Isaac and his wife were significant Old Testament characters who contributed greatly to the propagation of the biblical narrative and God’s redemption plan. This post details who Isaac’s wife in the Bible was as recorded in Genesis 24.
Before we meet this special woman who was the wife of Isaac, let’s talk about the man Isaac. Isaac was the son of promise born to Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 21:1-5). They waited for this child for 25 years, and by the time he was born, Abraham was a very old man, 100 years while Sarah was 90 years old.
Isaac’s father was called by God to leave his native land to go to the promised land. He had a half-brother called Ishmael (Genesis 16:15-16).
Isaac, the son of Abraham, married a woman named Rebekah. Beautiful Rebekah was his cousin. Rebekah’s father, Bethuel, was the son of Milcah, who was the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. Laban, Rebekah’s brother, played an important role when Abraham’s trusted servant negotiated to get Rebekah. As we shall see, Rebekah’s family lived in Mesopotamia, particularly in the city of Nahor.
Isaac and his wife Rebekah had twin boys, the first twins recorded in the Bible. The older son was Esau (for he was a hairy man), and the younger son was Jacob (because he snatched his brother Esau’s heel).
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Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2 He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “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.”
5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?”
6 “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said. 7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. 8 If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
Abraham charges his trusted servant (thought to be Eliezer of Damascus) to get his son Isaac a wife. He does not want him to choose from the Canaanites they lived among but to go back to his relatives in Mesopotamia (marrying relatives was acceptable then).
This had nothing to do with tribalism but everything to do with morality. Unequal yoking with the Canaanite women would increase the danger of his son being drawn to idolatry and other sinful ways of the Canaanites.
Prayer for guidance
Genesis 24:10-14
10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.
12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘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.”
How would the servant know which girl God chose for his master’s son? It would be difficult in a country with many families. He prays for God to guide him and sets a fleece. Fleeces are not positive, but God might occasionally speak through them. The servant demonstrates dependence on God to guide his ways, a virtue we can ape and apply. Make sure to pray before making critical decisions and allow God to guide your steps.
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar. 18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
God answers the servant’s prayer instantly. Rebekah shows up even before Eliezer finishes praying. Not only did she do all Abraham’s servant prayed that the one would, but did it joyfully. Later, he discovered she ails from Abraham’s family! Talk of God-incidence (not coincidence). Friend, God answers prayer. He might not respond instantly, as in this case, but God answers prayer. Don’t shy away from prayer.
Meeting the family
Genesis 24:28-33
28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring.
31 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33 Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.” “Then tell us,” Laban said.
Perplexed by the events, Rebekah rushes to tell his family what unfolded at the well. Rebekah’s family welcomes this stranger with open arms. God had already leveled the paths ahead and granted him favor with the family. God is faithful to his servant Abraham and is aligning things well.
The servant states his mission
Genesis 24:34-49
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 37 And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’ 39 “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. 41 You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’
42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” 44 and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also. 47 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ “She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’
“Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48 and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”
Abraham’s servant recounts his master’s desire and instructions to Rebekah’s family. Clearly, he understood his assignment. His urgency to get it done is commendable, as he was unwilling to settle down and rest before he accomplished it.
Negotiation and acceptance
Genesis 24:50-57
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”
55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then youSource: freepik
Rebekah’s family responded positively to the mission and request. They, too, can see God’s hand in this. With the acceptance, the servant gives them some gifts—perhaps an equivalent of the bride price. The servant does not waste time and is ready to take the journey the next morning and won’t be swayed. Rebekah is sold and is ready to go immediately. Call it faith.
Farewell
Genesis 24:59-60
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies.”
The servant is ready to depart and return to his master Abraham and take with him Rebekah. Rebekah’s family holds a farewell for her. They bless her and her future family before she departs with Abraham’s servant. They pray that become fruitful and conquer.
First meeting and marriage
Genesis 24:60-66
61 Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. 62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate,f] and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.
64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
I can only imagine what was going on in Eliezer and Rebekah’s minds on their way back to the land of Canaan. Eliezer must have been happy and relieved to accomplish the mission, and Rebekah must have been eager to meet this mysterious man he was to marry.
It appears Rebekah was not the only eager party. Isaac was, too, and was out waiting for them in the fields. As soon as they met, they clicked. Isaac took her into the tent of Sarah, his mum, and she offered her special comfort following his mother’s death. That’s how their marriage began.
Conclusion: Isaac’s wife in the Bible
In conclusion, who was Isaac’s wife in the Bible? The Holy Bible tells us that Isaac married Rebekah. The couple had many years of marriage and bore two sons, Esau and Jacob. The account of circumstances of how they met and got married is captured in the book of Genesis chapter twenty-four.
George Hendricks is the founder and managing editor of Godsverse.org. He has written and published over 200 skit reviews, church resource guides, and Bible study articles. With a background in data-driven content strategy and digital publishing, George built Godsverse into one of the most comprehensive collections of church skit reviews and printable scripts online. When he's not writing, he's researching what churches actually need and figuring out how to deliver it.
