And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

GENESIS 22:23KJV
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Genesis 22:23 (KJV)

What does Genesis 22:23 mean?

Genesis 22:23 states that Bethuel became the father of Rebekah, and that Milcah bore eight children to Nahor, who was Abraham’s brother. This verse highlights the family line from Nahor to Rebekah, who will later become an important figure in the story of Isaac.

Genesis 22:23 is part of a genealogy being recounted to show Abraham’s extended family. The verse is not spoken by a character but is part of a list given by the narrator, connecting Abraham’s relatives in Mesopotamia to the main story. The mention of Rebekah is significant because she will later marry Isaac, Abraham’s son, tying these family lines together.

Why Genesis 22:23 matters

  • Genesis 22:23 introduces Rebekah by name for the first time, signaling her future importance as Isaac’s wife and the next matriarch in the family line.
  • By tracing Rebekah’s ancestry, the verse connects Abraham’s family to the broader story of God’s promises, showing that Isaac’s wife comes from within Abraham’s extended family.
  • The verse clarifies the relationships among Abraham, Nahor, Milcah, Bethuel, and Rebekah, which helps the reader understand the family dynamics and later events in Genesis.

Where else these words appear

“Bethuel” Hebrew H1328 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 22:22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
  • 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 bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
  • Genesis 28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, 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.

“Milcah” Hebrew H4435 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
  • Genesis 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
  • Numbers 27:1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

“Nahor” Hebrew H5152 · used in 17 verses

  • Genesis 11:22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:
  • Genesis 11:27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
  • Genesis 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

“Rebekah” Hebrew H7259 · used in 29 verses

  • Genesis 24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
  • Genesis 24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
  • Genesis 27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.