Abraham was old, and he expected soon to
die. Isaac was yet unmarried. Abraham was afraid of the corrupting
influence surrounding Isaac, and was anxious to have a wife selected
for him who would not lead him from God. He committed this
matter to his faithful, experienced servant, who ruled over all that he
had.
Abraham required his servant to make a solemn oath before the
Lord that he would not take a wife for Isaac of the Canaanites, but
that he would go unto Abraham’s kindred, who believed in the true
God, and select a wife for Isaac. He charged him to beware and not
take Isaac to the country from which he came, for they were nearly
all affected with idolatry. If he could not find a wife for Isaac who
would leave her kindred and come where he was, then he should be
clear of the oath which he had made.
This important matter was not left with Isaac, for him to select
for himself, independent of his father. Abraham told his servant that
God would send His angel before him to direct him in his choice.
The servant to whom this mission was entrusted started on his long
journey. As he entered the city where Abraham’s kindred dwelt, he
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prayed earnestly to God to direct him in his choice of a wife for
Isaac. He asked that certain evidence might be given him, that he
should not err in the matter. He rested by a well, which was a place
of the greatest gathering. Here he particularly noticed the engaging
manners and courteous conduct of Rebekah, and all the evidence he
had asked of God he received that Rebekah was the one whom God
had been pleased to select to become Isaac’s wife. She invited the
servant to her father’s house. He then related to Rebekah’s father
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