Genesis 24
1 Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
Now, Abraham, was old, far gone in days, —and, Yahweh, had blessed Abraham, in all things.
2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.
So Abraham said unto his servant, elder of his house, ruler of all that he had, —Place, I pray thee thy hand under my thigh;
3 I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
that I may put thee on oath, by Yahweh God of the heavens and God of the earth—That thou wilt not take a wife for my son, from among the daughters of the Canaanites in the midst of whom, I, am dwelling:
4 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
but unto my own land and unto my own kindred, wilt go, —So shalt thou take a wife for my son—for Isaac.
5 The servant said to him, “What if the woman is not willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?”
And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman may not be willing to follow me into this land, —May I take back thy son, into the land from whence thou camest?
6 Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not bring my son there again.
And Abraham said unto him, —Beware that thou do not take back my son thither!
7 The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
Yahweh, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, who took me out of the house of my father, and out of the land of my kindred, and, who spake to me, and who sware to me, saying, To thy seed, will I give this land, he, will send his messenger before thee, so shalt thou take a wife for my son from thence.
8 If the woman is not willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.”
But if unwilling be the woman to follow thee, then shalt thou be clear from this mine oath, —Only my son, shalt thou not take back thither
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
So the servant placed his hand, under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, —and sware to him, over this thing.
10 The servant took ten of his master’s camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
Then took the servant ten camels, from among the camels of his lord, and went his way, —all the goods of his master being in his hand, —so be mounted, and went his way unto Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
And he made the camels kneel down outside the city, against the well of water, —at the time of evening, at the time of the coming forth of the women that drew water,
12 He said, “LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Then he said, O Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham! I pray thee cause it to fall out before me today, that thou deal in lovingkindness with my lord Abraham.
13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Here am, I, stationed by the fountain of water, —and, the daughters of the men of the city, are coming forth to draw water:
14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
so it shall come to pass that the young woman unto whom I shall say. Let down pray. thy pitcher that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, that, her! hast thou appointed for thy servant for Isaac, And, hereby, shall I get to know, that thou hast dealt in lovingkindness with my lord!
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
And it came to pass, ere yet, he, had done speaking, that lo! Rebekah, was coming forth who had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, —with her pitcher upon her shoulder,
16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
Now the young woman! was of very pleasing appearance, a virgin whom, no man, had known, —and she went down unto the fountain, and filled her pitcher and came up.
17 The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
And the servant ran to meet her, —and said, I pray thee let me drink a little water out of thy pitcher.
18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.
And she said, Drink my lord, —And she hastened and lowered her pitcher on her hand and let him drink.
19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”
And when she had done giving him drink, —she said For thy camels also, will I draw, until they have done drinking.
20 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
So she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and ran again unto the well, to draw, —and she drew for all his camels.
21 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
Now the man, was eagerly watching her, —keeping silence to see—whether Yahweh had prospered his way., or not.
22 As the camels had done drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
And it came to pass when the camels had done drinking, that the man took a ring of gold, half a shekel its weight, —and two bracelets for her hands, ten of gold their weight;
23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”
and said Whose daughter art, thou? I pray thee, tell me. Is there in the house of thy father a place for us to tarry the night?
24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
And she said unto him, Daughter of Bethuel, am, I,—[Bethuel] son of Milcah whom she bare to Nahor.
25 She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”
And she said unto him, Both straw and fodder in plenty, have we, —also a place to tarry the night.
26 The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD.
Then the man bowed his head, and bent himself down unto Yahweh;
27 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”
and said, Blessed be Yahweh. God of my lord Abraham, who hath not withdrawn his lovingkindness and his faithfulness, from my lord, —I—being in the way, Yahweh led me unto the house of the brethren of my lord!
28 The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.
And the young woman ran, and told the household of her mother, —according to these words.
29 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
Now, Rebekah, had a brother, whose name, was Laban, —so Laban ran unto the man outside, unto the fountain.
30 When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, Thus, did the man speak unto me, that he came unto the man, and lo! he was standing by the camels near the fountain;
31 He said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
and he said, Come in. thou blessed of Yahweh, —Wherefore shouldst thou stand outside, when I have made ready the house and a place for the camels?
