by Timothy W. Burnett
To better understand what it meant to love her, we turn to the earlier known words for love. In the above scripture, the word love was ahab in the Hebrew tongue, which generally meant to long for, kiss and emotionally express love. The New Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon reveals that the Greek word phileo was used to translate ahab in the Septuagint (p. 653b). Phileo meant to delight in, or long for something and is distinguished from the Greek word agape. As a side note, the Hebrew word ahaba was translated agape in the Septuagint (New Thayer's p. 4a). Thayer describes the distinction between the two types of love as follows, "as to the distinction between agape and phileo, the former, bu virtue of its connection with agape", properly denotes a love founded in admiration, veneration, esteem-like to be kindly disposed to one, wish one well; but phileo denotes an inclination prompted by sense and emotion, Latin amare-(p. 653 b3).
Phileo and ahab were used for the emotional expression of agape and ahaba kind of love. The word says that Isaac loved (ahab) Rebekah. Genesis 26:8 shows an example of Isaac showing this kind of love at a later time, "Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife." According to E.W. Bullinger's notes in The Companion Bible, "sporting with his wife" meant to caress her. It could mean any number of loving expressions such as gently running his hand through her hair or caressing her skin.
Remember that his love for her would have been based on ahaba or agape love. In other words it was founded on an admiration and esteem for her. Isaac and Rebekah had this love for each other before they came face to face.
According to Genesis 24:64-65, they both looked toward each other from a distance and were endearingly curious about the other. When she learned he was the man, Rebekah ighted off of her camel.
Why did they admire each other? God was the center of their admiration for each other. God was the one who introduced them to each other through Abraham's servant.
They knew that they were going to be married without even being friends or dating. Can't you just see Rebekah catching a gimpse of Isaac from a distance.
Imagine the inner excitement as she lighted off her camel upon hearing that he was the man she was going to marry. Of course good ole Isaac-bless his heart, he wasn't in the loop yet, so at first he just noticed a train of camels.
But in time he caught on to what was happening and the two admired each other from the start.
This kind of love might be seen where God introduces a man and woman to each other over time with His perfect and miraculous timing. Maybe they are unable to directly express their love for each other, but over time, they have each other's attention from a distance, with endearing admiration for each other.
Their love might be shown from a distance with a brief glance to see how the other is doing. Or a gentle smile with a prayerful gesture as if to lovingly say, "may God's will be done."
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