Ambrose of Milan : And Rebecca conceived, and by her patience she untied the knot of sterility. But let us consider what the prophetic and apostolic soul gives birth to and how it gives birth. She went, it says, to inquire of the Lord (Gen. XXV, 22), because the infants in her womb were rejoicing. And she received this answer: Two nations are in your womb (Ibid., 23); for she presumes nothing of her own accord, but in all things she seeks the highest God as the ruler of her plans. In fullness of peace and piety, she joins together two peoples by her faith and preaching, and she encloses them as in her own womb. She is rightly called sister more than wife, because she adopts the name of a gentle and peaceful soul of shared piety rather than a special bond; and because she considers herself more bound to all than to one. — On Isaac and the Soul Aphrahat the Persian Sage : Isaac too demonstrated the power of prayer when he prayed over Rebekah, and she gave birth. — ON PRAYER 4 Bede : Thus Isaac, the son of the promise, who as a figure of our Redeemer became obedient to his father even unto death, was born of parents who were old. He had a mother who had long been barren. Thus Jacob, the patriarch Joseph, Samson, [who was] the bravest of the chieftains, and Samuel, [who was] the most distinguished of the prophets, [all] had as their progenitors [mothers who were] for a long time barren in body but always fruitful in virtues. In this way their dignity would be known from the miraculous nativity of those who were born, and it might be proven that they would be famous in their lives, since at the very outset of their lives they transcended the norms of the human condition. — Homilies on the Gospels 2.19 Jerome : (Verse 21.) And Rebecca his wife conceived, and the sons within her were moved. Concerning this movement, the Seventy Interpreters rendered it as ἐσκίρτων, which means they were playing or kicking; which Aquila translated as they were breaking in the womb. But Symmachus rendered it as διέπλεον, which means they were carried on the surface like a ship. — Hebrew Questions on Genesis John Chrysostom : One question is worth raising initially: If she and her husband were conspicuous for their good life and both concerned for chaste living, why was she barren? We cannot find fault with their life or say barrenness was the result of sin. To grasp the full extent of this remarkable circumstance, remember that it was not only herself who was barren but also the good man's mother, Sarah; and not only his mother but also his daughter-in-law—I mean Jacob's wife Rachel.What is the meaning of this gallery of sterile people? All were good people, all virtuous, all given testimony by God; of them he said, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." And blessed Paul says, "Hence God is not ashamed to be called their God." There is great commendation of them in the New Testament; great praise of them in the Old. In each case they were distinguished and remarkable men, yet all had barren wives. They spent a long period in a childless condition. So whenever you see a man and wife of virtuous life experiencing childlessness, whenever you see pious people devoted to religion yet childless, don't think it is the result of sin. After all, many reasons for God's designs are beyond our understanding, and we ought to thank God for everything and brand as wicked only those living in sin, not those without children. It frequently happens, in fact, that God works things for our good without our realizing the reason for what happens. Hence in every case we should marvel at his wisdom and praise his ineffable love. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 49.5-6 John Chrysostom : These things are told for our benefit so that we may give evidence of much goodwill and not pry into God's plans. Yet we need to explain the reason why these women were barren. What, then, is the reason? So that when you see the Virgin giving birth to our common Lord you may not be incredulous. Exercise your mind, it is saying, on the womb of these sterile women, so that when you see an infertile and sealed womb opened for childbearing by God's grace, you may not be surprised to hear that a maiden gave birth. Or rather, feel surprise and amazement but don't refuse faith in the marvel. So when the Jew says, "How did the Virgin give birth?" say to him, "How did the sterile old woman give birth?" In that case, you see, there were two impediments, her advanced age and the imperfect condition of nature, whereas with the Virgin there was one impediment, her not having experienced marriage. Consequently the barren woman prepares the way for the virgin. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 49.7 Origen of Alexandria : At every single reading, "when Moses is read," we must pray to the Father of the Word, that He may fulfill even in us that which is written in the Psalms: "unveil my eyes, and I will consider the wonders of your law." For unless He Himself opens our eyes, how shall we be able to see these so great mysteries that are shaped in the Patriarchs, which are figured now in wells, now in marriages, now in childbearings, now even in barrennesses? For the present reading recounts that "Isaac prayed for Rebekah his wife, because she was barren; and God heard him, and she conceived. And the children," it says, "leaped in her womb." First of all, consider what this means, that very many of the holy women in the scriptures are said to have been barren, as Sarah herself, and behold now Rebekah as well. But Rachel too, beloved of Israel, was barren. Hannah also, the mother of Samuel, is written to have been barren. But in the Gospels too Elizabeth is recorded to have been barren. And in all these women this one heading is signified: that after barrenness they all brought forth a holy childbirth. So therefore this Rebekah too is now said to have been barren, but "Isaac prayed," it says, "to the Lord for her, and He heard him, and she conceived. And the children," it says, "leaped in her womb." Behold, what did this barrenness conceive? The sons of the barren woman, before they are born, leap for joy, and she who had despaired of offspring bears nations and peoples in her womb. For thus it says: "Rebekah went," it says, "to inquire of the Lord, and the Lord said to her: two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your belly." It would be a long task if we should now wish to examine thoroughly the leaping for joy of the children still dwelling in the womb. It would be a long task if we should bring forward the interpretations and riddles concerning these things which the Apostle wrote, what mystery, what cause they contain, why, "before the children are born or do anything good or evil in this world," it is said of them that: "people shall overcome people, and the elder shall serve the younger"; why, before they came forth from their mother's womb, it is said through the prophet that: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." These things are both beyond our tongue and beyond your hearing. — HOMILIES ON Genesis 12.1