Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
Now Abraham was very old and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was in charge of all that he had: “Place your hand under my thigh,
Abraham said to his servant, the one who was the oldest of his household and who was in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh
3 so that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
and I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I make my home.
4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
But you will go to my country, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 The servant responded, “If the woman is not willing to come with me into this land, must I lead your son back to the place from which you departed?”
The servant said to him, “What if the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land? Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
Abraham said to him, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there!
7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my nativity, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ himself will send his Angel before you, and you will take from there a wife for my son.
Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my relatives, and who promised me with a solemn oath saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.
8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, you will not be held by the oath. Only do not lead my son back to that place.”
But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine. Only you are not to take my son back there.”
9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 And he took ten camels from his lord’s herd, and he went forth, carrying with him things from all of his goods. And he set out, and continued on, to the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia.
The servant took ten of his master's camels and departed. He also took with him all kinds of gifts from his master. He departed and went to the region of Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
11 And when he had made the camels lie down outside of the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water, he said:
He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water. It was evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12 “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
Then he said, “Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today and show covenant faithfulness to my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
Look, here I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14 Therefore, the girl to whom I will say, ‘Tip your pitcher, so that I may drink,’ and she will respond, ‘Drink. In fact, I will give your camels a drink also,’ the same one is she whom you have prepared for your servant Isaac. And by this, I will understand that you have shown mercy to my lord.”
Let it happen like this. When I say to a young woman, 'Please lower your pitcher so that I may drink,' and she says to me, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too,' then let her be the one that you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown covenant faithfulness to my master.”
15 But he had not yet completed these words within himself, when, behold, Rebekah went out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder.
It came about that even before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out with her water pitcher on her shoulder. Rebekah was born to Bethuel son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
16 She was an exceedingly elegant girl, and a most beautiful virgin, and unknown by man. And she descended to the spring, and she filled her pitcher, and then was returning.
The young woman was very beautiful and a virgin. No man had slept with her. She went down to the spring and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your pitcher.”
18 And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.
She said, “Drink, my master,” and she quickly let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.
19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave it to all the camels.
So she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and drew water for all his camels.
21 But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
The man watched her in silence to see whether Yahweh had prospered his journey or not.
22 Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
As the camels finished drinking, the man brought out a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two gold bracelets for her arms weighing ten shekels,
23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
and asked, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me please, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
She also said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and also room for you to spend the night.”
26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
Then the man bowed down and worshiped Yahweh.
27 saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not taken away his mercy and truth from my lord, and who has led me on a direct journey to the house of the brother of my lord.”
He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his covenant faithfulness and his trustworthiness toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me directly to the house of my master's relatives.”
28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about all of these things.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran to the man who was out at the road by the spring.
30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and he had heard all the words being repeated, “This is what the man spoke to me,” he came to the man who stood by the camels and near the spring of water,
When he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man, and, behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
31 and he said to him: “Enter, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
Then Laban said, “Come, you blessed of Yahweh. Why are you standing outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
32 And he brought him into his guest quarters. And he unharnessed the camels, and he distributed straw and hay, and water to wash his feet and that of the men who arrived with him.
So the man came to the house and he unloaded the camels. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was provided to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
33 And bread was set out in his sight. But he said, “I will not eat, until I have spoken my words.” He answered him, “Speak.”
They set food before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” So Laban said, “Speak on.”
34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
He said, “I am Abraham's servant.
35 And the Lord has blessed my lord greatly, and he has become great. And he has given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and donkeys.
Yahweh has blessed my master very much and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
36 And Sarah, the wife of my lord, has given birth to a son for my lord in her old age, and he has given him all that he had.
Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, and he has given everything that he owns to him.
37 And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
My master made me swear, saying, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I make my home.
38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
Instead, you must go to my father's family, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'
40 ‘The Lord,’ he said, ‘in whose sight I walk, will send his Angel with you, and he will direct your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my own kindred and from my father’s house.
