REBEKAH AT THE WELL. (Goodall.)REBEKAH AT THE WELL. (Goodall.)REBEKAH.
REBEKAH AT THE WELL. (Goodall.)REBEKAH AT THE WELL. (Goodall.)
REBEKAH AT THE WELL. (Goodall.)
His house she enters, there to be a light,Shining within, when all without is right.
It was just upon the edge of the village, and just as the sun was sinking, that the servant came to the well from which the village folk drew water. And there, with a pitcher in her hand, stood a maiden, as beautiful as ever maiden could be.
"Whose daughter art thou?" the servant asked.
And the maiden answered, "I am Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, of the house of Abraham."
Then the servant was glad; for he knew now that the maiden was as good, and her religion as pure, as she was beautiful. So hewent to the home of Bethuel, and told his errand into Mesopotamia. He told Bethuel of the godly life Abraham had led, and of the noble youth, Isaac. And he asked that he might choose Rebekah for Isaac's wife and carry her back with him to Canaan.
The heart of Bethuel was glad; and Rebekah, too, was glad to go; for already she loved the brave lad, Isaac, so proudly had the old servant told the story of his brave deeds and godly life.
So Rebekah, arrayed in a fine raiment, was placed on a camel, and beside her walked her nurse and maids.
The old servant then hurried on, and reached the home of Isaac while yet the maiden and her companions were not beyond the limits of their own land.
He told Isaac all that had happened, andhow beautiful and good the maiden was, and that she was of the noble house of Bethuel.
Then Isaac loved the maiden; and, as she came near to Canaan, he hurried forth to meet her, and to bring her to his home and to his people. Old Abraham was glad when he saw the maiden, for he knew God's blessing would rest upon the union.
Abraham was now one hundred and seventy-five years of age; and when he came to die, Rebekah and Isaac laid him beside Sarah in the field of Machpelar, and Isaac took his father's place in the household.
Isaac and Rebekah lived to an old age. They were good people, and the Lord blessed them; and when they came to die, their two sons, Esau and Jacob, wept over them, and laid them, also, beside Abraham in the field of Machpelar.