bethuel Summary and Overview

man of God, or virgin of God, or house of God. (1.) The son of Nahor by Milcah; nephew of Abraham, and father of Rebekah (Gen. 22:22, 23; 24:15, 24, 47). He appears in person only once (24:50). (2.) A southern city of Judah (1 Chr. 4:30); called also Bethul (Josh. 19:4) and Bethel (12:16; 1 Sam. 30:27).

(dweller in God), the son of Nahor by Milcah; nephew of Abraham, and father of Rebekah, #Ge 22:22,23; 24:15,24,47; 28:2| In #Ge 25:20| and #Ge 28:5| he is called "Bethuel the Syrian."

BETHU'EL (man of God), the son of Nahor, nephew of Abraham, and father of Laban and Rebekah. Gen 22:22-23; Gen 24:15,Jud 6:24,Josh 15:47; Gen 28:2. His son Laban plays the prominent part in the narrative.

"The Syrian" (Aramite). 1. Nahor's son by Miclah, nephew of Abraham, father of Rebekah (Genesis 22:22-23; Genesis 24:15; Genesis 24:24; Genesis 24:47; Genesis 28:2). Bethuel appears personally only in Genesis 24:50, and then after his son. Blunt (Undesigned Coincidences) notices Bethuel's consistent insignificance in the whole affair of his daughter's marriage. When Abraham's servant at the well asks Rebekah, "Is there room in thy father's house for us?" she "ran and told them of her mother's house" (not of her father's, as Rachel did when Jacob introduced himself: Genesis 29:12). Laban her brother ran out and invited him in, not Bethuel, the natural person to do it. The servant makes presents of jewels and precious things to Rebekah, "and to her brother, and to her mother," but not to Bethuel. The brother and mother propose her abiding a few days before going. Finally, in the next generation, Rebekah's son, in inquiring after his kindred, asks, "Know ye Laban, the son of Nahor?" the father's name being omitted and the grandfather's substituted (Genesis 29:5). The consistency of omission is too marked to be accidental, and yet such as a forger would never have devised. Bethuel was probably incapable, from age or imbecility, of managing his own affairs; but see Laban. frontLABAN.) 2. A place (See BETHUL.) (1 Chronicles 4:30).