Wife of Isaac; mother of Jacob and Esau
c. 2000 BC · Old Testament
The woman drawn to Isaac by a remarkable answered-prayer encounter at a well — wife of Isaac, mother of the twin brothers Jacob and Esau, whose deception of Isaac changed the line of promise.
Rebekah was the granddaughter of Abraham's brother Nahor. When Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, the servant prayed at a well: let the woman God has appointed water my camels (Genesis 24:14). Rebekah came, drew water, and offered to water all ten camels — an enormous task. Her family agreed. Asked if she would go, Rebekah said: 'I will go' (Genesis 24:58). She met Isaac in the field; he loved her. Like Sarah, Rebekah was barren for years. Isaac prayed; God answered (Genesis 25:21). She conceived twins. The children struggled within her; God revealed: 'Two nations are in thy womb... the elder shall serve the younger' (Genesis 25:23). Esau was born first; Jacob came out grasping his heel. Isaac loved Esau (a hunter); Rebekah loved Jacob (a quiet man). When Isaac was old and blind and prepared to bless Esau, Rebekah orchestrated a deception — disguising Jacob with goat hair and Esau's clothes (Genesis 27). Jacob received the blessing meant for Esau. Esau was furious; Rebekah sent Jacob to her brother Laban for safety. She told Jacob 'a few days' until Esau's anger subsided — but she never saw Jacob again. Romans 9:10-13 — Paul cites Rebekah's pregnancy as evidence of God's sovereign election.
Waters the camels — answer to prayer
"I will go"
Isaac comforted after Sarah's death
Twins struggle in the womb
"The elder shall serve the younger"
Goat hair on Jacob's hands
Never sees him again
Rebekah's significance: (1) Her encounter at the well models providential answered prayer. (2) She is the mother of Jacob (Israel) — patriarch of the people. (3) Romans 9:10-13 uses her pregnancy to teach divine election. (4) Her decisive 'I will go' parallels Mary's 'be it unto me.' (5) Her deception of Isaac shows even biblical figures' weaknesses. (6) She bears the cost of her own scheme — never seeing Jacob again.
“I will go.”— Genesis 24:58
“Two nations are in thy womb... the elder shall serve the younger.”— Genesis 25:23
Rebekah was the wife of Isaac and mother of the twin brothers Jacob and Esau. She was found by Abraham's servant in a remarkable answered-prayer encounter at a well (Genesis 24). She bore twins by divine intervention, and orchestrated the deception by which Jacob received Isaac's blessing instead of Esau (Genesis 27).
Genesis 24. Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant prayed: let the woman God has appointed water my camels. Rebekah came, drew water, and offered to water all ten camels. The servant recognized this as God's answer. She said 'I will go.' She met Isaac in the field; he loved her.
Genesis 27. Rebekah remembered God's revelation during her pregnancy — 'the elder shall serve the younger' (Genesis 25:23). She loved Jacob more than Esau. When Isaac was old and blind, she orchestrated the deception. The act was both faith in God's word and a wrong means to that end.
Romans 9:10-13. Paul uses Rebekah's pregnancy as a key example of God's sovereign election. Before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, God said 'the elder shall serve the younger.' Paul argues this proves God's choice is 'not of works, but of him that calleth.'