To her surprise, Father snatched the stick out of her hands and scratched out her words so vigorously that a cloud of dust rose within the tent. “The kingdom of God is not a walled city,” he said, “with guards to keep strangers out and citizens in. The kingdom of God is an open tent, with room in the shade for all who seek shelter.”

Rebekah reached again for the stick. “And when the wind blows?” she wrote.

“It was just a parable!” Father said impatiently. “It doesn’t have to be correct at every point! I’m teaching you, or have you forgotten who is the father here?”

These words left Rebekah trembling. She would never be disrespectful to her father, and yet her father was trying to tell her that she should marry Ezbaal, and she knew—she knew—that she could not obey.

How did she know? she wondered. How could she be so certain? All day she had thought of reason after reason why the marriage must not happen, and then as the reasons were stripped away, a new reason came into her mind, but always with the same foregone conclusion: She must not marry Ezbaal.

Was this nothing but a young girl’s fear? No, she knew it was not. She had never been timid about doing what must be done, and even though she dreaded marriage for many reasons, she also knew that it was her duty, and she knew there could never be a better match than this one. It was an honor to her family that Ezbaal had come to them, and it would bless her father’s house to be tied to such a man as he. And she knew she had nothing to fear from him, compared to many other possible husbands. Life in Ezbaal’s house would be good—even with his crotchety grandmother constantly criticizing her. She would win the old woman’s heart in due time. This marriage was a good one; there could not be a better one. She was not afraid.

And yet she could not say yes. Why not? What was holding her back?

She closed her eyes and spoke silently to God. Is my father right? Can I teach my children to love thee even though their father will worship other gods?

Immediately she felt herself filled with a sense of emptiness, as if the spark of joy within her had fled.

O God, she thought again, it will embarrass my father to refuse this great man’s offer and cost him many good things. It might make an enemy of Ezbaal. How can I refuse something so important to my family? It is my duty to my father to marry Ezbaal.

This time the very strength of her body fled, leaving her feeling faint, her eyes momentarily darkened.

“O God, don’t let thy spirit flee from me!” she cried aloud.