Lexical Summary
Ribqah: Rebekah
Original Word:רִבְקָה
Part of Speech:Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration:Ribqah
Pronunciation:rib-KAH
Phonetic Spelling:(rib-kaw')
KJV: Rebekah
NASB:Rebekah, Rebekah's
Word Origin:[from an unused root probably meaning to clog by tying up the fetlock]
1. fettering (by beauty)
2. Ribkah, the wife of Isaac
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Rebekah
From an unused root probably meaning to clog by tying up the fetlock; fettering (by beauty); Ribkah, the wife of Isaac -- Rebekah.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
marbeqDefinitionwife of Isaac
NASB TranslationRebekah (28), Rebekah's (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
30 , daughter of Bethuel and wife of Isaac,
Genesis 22:23;
Genesis 24:15 24t. 24, 25, 26, 27;
Genesis 28:5;
Genesis 29:12;
Genesis 35:8;
Genesis 49:31; — .
see II. below .
(√ of following).
Topical Lexicon
OverviewRebekah (רִבְקָה, Strong’s 7259) stands as the divinely chosen wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob. Appearing in roughly thirty Old Testament verses, her life bridges the patriarchal narratives from Abraham to Jacob, shaping the unfolding of the covenant promises.
Family Lineage
Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban, descendants of Nahor (Genesis 22:20-23;Genesis 24:15, 24, 29). Through this Aramean line, she connects Abraham’s family in Canaan with relatives in Paddan-aram, foreshadowing Israel’s later sojourns outside the Land.
Call and Marriage
Genesis 24 records the longest single narrative devoted to the choice of a wife in Scripture. Abraham’s servant prayed for divine guidance; before he finished, “Rebekah approached with her jar on her shoulder” (Genesis 24:45). Her willing service—drawing water for both the servant and his camels—confirmed God’s selection. The swift consent of her household and her own words, “I will go” (Genesis 24:58), highlight her faith and readiness to leave all for the covenant purposes of God.
Hospitality and Faith
Rebekah’s actions parallel Abraham’s hospitality inGenesis 18. She demonstrates the covenant virtue of generous service, anticipating later biblical exhortations to show hospitality (Hebrews 13:2). Her account underscores that God often affirms His plans through everyday acts of kindness.
Struggle of the Twins and Oracle
Years of barrenness drew Isaac to intercede: “The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived” (Genesis 25:21). Troubled by an unusual struggle within her womb, she sought the LORD, who declared, “Two nations are in your womb… the older will serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). Rebekah thus became the first recipient of a prenatal prophecy, and the divine election of Jacob over Esau frames the doctrine of sovereign grace later cited inRomans 9:10-13.
Rebekah’s Role in the Blessing of Jacob
Genesis 27 portrays her decisive, controversial involvement in securing Isaac’s blessing for Jacob. Motivated by the earlier oracle and Esau’s indifference to covenant values (Genesis 26:34-35;Hebrews 12:16-17), she devised the plan Jacob followed. When Jacob feared a curse, she answered, “Your curse be on me, my son” (Genesis 27:13). Scripture neither commends deception nor voids the blessing; instead, it reveals how divine sovereignty works even through human weakness to accomplish redemptive purposes.
Later Life and Death
After sending Jacob to Paddan-aram (Genesis 27:42-45;Genesis 28:5), Scripture falls silent on Rebekah until the notice of her nurse Deborah’s death at Allon-bacuth (Genesis 35:8). Rebekah herself was buried in the cave of Machpelah with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Leah (Genesis 49:31), affirming her honored place among the patriarchs and matriarchs.
Theological Significance
1. Covenant Continuity: Rebekah links Abraham’s household to succeeding generations, ensuring the transmission of the promise (Genesis 26:3-4).
2. Divine Election: The oracle ofGenesis 25:23 illustrates God’s sovereign choice, later applied to salvation history (Malachi 1:2-3;Romans 9:10-13).
3. Gender and Agency: Rebekah’s prayers, decisions, and actions show that women in Scripture actively participate in God’s redemptive plan, prefiguring Mary’s obedience inLuke 1:38.
4. Hospitality and Faith: Her ready service exemplifies faith expressed through works (James 2:17-26).
New Testament Echoes
Paul cites Rebekah by name when discussing election (Romans 9:10). Her life embodies themes of calling, grace, and the trustworthiness of God’s word, echoing in the church’s identity as “children of promise” (Galatians 4:28).
Practical Application
• Seek divine guidance in life decisions, trusting God to direct seemingly ordinary circumstances.
• Practice generous hospitality; simple acts may advance God’s larger purposes.
• Hold fast to God’s promises even when fulfillment appears jeopardized by human frailty.
• Remember that God’s sovereign plan prevails, yet individual obedience or disobedience carries real consequence for families and nations.
Rebekah’s story, interwoven with faith, initiative, and divine election, invites believers to trust God’s providence and to serve His purposes wholeheartedly.
Forms and Transliterations
וְרִבְקָ֖ה וְרִבְקָ֣ה וְרִבְקָה֙ וּלְרִבְקָ֥ה וּלְרִבְקָֽה׃ ולרבקה ולרבקה׃ ורבקה לְרִבְקָ֑ה לְרִבְקָ֔ה לְרִבְקָה֙ לרבקה רִ֠בְקָה רִבְקָ֑ה רִבְקָ֔ה רִבְקָ֖ה רִבְקָ֗ה רִבְקָ֛ה רִבְקָ֜ה רִבְקָ֣ה רִבְקָ֤ה רִבְקָ֥ה רִבְקָה֙ רבקה lə·riḇ·qāh ləriḇqāh lerivKah riḇ·qāh riḇqāh rivKah ū·lə·riḇ·qāh ūləriḇqāh ulerivKah verivKah wə·riḇ·qāh wəriḇqāh
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
