Genesis 24
1 Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
Erat autem Abraham senex, dierumque multorum: et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei.
2 One day Abraham said to the chief servant of his household, the man who was in charge of everything Abraham owned, “Put your hand between my thighs to solemnly promise you will do what I tell you.
Dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suæ, qui præerat omnibus quæ habebat: Pone manum tuam subter femur meum,
3 Knowing that Yahweh God [who created] the heavens and the earth is listening, promise that you will not get a wife for my son, Isaac, from the women here in Canaan.
ut adjurem te per Dominum Deum cæli et terræ, ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, inter quos habito:
4 Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
sed ad terram et cognationem meam proficiscaris et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac.
5 The servant asked him, “If I find a woman among your relatives, what if she is not willing to come back with me to this land? Shall I take your son back there to the country you came from, [so he can find a wife and live there]?”
Respondit servus: Si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc, numquid reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum, de quo egressus es?
6 Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
Dixitque Abraham: Cave nequando reducas filium meum illuc.
7 Yahweh God, who created the heavens, brought me here. He brought me from my father’s household, and from the land where my relatives lived. He spoke to me and made a solemn promise to me, saying, ‘I will give this land [of Canaan] to your descendants.’ He will send an angel who will go there ahead of you, and enable you to get a wife for my son [there and bring her to live here].
Dominus Deus cæli, qui tulit me de domo patris mei, et de terra nativitatis meæ, qui locutus est mihi, et juravit mihi, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc: ipse mittet angelum suum coram te, et accipies inde uxorem filio meo:
8 But if the woman you find will not come back with you, you are free to disregard the promise you are making. The only thing that you must not do is to take my son to live there!”
sin autem mulier noluerit sequi te, non teneberis juramento: filium meum tantum ne reducas illuc.
9 So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the matter.
Posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui, et juravit illi super sermone hoc.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and loaded them with all kinds of goods that his master gave him to take along. Then he left to go to Aram-Naharaim, [which is in (northern Mesopotamia/Syria)]. He arrived in Nahor city.
Tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui, et abiit, ex omnibus bonis ejus portans secum, profectusque perrexit in Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nachor.
11 It was late in the afternoon, at the time when the women go to the well to get water, when he arrived there. He made the camels kneel down near the well, which was outside the city.
Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum juxta puteum aquæ vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:
12 The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly to my master, Abraham!
Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, occurre, obsecro, mihi hodie, et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham.
13 Listen to me. I am standing near a well of water, and the young women of the city are coming to get water.
Ecce ego sto prope fontem aquæ, et filiæ habitatorum hujus civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam.
14 I am asking you this: ‘I will say to some girl, “Please lower your jar so that I may drink some water.” If she says, “Drink some, and I will draw some water [from the well] for your camels, too,” I will know that she is the woman whom you chose to be a wife for your servant, Isaac, and I will know that you have been kind to my master.’”
Igitur puella, cui ego dixero: Inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam: et illa responderit: Bibe, quin et camelis tuis dabo potum: ipsa est quam præparasti servo tuo Isaac: et per hoc intelligam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo.
15 Before he finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah arrived there, carrying a jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s younger brother Nahor.
Necdum intra se verba compleverat, et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur, filia Bathuel, filii Melchæ uxoris Nachor fratris Abraham, habens hydriam in scapula sua:
16 She was very beautiful and still a virgin. She went down to the edge of the well, filled her jar with water, and then came back up.
puella decora nimis, virgoque pulcherrima, et incognita viro: descenderat autem ad fontem, et impleverat hydriam, ac revertebatur.
17 Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
Occurritque ei servus, et ait: Pauxillum aquæ mihi ad bibendum præbe de hydria tua.
18 She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
Quæ respondit: Bibe, domine mi: celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam, et dedit ei potum.
19 After she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also get some water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
Cumque ille bibisset, adjecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.
20 She quickly emptied the water in her jar into the trough [for giving water to animals], and then ran back to the well, and kept getting water for all the camels.
Effundensque hydriam in canalibus, recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam: et haustam omnibus camelis dedit.
21 The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be successful or not.
Ipse autem contemplabatur eam tacitus, scire volens utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Dominus, an non.
