創世記 24
1 亞伯拉罕年紀老邁，向來在一切事上耶和華都賜福給他。
Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
2 亞伯拉罕對管理他全業最老的僕人說：「請你把手放在我大腿底下。
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.
3 我要叫你指着耶和華－天地的主起誓，不要為我兒子娶這迦南地中的女子為妻。
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.
4 你要往我本地本族去，為我的兒子以撒娶一個妻子。」
Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
5 僕人對他說：「倘若女子不肯跟我到這地方來，我必須將你的兒子帶回你原出之地嗎？」
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]?”
6 亞伯拉罕對他說：「你要謹慎，不要帶我的兒子回那裏去。
Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
7 耶和華－天上的主曾帶領我離開父家和本族的地，對我說話，向我起誓說：『我要將這地賜給你的後裔。』他必差遣使者在你面前，你就可以從那裏為我兒子娶一個妻子。
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].
8 倘若女子不肯跟你來，我使你起的誓就與你無干了，只是不可帶我的兒子回那裏去。」
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!”
9 僕人就把手放在他主人亞伯拉罕的大腿底下，為這事向他起誓。
So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the matter.
10 那僕人從他主人的駱駝裏取了十匹駱駝，並帶些他主人各樣的財物，起身往美索不達米亞去，到了拿鶴的城。
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.
11 天將晚，眾女子出來打水的時候，他便叫駱駝跪在城外的水井那裏。
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.
12 他說：「耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝啊，求你施恩給我主人亞伯拉罕，使我今日遇見好機會。
The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly to my master, Abraham!
13 我現今站在井旁，城內居民的女子們正出來打水。
Listen to me. I am standing near a well of water, and the young women of the city are coming to get water.
14 我向那一個女子說：『請你拿下水瓶來，給我水喝。』她若說：『請喝！我也給你的駱駝喝。』願那女子就作你所預定給你僕人以撒的妻。這樣，我便知道你施恩給我主人了。」
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.’”
15 話還沒有說完，不料，利百加肩頭上扛着水瓶出來。利百加是彼土利所生的；彼土利是亞伯拉罕兄弟拿鶴妻子密迦的兒子。
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.
16 那女子容貌極其俊美，還是處女，也未曾有人親近她。她下到井旁，打滿了瓶，又上來。
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.
17 僕人跑上前去迎着她，說：「求你將瓶裏的水給我一點喝。」
Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18 女子說：「我主請喝！」就急忙拿下瓶來，托在手上給他喝。
She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 女子給他喝了，就說：「我再為你的駱駝打水，叫駱駝也喝足。」
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.”
20 她就急忙把瓶裏的水倒在槽裏，又跑到井旁打水，就為所有的駱駝打上水來。
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.
21 那人定睛看她，一句話也不說，要曉得耶和華賜他通達的道路沒有。
The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be successful or not.
22 駱駝喝足了，那人就拿一個金環，重半舍客勒，兩個金鐲，重十舍客勒，給了那女子，
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].
23 說：「請告訴我，你是誰的女兒？你父親家裏有我們住宿的地方沒有？」
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?”
24 女子說：「我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒」；
She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
25 又說：「我們家裏足有糧草，也有住宿的地方。」
Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
26 那人就低頭向耶和華下拜，
The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
27 說：「耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝是應當稱頌的，因他不斷地以慈愛誠實待我主人。至於我，耶和華在路上引領我，直走到我主人的兄弟家裏。」
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!”
28 女子跑回去，照着這些話告訴她母親和她家裏的人。
The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
29 利百加有一個哥哥，名叫拉班，看見金環，又看見金鐲在他妹子的手上，並聽見他妹子利百加的話，說那人對我如此如此說。拉班就跑出來往井旁去，到那人跟前，見他仍站在駱駝旁邊的井旁那裏，
Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by the well.
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.
31 便對他說：「你這蒙耶和華賜福的，請進來，為甚麼站在外邊？我已經收拾了房屋，也為駱駝預備了地方。」
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.”
32 那人就進了拉班的家。拉班卸了駱駝，用草料餵上，拿水給那人和跟隨的人洗腳；
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.
33 把飯擺在他面前，叫他吃，他卻說：「我不吃，等我說明白我的事情再吃。」拉班說：「請說。」
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!”
