Genesis 24
1 And Abraam was old, advanced in days, and the Lord blessed Abraam in all things.
Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 And Abraam said to his servant the elder of his house, who had rule over all his possessions, Put thy hand under my thigh,
And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 and I will adjure thee by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Chananites, with whom I dwell, in the midst of them.
That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go instead to my country, where I was born, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son Isaac.
But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said to him, Shall I carry back thy son to the land whence thou camest forth, if haply the woman should not be willing to return with me to this land?
The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?
6 And Abraam said to him, Take heed to thyself that thou carry not my son back thither.
And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
7 The Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, who took me out of my father's house, and out of the land whence I sprang, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, I will give this land to thee and to thy seed, he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife to my son from thence.
The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father’s house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
8 And if the woman should not be willing to come with thee into this land, thou shalt be clear from my oath, only carry not my son thither again.
But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.
9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraam, and swore to him concerning this matter.
The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
10 And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels, and [he took] of all the goods of his master with him, and he arose and went into Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
And he took ten camels of his master’s herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
11 And he rested his camels without the city by the well of water towards evening, when damsels go forth to draw water.
And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
12 And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraam, prosper my way before me to day, and deal mercifully with my master Abraam.
O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Lo! I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth to draw water.
Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.
14 And it shall be, the virgin to whomsoever I shall say, Incline thy water-pot, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink thou, and I will give thy camels drink, until they shall have done drinking—even this one thou hast prepared for thy servant Isaac, and hereby shall I know that thou hast dealt mercifully with my master Abraam.
Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shown kindness to my master.
15 And it came to pass before he had done speaking in his mind, that behold, Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, the wife of Nachor, and [the same] the brother of Abraam, came forth, having a water-pot on her shoulders.
He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:
16 And the virgin was very beautiful in appearance, she was a virgin, a man had not known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her water-pot, and came up.
An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.
17 And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of thy pitcher;
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
18 and she said, Drink, Sir; and she hasted, and let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him to drink, till he ceased drinking.
And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
19 And she said, I will also draw water for thy camels, till they shall all have drunk.
And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
20 And she hasted, and emptied the water-pot into the trough, and ran to the well to draw again, and drew water for all the camels.
And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.
21 And the man took great notice of her, and remained silent to know whether the Lord had made his way prosperous or not.
But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it came to pass when all the camels ceased drinking, that the man took golden ear-rings, each of a drachm weight, and he [put] two bracelets on her hands, their weight was ten pieces of gold.
And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.
23 And he asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with thy father.
And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
24 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bathuel the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 And she said to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting.
And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
26 And the man being well pleased, worshipped the Lord,
The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
27 and said, Blessed be the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has not suffered his righteousness to fail, nor his truth from my master, and the Lord has brought me prosperously to the house of the brother of my lord.
Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master’s brother.
28 And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words.
Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
29 And Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet the man, to the well.
And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
30 And it came to pass when he saw the ear-rings and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus the man spoke to me, that he went to the man, as he stood by the camels at the well.
And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,
31 And he said to him, Come in hither, thou blessed of the Lord, why standest thou without, whereas I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?
And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.
32 And the man entered into the house, and unloaded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him.
And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.
33 And he set before them loaves to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.
And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
34 And he said, I am a servant of Abraam;
And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
35 and the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he is exalted, and he has given him sheep, and calves, and silver, and gold, servants and servant-maids, camels, and asses.
And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.
36 And Sarrha my master's wife bore one son to my master after he had grown old; and he gave him whatever he had.
And Sara my master’s wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.
37 And my master caused me to swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Chananites, among whom I sojourn in their land.
And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But thou shalt go to the house of my father, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take thence a wife for my son.
But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
39 And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go with me.
But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
40 And he said to me, The Lord God to whom I have been acceptable in his presence, himself shall send out his angel with thee, and shall prosper thy journey, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my tribe, and of the house of my father.
The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father’s house.
41 Then shalt thou be clear from my curse, for whensoever thou shalt have come to my tribe, and they shall not give her to thee, then shalt thou be clear from my oath.
But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
42 And having come this day to the well, I said, Lord God of my master Abraam, if thou prosperest my journey on which I am now going,
And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,
43 behold, I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come forth to draw water, and it shall be [that] the damsel to whom I shall say, Give me a little water to drink out of thy pitcher,
Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:
44 and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will draw water for thy camels, this [shall be] the wife whom the Lord has prepared for his own servant Isaac; and hereby shall I know that thou hast wrought mercy with my master Abraam.
And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master’s son.
45 And it came to pass before I had done speaking in my mind, straightway Rebecca came forth, having her pitcher on her shoulders; and she went down to the well, and drew water; and I said to her, Give me to drink.
And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.
46 And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her arm from her head, and said, Drink thou, and I will give thy camels drink; and I drank, and she gave the camels drink.
And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me; and she said, I am daughter of Bathuel the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him; and I put on her the ear-rings, and the bracelets on her hands.
And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.
48 And being well-pleased I worshipped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has prospered me in a true way, so that I should take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.
49 If then ye [will] deal mercifully and justly with my lord, [tell me], and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.
Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.
50 And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer thee bad or good.
And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
51 Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of thy master, as the Lord has said.
Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master’s son, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And it came to pass when the servant of Abraam heard these words, he bowed himself to the Lord down to the earth.
Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
53 And the servant having brought forth jewels of silver and gold and raiment, gave them to Rebecca, and gave gifts to her brother, and to her mother.
And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.
54 And both he and the men with him ate and drank and went to sleep. And he arose in the morning and said, Send me away, that I may go to my master.
And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.
55 And her brethren and her mother said, Let the virgin remain with us about ten days, and after that she shall depart.
And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
56 But he said to them, Hinder me not, for the Lord has prospered my journey for me; send me away, that I may depart to my master.
Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
58 And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go.
And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
59 So they sent forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants.
So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
60 And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; become thou thousands of myriads, and let thy seed possess the cities of their enemies.
Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.
61 And Rebecca rose up and her maidens, and they mounted the camels and went with the man; and the servant having taken up Rebecca, departed.
So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
62 And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he dwelt in the land toward the south.
At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.
63 And Isaac went forth into the plain toward evening to meditate; and having lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming.
And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.
64 And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from the camel,
Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
65 and said to the servant, Who is that man that walks in the plain to meet us? And the servant said, This is my master; and she took her veil and covered herself.
And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 And Isaac went into the house of his mother, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted for Sarrha his mother.
Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother’s death.