22 Finally, after the camels finished drinking, the servant took out a gold nose ring that weighed (two ounces/6 grams), and two large gold bracelets for her arms, and gave them to Rebekah [and told her to put them on].
Postquam autem biberunt cameli, protulit vir inaures aureas, appendentes siclos duos, et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem.
23 Then he said, “Tell me whose daughter you are. Also, tell me, is there room in your father’s house for me and my men to sleep there tonight?”
Dixitque ad eam: Cujus es filia? indica mihi, est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum?
24 She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
Quæ respondit: Filia sum Bathuelis, filii Melchæ, quem peperit ipsi Nachor.
25 Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et fœni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.
26 The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
Inclinavit se homo, et adoravit Dominum,
27 He said, “I thank you, Yahweh God, whom my master Abraham worships. You have continued to be kind and faithful to my master. You led me on this journey straight/directly to the house of my master’s relatives!”
dicens: Benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham, qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo, et recto itinere me perduxit in domum fratris domini mei.
28 The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
Cucurrit itaque puella, et nuntiavit in domum matris suæ omnia quæ audierat.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by the well.
Habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban, qui festinus egressus est ad hominem, ubi erat fons.
30 He was surprised to have seen the bracelets on his sister’s arms and the nose ring and to have heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. So he went out and saw the man standing near the camels, close to the well.
Cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suæ, et audisset cuncta verba referentis: Hæc locutus est mihi homo: venit ad virum qui stabat juxta camelos, et prope fontem aquæ:
31 He said to the man, “You who have been blessed by Yahweh, come with me! (Why are standing out here?/You should not keep standing out here!) [RHQ] I have prepared a room for you in the house, and a place for the camels to stay.”
dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? præparavi domum, et locum camelis.
32 So the servant went to the house, and Laban’s servants unloaded the camels, and brought straw and grain for the camels, and water for him and the men with him to wash their feet.
Et introduxit eum in hospitium: ac destravit camelos, deditque paleas et fœnum, et aquam ad lavandos pedes ejus, et virorum qui venerant cum eo.
33 They set food in front of him for him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I tell you (what I need to tell you/why I have come).” So Laban said, “Tell us!”
Et appositus est in conspectu ejus panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.
34 So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
At ille: Servus, inquit, Abraham sum:
35 Yahweh has greatly blessed my master so that he has become very rich. Yahweh has given him many sheep and cattle, a lot of gold and silver, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.
et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde, magnificatusque est: et dedit ei oves et boves, argentum et aurum, servos et ancillas, camelos et asinos.
36 My master’s wife, Sarah, bore a son for him when she was very old, and my master has given to his son everything he owns.
Et peperit Sara uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua, deditque illi omnia quæ habuerat.
37 My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
Et adjuravit me dominus meus, dicens: Non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, in quorum terra habito:
38 Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
sed ad domum patris mei perges, et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo.
39 Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
Ego vero respondi domino meo: Quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier?
40 He replied, ‘Yahweh, whom I have always obeyed [MTY], will send his angel with you, and he will cause your journey to be successful, with the result that you can get a wife for my son from my clan, from my father’s family.
Dominus, ait, in cujus conspectu ambulo, mittet angelum suum tecum, et diriget viam tuam: accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea, et de domo patris mei.
41 But if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
Innocens eris a maledictione mea, cum veneris ad propinquos meos, et non dederint tibi.
42 “When I came today to the well, I prayed, ‘Yahweh God whom my master, Abraham worships, if you are willing, please allow this journey of mine to be successful.
Veni ergo hodie ad fontem aquæ, et dixi: Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, si direxisti viam meam, in qua nunc ambulo,
43 Listen to me. I am standing beside a well. A young woman may come to draw water. I will say to her, “Please, give me a little water to drink from your jar.”
ecce sto juxta fontem aquæ, et virgo, quæ egredietur ad hauriendam aquam, audierit a me: Da mihi pauxillum aquæ ad bibendum ex hydria tua:
44 If she says to me, “Certainly, drink some! And I will also draw some water for your camels,” that will be the woman whom you have chosen for my master’s son!’
et dixerit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis hauriam: ipsa est mulier, quam præparavit Dominus filio domini mei.
