Genesis 24
1 By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,
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,
3 and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
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.
4 but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
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?”
6 Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.
And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.
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.
8 And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”
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.”
9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
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.
11 As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.
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:
12 “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
“O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
13 Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
14 Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—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.”
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.”
15 Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
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.
16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
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.
17 So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
20 And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.
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.
21 Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
22 And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
24 She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
25 Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”
And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
27 saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
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.”
28 The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
30 As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.
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,
31 “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
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.”
32 So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.
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.
33 Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”
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.”
34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
35 “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.
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.
36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
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.
37 My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell,
And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
39 Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
40 And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house.
‘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.
41 And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
42 So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success!
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,
43 Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’
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.”
44 and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.
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.’
45 And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
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.’
46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.
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.
47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
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.
48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.
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.
49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”
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.”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
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.
51 Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”
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.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
53 Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.
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.
54 Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”
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.”
55 But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
56 But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”
“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.”
57 So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.
And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
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.”
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
62 Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.
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.
63 Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
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.
64 And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
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.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
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.