But he said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and he will prosper your way, so that you will get a wife for my son from among my relatives and from my father's family line.
41 But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
But you will be free from my oath if you come to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from my oath.'
42 And so, today I arrived at the well of water, and I said: ‘O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, if you have directed my way, in which I now walk,
So I arrived today at the spring, and said, 'O Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please, if you do indeed intend to make my journey successful—
43 behold, I stand next to the well of water, and the virgin, who will go forth to draw water, will hear from me, “Give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
here I am, standing by the spring of water—let the young woman who comes out to draw water, the woman to whom I say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”
44 And she will say to me, “You drink, and I will also draw for your camels.” Let the same be the woman, whom the Lord has prepared for the son of my lord.’
the woman who says to me, “Drink, and I will also draw water for your camels”—let her be the woman whom you, Yahweh, have chosen for my master's son.'
45 And while I thought over these things silently within myself, Rebekah appeared, arriving with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder. And she descended to the spring and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Give me a little to drink.’
Even before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.'
46 And she quickly let down the pitcher from her arm, and said to me, ‘You drink, and to your camels I will also distribute drinking water.’ I drank, and she watered the camels.
She quickly lowered her pitcher from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels water also.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
47 And I questioned her, saying, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she responded, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And so, I hung the earrings on her, to adorn her face, and I put the bracelets on her hands.
I asked her and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milkah bore to him.' Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms.
48 And falling prostrate, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has led me along the straight path so as to take the daughter of my lord’s brother to his son.
Then I bowed down and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to find the daughter of my master's relative for his son.
49 For this reason, if you would act according to mercy and truth with my lord, tell me so. But if it pleases you otherwise, say that to me also, so that I may go either to the right, or to the left.”
Now therefore, if you are prepared to show covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50 And Laban and Bethuel responded: “A word has proceeded from the Lord. We are not able to speak anything else to you, beyond what pleases him.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from Yahweh; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.
51 Lo, Rebekah is in your sight. Take her and continue on, and let her be the wife of the son of your lord, just as the Lord has spoken.”
Look, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, so she may be the wife of your master's son, as Yahweh has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the ground to Yahweh.
53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, as well as garments, he gave them to Rebekah as a tribute. Likewise, he offered gifts to her brothers and her mother.
The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54 And a banquet began, and they feasted and drank together, and they lodged there. And rising up in the morning, the servant said, “Release me, so that I may go to my lord.”
Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank. They stayed there overnight, and when they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.”
55 And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us for a few more days, at least ten. After that she may go.”
56 “Do not be willing,” he said, “to delay me, for the Lord has directed my way. Release me, so that I may journey to my lord.”
But he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”
57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
They said, “We will call the young woman and ask her.”
58 And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” She replied, “I will go.”
59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
So they sent their sister Rebekah, along with her female servant, on her journey with Abraham's servant and his men.
60 wishing prosperity for their sister, by saying: “You are our sister. May you increase to thousands of thousands. And may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.”
61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
Then Rebekah arose, and she and her servant girls mounted the camels, and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 Then, at the same time, Isaac was walking along the way that leads to the well, whose name is: ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’ For he dwelt in the southern land.
Now Isaac was living in the Negev, and had just returned from Beer Lahai Roi.
63 And he had gone out to meditate in the field, as daylight was now declining. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels advancing from afar.
Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening. When he looked up and saw, behold, there were camels coming!
64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
Rebekah looked, and when she saw Isaac, she jumped down from the camel.
65 And she said to the servant, “Who is that man who advances to meet us through the field?” And he said to her, “That is my lord.” And so, quickly taking up her cloak, she covered herself.
She said to the servant, “Who is that man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil, and covered herself.
66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
The servant recounted to Isaac all the things that he had done.
67 And he led her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he accepted her as wife. And he loved her so very much, that it tempered the sorrow which befell him at his mother’s death.
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