34 他說：「我是亞伯拉罕的僕人。
So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35 耶和華大大地賜福給我主人，使他昌大，又賜給他羊群、牛群、金銀、僕婢、駱駝，和驢。
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.
36 我主人的妻子撒拉年老的時候給我主人生了一個兒子；我主人也將一切所有的都給了這個兒子。
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.
37 我主人叫我起誓說：『你不要為我兒子娶迦南地的女子為妻。
My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
38 你要往我父家、我本族那裏去，為我的兒子娶一個妻子。』
Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
39 我對我主人說：『恐怕女子不肯跟我來。』
Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
40 他就說：『我所事奉的耶和華必要差遣他的使者與你同去，叫你的道路通達，你就得以在我父家、我本族那裏，給我的兒子娶一個妻子。
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.
41 只要你到了我本族那裏，我使你起的誓就與你無干。他們若不把女子交給你，我使你起的誓也與你無干。』
But if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
42 「我今日到了井旁，便說：『耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝啊，願你叫我所行的道路通達。
“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.
43 我如今站在井旁，對哪一個出來打水的女子說：請你把你瓶裏的水給我一點喝；
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.”
44 她若說：你只管喝，我也為你的駱駝打水；願那女子就作耶和華給我主人兒子所預定的妻。』
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!’
45 我心裏的話還沒有說完，利百加就出來，肩頭上扛着水瓶，下到井旁打水。我便對她說：『請你給我水喝。』
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!’
46 她就急忙從肩頭上拿下瓶來，說：『請喝！我也給你的駱駝喝。』我便喝了；她又給我的駱駝喝了。
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.
47 我問她說：『你是誰的女兒？』她說：『我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒。』我就把環子戴在她鼻子上，把鐲子戴在她兩手上。
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.
48 隨後我低頭向耶和華下拜，稱頌耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝；因為他引導我走合式的道路，使我得着我主人兄弟的孫女，給我主人的兒子為妻。
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.
49 現在你們若願以慈愛誠實待我主人，就告訴我；若不然，也告訴我，使我可以或向左，或向右。」
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].”
50 拉班和彼土利回答說：「這事乃出於耶和華，我們不能向你說好說歹。
Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
51 看哪，利百加在你面前，可以將她帶去，照着耶和華所說的，給你主人的兒子為妻。」
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.”
52 亞伯拉罕的僕人聽見他們這話，就向耶和華俯伏在地。
When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
53 當下僕人拿出金器、銀器，和衣服送給利百加，又將寶物送給她哥哥和她母親。
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.
54 僕人和跟從他的人吃了喝了，住了一夜。早晨起來，僕人就說：「請打發我回我主人那裏去吧。」
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.”
55 利百加的哥哥和她母親說：「讓女子同我們再住幾天，至少十天，然後她可以去。」
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.”
56 僕人說：「耶和華既賜給我通達的道路，你們不要耽誤我，請打發我走，回我主人那裏去吧。」
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!”
57 他們說：「我們把女子叫來問問她」，
They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
58 就叫了利百加來，問她說：「你和這人同去嗎？」利百加說：「我去。」
So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, I will go.”
59 於是他們打發妹子利百加和她的乳母，同亞伯拉罕的僕人，並跟從僕人的，都走了。
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.
60 他們就給利百加祝福說： 我們的妹子啊，願你作千萬人的母！ 願你的後裔得着仇敵的城門！
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.”
61 利百加和她的使女們起來，騎上駱駝，跟着那僕人，僕人就帶着利百加走了。
Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
62 那時，以撒住在南地，剛從庇耳‧拉海‧萊回來。
At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
63 天將晚，以撒出來在田間默想，舉目一看，見來了些駱駝。
One evening he went out into the field to meditate as he walked. He looked up and [was surprised to] see some camels coming.
64 利百加舉目看見以撒，就急忙下了駱駝，
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
65 問那僕人說：「這田間走來迎接我們的是誰？」僕人說：「是我的主人。」利百加就拿帕子蒙上臉。
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.
66 僕人就將所辦的一切事都告訴以撒。
The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
67 以撒便領利百加進了他母親撒拉的帳棚，娶了她為妻，並且愛她。以撒自從他母親不在了，這才得了安慰。
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.
