May 2, 2018 - Day 24 - Genesis 24
I am writing from my hotel in Richland, WA.
Genesis 24:
This chapter is loooong.
So Abraham is old and God has hooked him up. Abraham tells his servant to be sure not to let his son marry a Canaanite, but to go to his home country and find his son a wife among his relatives.
It is important that we do not read this at face value and with a modern lens. In today's world, incest is obviously not acceptable nor should it be; but this was not the case in antiquity. In Ancient Egypt, close relation marriages in royalty were often practiced in order to continue the royal lineage.
Gross; but this was as far away from today as we are from the year 5500.
The servant is told to bring back a wife for Isaac, but not to bring Isaac there. If he can't find a woman, then the deal is off. So he puts his hand under Abraham's thigh in order to seal the oath. lol. We should bring this back. #thethighpromise
Mr. Servant Man heads out with a bunch of camels, hunting for some hunnies. #huntin4hunnies
As the ladies came out with their water jars, he spotted Rebekah and jetted over to her. Rebekah is Abraham's great niece, which makes her Isaac's first cousin once removed. We are told that she is beautiful and that she is a virgin. Its important to remember that women were nothing more than property; sadly, her value was found in her virginity and beauty, hence why it is mentioned.
Obviously this is appalling, but that is the reality of the time period.
So Rebekah waters all the camels too, which is what the nameless servant was hoping for. So he's all excited now, gives her a nose ring and bracelets (he's buying her) and asked her who her father is and if there's room for him to stay the night. Rebekah obliges and runs to the house to tell the fam. Her brother sees the bling and gets excited now that his sister has been purchased, and invites the servant in and to take care of his camel fleet.
The servant hypes Abraham for the fam. Interestingly, he said the Lord has blessed Abraham abundantly with wealth, belongings and servants. I wonder if the servants would agree?
Anyway, the servant very candidly tells her family the whole spiel about the oath and how he met Rebekah and how it was all orchestrated by the Lord. He convinces them and they say he can take Rebekah with him. Her thoughts and/or opinions are not mentioned at this point. The servant gives more bling to Rebekah and gives her family some gifts too to complete his purchase.
The servant gets up the next morning ready to jet with Rebekah, but her family wants her to hang out for another week and a half. The servant says he needs to leave with her, so they call her in and see what she wants to do. She says she will go. The family wishes her many descendants and that her offspring may possess the cities of her enemies. #loveyourenemy
They all headed back and then Isaac married Rebekah.
Genesis 24:
This chapter is loooong.
So Abraham is old and God has hooked him up. Abraham tells his servant to be sure not to let his son marry a Canaanite, but to go to his home country and find his son a wife among his relatives.
It is important that we do not read this at face value and with a modern lens. In today's world, incest is obviously not acceptable nor should it be; but this was not the case in antiquity. In Ancient Egypt, close relation marriages in royalty were often practiced in order to continue the royal lineage.
Gross; but this was as far away from today as we are from the year 5500.
The servant is told to bring back a wife for Isaac, but not to bring Isaac there. If he can't find a woman, then the deal is off. So he puts his hand under Abraham's thigh in order to seal the oath. lol. We should bring this back. #thethighpromise
Mr. Servant Man heads out with a bunch of camels, hunting for some hunnies. #huntin4hunnies
As the ladies came out with their water jars, he spotted Rebekah and jetted over to her. Rebekah is Abraham's great niece, which makes her Isaac's first cousin once removed. We are told that she is beautiful and that she is a virgin. Its important to remember that women were nothing more than property; sadly, her value was found in her virginity and beauty, hence why it is mentioned.
Obviously this is appalling, but that is the reality of the time period.
So Rebekah waters all the camels too, which is what the nameless servant was hoping for. So he's all excited now, gives her a nose ring and bracelets (he's buying her) and asked her who her father is and if there's room for him to stay the night. Rebekah obliges and runs to the house to tell the fam. Her brother sees the bling and gets excited now that his sister has been purchased, and invites the servant in and to take care of his camel fleet.
The servant hypes Abraham for the fam. Interestingly, he said the Lord has blessed Abraham abundantly with wealth, belongings and servants. I wonder if the servants would agree?
Anyway, the servant very candidly tells her family the whole spiel about the oath and how he met Rebekah and how it was all orchestrated by the Lord. He convinces them and they say he can take Rebekah with him. Her thoughts and/or opinions are not mentioned at this point. The servant gives more bling to Rebekah and gives her family some gifts too to complete his purchase.
The servant gets up the next morning ready to jet with Rebekah, but her family wants her to hang out for another week and a half. The servant says he needs to leave with her, so they call her in and see what she wants to do. She says she will go. The family wishes her many descendants and that her offspring may possess the cities of her enemies. #loveyourenemy
They all headed back and then Isaac married Rebekah.
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