‘And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah and she became his wife. And he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.'
This is a general statement rather than referring to the action of the moment. Rebekah takes the place of his mother as mother of the tribe. Whether she actually used Sarah's tent is really irrelevant although it is very likely. The point is rather the status and position she receives.
“And he loved her.” While Abraham almost certainly loved Sarah it is never stated. This statement therefore is a further indication of the writer's romantic viewpoint. It may also indicate that Isaac was seen as being of a more tender nature than his father. He fell short of his father's robustness but he had a delicacy of spirit that his father lacked.
“Was comforted after his mother” s death.' This also brings out his delicacy of spirit. He missed his mother and found solace in the arms of Rebekah. Again this is something we would not expect to find said of Abraham. The forceful Abraham is replaced by the gentle Isaac. (‘Death' is understood and is not part of the Hebrew text. The point is that he missed her).
This totally different presentation of the character of Isaac confirms the earliness of the record. There is here the eyewitness appreciation of the difference between father and son without the contrast being specifically drawn.