Bethu'el is a significant figure in the Hebrew Bible, known primarily as the father of Rebekah and Laban. His name, which means "House of God" in Hebrew, reflects the theistic culture and familial heritage from which he hails. Bethu'el is a descendant of Nahor, Abraham's brother, situating him within the broader narrative of the patriarchal family that plays a central role in the unfolding account of God's covenant with Israel.

Genealogy and Family

Bethu'el is introduced in the genealogical records found in Genesis. He is the son of Nahor and Milcah, making him a nephew of Abraham. Genesis 22:20-23 states: "Some time later, Abraham was told, 'Milcah has also borne sons to your brother Nahor: Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethu'el.' And Bethu'el became the father of Rebekah." This passage highlights Bethu'el's place within the family tree and introduces Rebekah, who becomes a pivotal character in the biblical narrative as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Role in the Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah

Bethu'el's most notable involvement in the biblical narrative occurs in Genesis 24, where he is mentioned in the context of the marriage arrangement between his daughter Rebekah and Isaac, the son of Abraham. Abraham sends his servant to Nahor's city to find a wife for Isaac from among his relatives. Upon meeting Rebekah, the servant is welcomed into Bethu'el's household. Genesis 24:50-51 records the response of Bethu'el and Laban to the servant's proposal: "Laban and Bethu'el answered, 'This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has decreed.'"

This passage underscores the cultural and religious practices of the time, where family consent and divine guidance were integral to marriage arrangements. Bethu'el's acknowledgment of the LORD's will reflects the recognition of divine providence in the affairs of his family.

Bethu'el's Legacy

While Bethu'el himself does not play a prominent role beyond the marriage of his daughter, his legacy is carried forward through his children. Rebekah becomes a matriarch of Israel, and her account is central to the continuation of the Abrahamic covenant. Laban, Bethu'el's son, also plays a significant role in the narratives concerning Jacob, further intertwining Bethu'el's lineage with the unfolding history of the Israelite people.

Bethu'el's mention in the genealogies and narratives of Genesis serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of the patriarchal families and the unfolding of God's promises through successive generations. His role, though brief, is crucial in the establishment of the family line through which the nation of Israel would emerge.Bethu'el (10 Occurrences)

Genesis 22:22
and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.'
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Genesis 22:23
And Bethuel begot Rebekah; these eight did Milcah bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
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Genesis 24:15
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
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Genesis 24:24
And she said unto him: 'I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore unto Nahor.'
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Genesis 24:47
And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she said: The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him. And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands.
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Genesis 24:50
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said: 'The thing proceedeth from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
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Genesis 25:20
And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean, of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife.
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Genesis 28:2
Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.
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Genesis 28:5
And Isaac sent away Jacob; and he went to Paddan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
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1 Chronicles 4:30
and at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag;
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Bethu'el (10 Occurrences)
Bethu'el. Bethuel, Bethu'el. Bethul . Multi-Version Concordance
Bethu'el (10 Occurrences). Genesis 22:22 and Chesed, and Hazo, and ...
/b/bethu'el.htm - 8k

Bethuel (10 Occurrences)
... be-thu'-el (bethu'el; "dweller in God"): A son of Nahor and Milcah, Abraham's nephew,
father of Laban and Rebekah (Genesis 22:23; Genesis 24:15, 24, 47, 50; 25 ...
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Bethul (1 Occurrence)

/b/bethul.htm - 6k

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