32 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
So the man came in towards the house, and ungirded the camels, —and there was given him straw and fodder for the camels, and water for bathing his own feet and the feet of the men who were with him;
33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”
and [food] was set before him to eat, But he said, I cannot eat, until I have spoken my words. And he said—Speak!
34 He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
Then said he, —Servant of Abraham, am I.
35 The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
Now, Yahweh, having blessed my lord exceedingly, and made him great, —and given him flocks and herds and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels, and asses,
36 Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
then did Sarah wife of my lord, bear a son to my lord, after she had become old, —so he gave to him all that he had;
37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
And my lord put me on oath saying, —Thou shalt not take a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land, I, am dwelling;
38 but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
but, unto the house of my father, shalt thou go, and unto my family, —and take a wife for my son.
39 I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
So I said unto my lord, —Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father’s house.
And he said unto me, —Yahweh, before whom I have walked to and fro, will send his messenger with thee, so shall he prosper thy way, and thou shalt take a wife for my son out of my kindred and out of the house of my father.
41 Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they do not give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’
Then, shalt thou clear thyself from mine oath, for thou shalt go in unto my kindred, —and, if they will not grant her unto thee, then shalt thou be clear from mine oath.
42 I came today to the spring, and said, ‘The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
So I came in to-day, unto the fountain, —and I said O Yahweh God of my lord Abraham! if, I pray thee thou art prospering my way whereon I am going,
43 behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”
here, am I stationed by the fountain of water, —so then it shall come to pass that, the maiden that is coming forth to draw, and I shall say unto her Let me drink. I pray thee a little water out of thy pitcher;
44 then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
and she shall say unto me Both, thou, drink, and for thy camels also, will I draw, the same, shall be the woman whom Yahweh hath appointed for the son of my lord.
45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
Ere yet, I, could make an end of speaking unto mine own heart, lo! then Rebekah, coming forth, with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain, and drew, —and I said unto her Let me drink I pray thee!
46 She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.
So she hastened and lowered her pitcher from off her, and said. Drink! and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, —So I drank and the camels also, she let drink.
47 I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said Daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom, Milcah, bare to him, —Then put I the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands;
48 I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son.
and bowed my head and bent myself down unto Yahweh, —and I blessed Yahweh God of my lord Abraham, who had led me in a way of faithfulness, to take the daughter of the brother of my lord for his son.
49 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”
Now, therefore, if ye are dealing in lovingkindness and faithfulness with my lord, tell me, —and, if not, tell me, that I may turn unto the right hand or unto the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from the LORD. We cannot speak to you bad or good.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel and said, from Yahweh, hath come forth the word, —we cannot speak unto thee ill or well.
51 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”
Lo! Rebekah, is before thee, Take her and go thy way, —And let her become wife unto the son of thy lord, as Yahweh hath spoken.
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD.
And it came to pass when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down towards the earth unto Yahweh.
53 The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.
Then the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and gave unto Rebekah, —and precious things, gave he to her brother and to her mother.
54 They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
And they did eat and drink he, and the men who were with him, and they tarried the night, —and when they arose in the morning, he said Let me go unto my lord!
55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
Then said her brother and her mother, Let the young woman remain with us some days or rather ten, —After that, she shall go.
56 He said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”
And he said unto them, Do not hinder me, when, Yahweh, hath prospered my journey, —Let me go, that I may take my journey unto my lord!
57 They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.”
Then said they, We must call the young woman and ask at her mouth.
58 They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
So they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.
So they let go Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them.”
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, Our sister! become thou, thousands of ten thousands, —And let thy seed take possession of the gate of them that hate them!
61 Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
Then mounted Rebekah and her young woman and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man, —so the servant took Rebekah. and went his way.
62 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
Now, Isaac, had come in at the entrance, of Beer-lahai-roi, —for, he, was dwelling in the land of the South:
63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels coming.
and Isaac came forth to meditate in the field at the approach of evening, —so he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! camels, coming in.
64 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel.
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac, —so she alighted with haste from off the camel;
65 She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” She took her veil, and covered herself.
and said unto the servant, Who is this man that is walking in the field to meet us? And the servant said, That, is my lord. So she took the veil and covered herself.
66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
And the servant recounted to Isaac, —all the things which he had done.
67 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother; thus he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her, —and Isaac consoled himself, for the loss of his mother.