45 Before I finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah approached with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got some water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink!’
Dumque hæc tacitus mecum volverem, apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria, quam portabat in scapula: descenditque ad fontem, et hausit aquam. Et aio ad eam: Da mihi paululum bibere.
46 She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink some! And I will draw water [from the well] for your camels, too.’ So I drank some water, and she also got water for the camels.
Quæ festinans deposuit hydriam de humero, et dixit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis tribuam potum. Bibi, et adaquavit camelos.
47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor and his wife, Milcah.’ I had [a ring and bracelets with me, and] I put the ring in her nose and put the bracelets on her arms.
Interrogavique eam, et dixi: Cujus es filia? Quæ respondit: Filia Bathuelis sum, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha. Suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem ejus, et armillas posui in manibus ejus.
48 Then I bowed and worshiped Yahweh, and I thanked Yahweh God, the one my master Abraham worships, the one who led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother to be a wife for my master’s son.
Pronusque adoravi Dominum, benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham, qui perduxit me recto itinere, ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio ejus.
49 Now, if you are kind and faithful to my master, tell me that you will do what I am asking. If you will not do that, tell me that also, so I may know what to do [MTY].”
Quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: sin autem aliud placet, et hoc dicite mihi, ut vadam ad dextram, sive ad sinistram.
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
Responderuntque Laban et Bathuel: A Domino egressus est sermo: non possumus extra placitum ejus quidquam aliud loqui tecum.
51 Rebekah is here in front of you. Take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master’s son, just as Yahweh has indicated.”
En Rebecca coram te est, tolle eam, et proficiscere, et sit uxor filii domini tui, sicut locutus est Dominus.
52 When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terram Dominum.
53 Then the servant brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. And he gave gifts to her brother Laban and to her mother.
Prolatisque vasis argenteis, et aureis, ac vestibus, dedit ea Rebeccæ pro munere: fratribus quoque ejus et matri dona obtulit.
54 Then they ate a meal together. The men who were with Abraham’s servant also slept there that night. The next morning, the servant said, “Allow me now to return to my master.”
Inito convivio, vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi. Surgens autem mane, locutus est puer: Dimitte me, ut vadam ad dominum meum.
55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl remain with us for about ten days. After that, you may take her and go.”
Responderuntque fratres ejus et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.
56 But he replied to them, “Yahweh has made my journey successful, so do not detain me. Let me take her back to my master now!”
Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.
57 They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
Et dixerunt: Vocemus puellam, et quæramus ipsius voluntatem.
58 So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, I will go.”
Cumque vocata venisset, sciscitati sunt: Vis ire cum homine isto? Quæ ait: Vadam.
59 So they allowed Rebekah, a woman who had taken care of her when she was very young, Abraham’s servant, and the men who had come with him. to go.
Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites ejus,
60 Before they all left, they [asked God to] bless Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, we ask that Yahweh will cause you to have millions of descendants, and allow them to completely defeat [MET] all those that hate them.”
imprecantes prospera sorori suæ, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.
61 Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
Igitur Rebecca et puellæ illius, ascensis camelis, secutæ sunt virum: qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum.
62 At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
Eo autem tempore deambulabat Isaac per viam quæ ducit ad puteum, cujus nomen est Viventis et videntis: habitabat enim in terra australi:
63 One evening he went out into the field to meditate as he walked. He looked up and [was surprised to] see some camels coming.
et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro, inclinata jam die: cumque elevasset oculos, vidit camelos venientes procul.
64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
Rebecca quoque, conspecto Isaac, descendit de camelo,
65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man who is approaching?” The servant replied, “That is Isaac, my master, [the man you will be marrying].” So she took her veil and covered her face, which was the custom for a woman who was about to be married.
et ait ad puerum: Quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis? Dixitque ei: Ipse est dominus meus. At illa tollens cito pallium, operuit se.
66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
Servus autem cuncta, quæ gesserat, narravit Isaac.
67 Then Isaac took Rebekah into the tent that belonged to his mother, Sarah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted about his mother’s death.
Qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Saræ matris suæ, et accepit eam uxorem: et in tantum dilexit eam, ut dolorem, qui ex morte matris ejus acciderat, temperaret.
