The man blinked, then raised his eyebrows. “The damsel speaks wisely,” he said. “I feel the eyes of God upon me, and so I’m afraid my urgency ran stronger than my common sense.” He seated himself. “Thank you for the generous way you have received me and my master’s other servants. You have treated us as if we were all lords.”

“The servants of a great lord receive some of the honor due to their master,” said Mother.

Laban was writing furiously. The servant saw this, and waited to begin until Laban had finished writing.

Father spoke. “Please tell us your errand.”

“I am Eliezer, steward of the household of Abraham, husband of Sarah, and son of Terah, your grandfather.”

When Father read the words and nodded, he went on.

“The Lord has blessed my master with flocks and herds, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. But this was nothing to him compared to the greatest gift of God: His wife, Sarah, gave birth in her old age to a boychild named Isaac.”

Isaac. Rebekah well knew the name and the story of the birth. But today Eliezer was telling this story because it was part of his errand. It was, she felt sure, the name of her husband. The miracle baby, grown to be a man, and now in need of a wife to bear children, so Abraham’s line could continue and the birthright could pass to another generation. A woman who will partake of the blessings of Sarah, to be the mother of nations in some future time.

Me.

“Abraham has begotten other sons to concubines, but Isaac is sole heir to all that Abraham has, including the birthright.”

When Father read this, he nodded. “We know of the birthright. For a while I was in line for it myself, till God chose otherwise.”

“A short while ago, my master called me to him and made me swear the most holy oath, that I would find a wife for Isaac, but not from among the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land Abraham dwells. Rather he sent me north to the land of Haran, to Abraham’s father’s house, to his kindred, to find a wife for his son.”

Rebekah saw how intently Father and Mother and Laban all listened to the man. She realized that she was the calmest person in the tent. But then, it was her prayer that was being answered here.