and pulled at the soft cloth until it covered the hard, dark object completely.
“A small goddess?” Deborah asked.
The mother nodded and whispered, “One made by old Terah in Ur.”
“But …” Deborah knew she would be severely punished if it were discovered that she was leaving with one of the household fertility gods. The ones from Ur that had been made by Terah’s workmen were especially prized.
“They are expecting many children,” the mother said, giving Deborah a knowing look. When she saw that Deborah didn’t quite understand, she leaned forward and whispered, “God forbid but she may be like our kinswoman, Sarah.” With that she drew the mantle across her mouth to stifle a sob.
Deborah was immediately filled with compassion. She tucked the package into the small bundle of her belongings. “Don’t be afraid,” she said. “I’ll be there to take care of her.”
With that the mother impulsively grabbed both of Deborah’s hands and kissed them. “You must care for her in my place.”
“I swear by the gods of Ur, she will lack nothing.” The two women exchanged a long, meaningful look and then went together out into the busy courtyard.
It was immediately obvious that Laban was nervous and impatient. He, more than the others, was well aware of the conflict that could result if Rebekah did not get away as quickly as possible. He was frantically urging, cajoling, and insisting that they hurry. As a result it was within the hour that Rebekah mounted her camel and was ready to follow Eleazar and his men out the city gate and down past the well where she had met him such a short time ago.
Her mother and the servants ran along beside the camels until they came to the well, and then they stood weeping and waving as long as they could see them.
Rebekah had a moment of sadness as she realized that she was actually leaving her family and everything that was familiar. She turned to look back again and again; the familiar faces were all the more dear as they gradually faded from sight. Even more touching had been her old grandfather standing at the door of the courtyard with Bethuel. He was too old and feeble to follow them to the well. She would always remember that just before she mounted her camel he had reached out to her and whispered, “Abraham’s God has won again, and perhaps it’s for the best.”
* * *
Rebekah was flushed with the thrill of adventure and young enough to spend very little time grieving over leaving her family. It never occurred to her that it would be very difficult, even impossible, for her to repeat this trip and come to see them.
As she and her handmaidens rode along, they sang and from time to time called to each other remarking on the emerging wonders around them. Eleazar was thoughtful enough to ride back and explain many things about the landscape they were passing or the customs of the people they were about to meet. The camping in the early evening was the favorite time for everyone. They loved to sit around the campfire enjoying the snap and crackle of the burning twigs while watching for the rising moon. Then, long before daybreak they were up and mounted ready to ride again. They must make the most of the cool hours before the sun rose.
Rebekah asked many questions and Eleazar was able and willing to answer as many as possible. She was curious about the reason her uncle had chosen to leave the rest of the family. She wanted to know why they were living in tents away from the cities. She knew very little of her cousin Isaac, and of course she was most curious about him.
“Isaac is very handsome,” Eleazar told her. “Perhaps his most outstanding quality is a special charm that makes it easy for him to make friends. If someone doesn’t like him, it bothers him. He’s not content until he has managed to make that man his friend. He admires his half-brother Ishmael because he is a rather rough fellow who hunts and fights and is good at besting any
“A small goddess?” Deborah asked.
The mother nodded and whispered, “One made by old Terah in Ur.”
“But …” Deborah knew she would be severely punished if it were discovered that she was leaving with one of the household fertility gods. The ones from Ur that had been made by Terah’s workmen were especially prized.
“They are expecting many children,” the mother said, giving Deborah a knowing look. When she saw that Deborah didn’t quite understand, she leaned forward and whispered, “God forbid but she may be like our kinswoman, Sarah.” With that she drew the mantle across her mouth to stifle a sob.
Deborah was immediately filled with compassion. She tucked the package into the small bundle of her belongings. “Don’t be afraid,” she said. “I’ll be there to take care of her.”
With that the mother impulsively grabbed both of Deborah’s hands and kissed them. “You must care for her in my place.”
“I swear by the gods of Ur, she will lack nothing.” The two women exchanged a long, meaningful look and then went together out into the busy courtyard.
It was immediately obvious that Laban was nervous and impatient. He, more than the others, was well aware of the conflict that could result if Rebekah did not get away as quickly as possible. He was frantically urging, cajoling, and insisting that they hurry. As a result it was within the hour that Rebekah mounted her camel and was ready to follow Eleazar and his men out the city gate and down past the well where she had met him such a short time ago.
Her mother and the servants ran along beside the camels until they came to the well, and then they stood weeping and waving as long as they could see them.
Rebekah had a moment of sadness as she realized that she was actually leaving her family and everything that was familiar. She turned to look back again and again; the familiar faces were all the more dear as they gradually faded from sight. Even more touching had been her old grandfather standing at the door of the courtyard with Bethuel. He was too old and feeble to follow them to the well. She would always remember that just before she mounted her camel he had reached out to her and whispered, “Abraham’s God has won again, and perhaps it’s for the best.”
* * *
Rebekah was flushed with the thrill of adventure and young enough to spend very little time grieving over leaving her family. It never occurred to her that it would be very difficult, even impossible, for her to repeat this trip and come to see them.
As she and her handmaidens rode along, they sang and from time to time called to each other remarking on the emerging wonders around them. Eleazar was thoughtful enough to ride back and explain many things about the landscape they were passing or the customs of the people they were about to meet. The camping in the early evening was the favorite time for everyone. They loved to sit around the campfire enjoying the snap and crackle of the burning twigs while watching for the rising moon. Then, long before daybreak they were up and mounted ready to ride again. They must make the most of the cool hours before the sun rose.
Rebekah asked many questions and Eleazar was able and willing to answer as many as possible. She was curious about the reason her uncle had chosen to leave the rest of the family. She wanted to know why they were living in tents away from the cities. She knew very little of her cousin Isaac, and of course she was most curious about him.
“Isaac is very handsome,” Eleazar told her. “Perhaps his most outstanding quality is a special charm that makes it easy for him to make friends. If someone doesn’t like him, it bothers him. He’s not content until he has managed to make that man his friend. He admires his half-brother Ishmael because he is a rather rough fellow who hunts and fights and is good at besting any
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