Genesis 24
1 Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
And Abraam was old, advanced in days, and the Lord blessed Abraam in all things.
2 At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
And Abraam said to his servant the elder of his house, who had rule over all his possessions, Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 and swear an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you won't arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the these Canaanite people that I'm living among.
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.
4 Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
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.
5 “What if the woman refuses to come back with me to this country?” the servant asked. “Should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
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?
6 “No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
And Abraam said to him, Take heed to thyself that thou carry not my son back thither.
7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, took me from my family home and my own country. He spoke to me and swore an oath to me in which he promised, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ He is the one who will send his angel ahead of you so that you can find a wife there for my son.
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.
8 However, if the woman refuses to return here with you, then you are released from this oath. But make sure you don't take my son back there.”
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.
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraam, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant arranged for ten of his master's camels to carry all kinds of valuable gifts from Abraham and left for the town of Nahor in Aram-naharaim.
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.
11 Arriving in the evening, he had the camels kneel down by the spring that was outside the town. This was the time when women went out to fetch water.
And he rested his camels without the city by the well of water towards evening, when damsels go forth to draw water.
12 He prayed, “Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please let me be successful today, and please show your faithfulness to my master Abraham.
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraam, prosper my way before me to day, and deal mercifully with my master Abraam.
13 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
Lo! I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth to draw water.
14 May it happen like this. The young woman that I ask, ‘Please hold your water jar so I can have a drink,’ and she replies, ‘Please drink, and I'll give your camels water too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac. This way I'll know that you've shown your faithfulness to my master.”
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.
15 He hadn't even finished praying when he saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milkah. Milkah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
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.
16 She was very beautiful, a virgin—no one had slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up.
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.
17 The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of thy pitcher;
18 “Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
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.
19 After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
And she said, I will also draw water for thy camels, till they shall all have drunk.
20 She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the spring to get more water. She brought enough for all his camels.
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.
21 The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
And the man took great notice of her, and remained silent to know whether the Lord had made his way prosperous or not.
22 Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
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.
23 Then he asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Also could you tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
And he asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with thy father.
24 She replied, “I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and food for the camels,
And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bathuel the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
And she said to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting.
26 The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
And the man being well pleased, worshipped the Lord,
27 “Thank you Lord, the God of my master Abraham,” he prayed. “You have not forgotten your commitment and faithfulness to my master. And Lord, you have led me directly to the home of my master's relatives!”
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.
28 She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words.
29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
And Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet the man, to the well.
30 He'd noticed the nose-ring and the bracelets she was wearing, and he'd heard his sister Rebekah explaining, “This is what the man told me.” When he arrived the man was still there, standing with his camels beside the spring.
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.
31 “Please come home with me, you who are blessed by the Lord,” said Laban. “What are you standing out here for? I've got a room at home ready for you, and a place for the camels to stay.”
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?
32 So the man went home with him. Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food to eat. He also provided water for the man to wash his feet, as well as for the men who were with him.
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.
33 Then Laban had food brought in. But the man told him, “I'm not going to eat until I've explained why I'm here.” “Please explain,” Laban replied.
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.
34 “I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
And he said, I am a servant of Abraam;
35 “The Lord has blessed my master so much, and now he is a wealthy and powerful man. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
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.
36 His wife Sarah has had a son for my master even in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
And Sarrha my master's wife bore one son to my master after he had grown old; and he gave him whatever he had.
37 My master made me swear an oath, saying, ‘You must not arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the Canaanite people in whose land I'm living.
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.
38 Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
But thou shalt go to the house of my father, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take thence a wife for my son.
39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go with me.
40 He told me, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived my life, will send his angel with you, and he will make your journey successful—you will find a wife for my son from my relatives, from my father's family.
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.
41 You will be released from the oath you swear to me if, when you go to my family, they refuse to let her return with you.’
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.
42 Today when I arrived at the spring, I prayed, Lord, God of my master Abraham, please let the journey I have taken be successful.
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,
43 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring. May it happen like this. If a young woman comes to get water, and I say, ‘Please give me a few sips of water to drink,’
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,
44 and she says to me, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac.”
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.
45 “I hadn't even finished praying silently when I saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring to get water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
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.
46 She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and she said, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too.’ So I drank, and she got water for the camels.
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.
47 I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.’ So I put the ring in her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
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.
48 Then I kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord. I thanked the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, for he led me directly to find my master's niece for his son.
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.
49 So please tell me now, will you show commitment and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no so I can decide what to do next.”
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.
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
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.
51 Rebekah's here, you can take her and leave. She can become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has decided.”
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.
52 As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
And it came to pass when the servant of Abraam heard these words, he bowed himself to the Lord down to the earth.
53 Then he unpacked silver and gold jewelry and expensive clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable presents to her brother and her mother.
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.
54 He and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now and go home to my master.”
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.
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
And her brethren and her mother said, Let the virgin remain with us about ten days, and after that she shall depart.
56 “Please don't delay me,” he told them. “The Lord has made my journey successful, so let me leave and go back to my master.”
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.
57 “Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go.
59 So they let Laban's sister Rebekah leave with Abraham's servant and his men, together with the woman who had nursed her as a child.
So they sent forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants.
60 They asked a blessing on her, saying, “Our dear sister, may you become the mother to thousands and thousands of descendants, and may they conquer their enemies.”
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.
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
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.
62 Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he dwelt in the land toward the south.
63 He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
And Isaac went forth into the plain toward evening to meditate; and having lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming.
64 Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from the camel,
65 She asked the servant, “Who is this walking through the fields to meet us?” “He's my master, Isaac,” he replied. So she put on her veil to cover herself.
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.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 Isaac took Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and he married her. He loved her, and she brought him comfort after his grief over his mother's death.
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.
