Week 2: Nice for a Wife (Storytelling)

I was raised to be nice and hospitable to strangers. When I helped someone, I would feel like I had a good purpose.

I was sitting in the corner of the family room weaving when my mom shouted. “Rebekah! We need water. Can you go fetch some?”

“Okay, but if I do, I’m going to finish this pattern when I get back.” I motioned to the weaving I had been working on. It was just over half done. “I think it’s my best one yet.”

Mom rolled her eyes dramatically, “You say that about all of them.”

I grabbed the empty pitcher skipped towards the door. “Well they just keep getting better.” I glimpsed my mom’s smile as I shut the door behind me.  

The well was only a ten minute walk, but I would get distracted along the way. I stopped and talked with a friend of mine and then one of my mothers. I helped David, the old man who lived down the street, find his grandson who had wandered away during his afternoon nap.

Finally I made it to the well. 

I lifted up mom’s filled pitcher and balanced it on my shoulder, before turning to go back home. A man I’d never seen before stood nearby the well. He held ropes that circled many camels. He must me a traveler. The man walked towards me. He stared intently and looked a bit anxious.

“Excuse me, miss… May I have a drink from your pitcher?” He was still staring, studying me.  

I was a little nervous but I nodded to the man. “Of course.” I handed him the pitcher and he drank deeply from it. His camels were staring at me too, but not as intently as the man. The man handed the pitcher back to me. “I’ll go get more,” I said, “For your camels. If you were so thirsty, I’m sure they are as well.”

He smiled widely but continued staring. “Thank you, miss.”

After the camels had drunk what they wanted, I filled one more pitcher for my mom. The man never stopped studying me. I fidgeted uncomfortably under his gaze.  We made some small talk but soon he asked, “Who is your father? Do you live close by?” he asked. “Would your father have room for me and my camels for the night?”

“Umm… Yes, I do. And I think so. My father is Bethuel…” He didn't say anything else, just stood staring and smiling. “I’ll run home quickly and get everything arranged with my parents and brother.”

“Alright,” he said. “But before you go, I want you to have these… for your trouble.” He handed me an earring and bracelets he had been wearing, along with some money and gold.” I held the pieces in my hand, not quite knowing whether to accept. Eventually I thanked him and took off for home, spilling some water along the way. By the time I got home the pitcher was only half full.

“Mom!” I yelled as I haphazardly took the pitcher off my shoulder and put it on the table, more water sloshing out. “There’s a guy by the well with a ton of camels and I gave him water and now he wants to stay here. And he gave me these.” I showed her the jewelry and money as I breathed hard. I was out of breath, both from the running home and the quick relaying of information.

“Who is he?” she asked, my brother came into the kitchen from the family room to listen.

“I don’t know but he’s waiting by the well. He kept looking at me weird, like he was studying me or something.”

My brother, Laban, laughed. “You’re too boring to study… or to give fancy presents to.”

I shot him a glare and turned back to mom, she was looking around the room. “Okay, Rebekah,” she said, “I’ll start getting things around here, why don’t you go get him. But on your way back walk slowly. The house isn't presentable yet.”

“Mom, please no! I don’t want to go get him and get stared at for another twenty minutes of slow walking. Let Laban go get him!”

My mother sighed but agreed despite Laban’s complaints. “How am I even supposed to know who he is, Rebekah?”

“It’s like I said, Laban, he’s the only one with a dozen camels.” Laban huffed out the door and mom started rushing around straightening everything. She sent me out to find dad. I told him what happened and the two of us went to the stables and moved around some things to make room for the camels. When we were done we went back inside where my mom was finishing up.

A couple minutes later Laban came in with the man. He greeted my family and quickly pulled my parents aside. Soon after my father called my mother and me outside, leaving Laban to entertain our guest.

My father looked seriously at me, “He’s a servant, sent to find a kind woman for his master’s son.” I stared blankly at my father trying to process what he said. “He thinks you’re the one.”

“What?” I asked dumbly. “Who does that? Send a servant to find a random wife?  What should I say?”

Mom and Dad both exchanged looks, “He is well off. You would have a good life. We think you should.”

I thought for a while, they both stared, similarly to the way the man had earlier. “If you want me to I will.”

A couple days later I was on the road, with the man and my nurse, but I wasn’t exactly thrilled about it. We traveled a long time before we finally reached a field. I saw a middle aged man walking towards us. “Is that him?” I asked.

“Yes.” And so began my new life as the wife of... wait... what's his name?

By Gustave Dore "Eliezer and Rebekah"

Author's Note: This is adapted from the story in the Bible about Issac's wife Rebekah. The story is found in Genesis 24 & 25, as well as the online version here. Issac sends a servant to go find him a wife. The servant devises a plan to find a kind woman who will allow him  and his camels to drink. Rebekah is the first to respond in the correct way and the servant asks her family if he can take her to Issac to become his wife. Everyone agrees and they soon leave. 

Work Cited: King James Bible (1611) Gen. 24-5