Genesis 24

Mail Order Bride (2009) (10" x 10")

collage and acrylic on framed mirror

Abraham's servant is sent to the city of Nahor where he is to locate a bride for Isaac who will be identified by her actions at a well. Rebekah is identified by the predicted sign so the servant goes to her father and her brother Laban and explains that she is the chosen one. Laban very piously answers, "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good. Look, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has spoken."

From what we know about Laban's money-grubbing attitude elsewhere in the Bible, this response seems out of character for him. But the answer is probably hinted in verses 30-31 where we see that Laban only welcomes the servant with open arms once he has seen the costly nose rings and bracelets the servant had given Rebekah as presents.