Genesis 24
1 By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
2 So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,
At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put 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,
and swear an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you won't arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the these Canaanite people that I'm living among.
4 but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there 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?”
“What if the woman refuses to come back with me to this country?” the servant asked. “Should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
6 Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.
“No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
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, the God of heaven, took me from my family home and my own country. He spoke to me and swore an oath to me in which he promised, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ He is the one who will send his angel ahead of you so that you can find a wife there 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.”
However, if the woman refuses to return here with you, then you are released from this oath. But make sure you don't take my son back there.”
9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
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.
Then the servant arranged for ten of his master's camels to carry all kinds of valuable gifts from Abraham and left for the town of Nahor in Aram-naharaim.
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.
Arriving in the evening, he had the camels kneel down by the spring that was outside the town. This was the time when women went out to fetch water.
12 “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
He prayed, “Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please let me be successful today, and please show your faithfulness to my master Abraham.
13 Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get 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.”
May it happen like this. The young woman that I ask, ‘Please hold your water jar so I can have a drink,’ and she replies, ‘Please drink, and I'll give your camels water too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac. This way I'll know that you've shown your faithfulness to my master.”
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.
He hadn't even finished praying when he saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milkah. Milkah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
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 very beautiful, a virgin—no one had slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up.
17 So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
“Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to 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.”
After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
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.
She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the spring to get more water. She brought enough for all his camels.
21 Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful 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.
Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
Then he asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Also could you tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
24 She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
She replied, “I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and food for the camels,
25 Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”
and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to 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.”
“Thank you Lord, the God of my master Abraham,” he prayed. “You have not forgotten your commitment and faithfulness to my master. And Lord, you have led me directly to the home of my master's relatives!”
28 The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
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.
He'd noticed the nose-ring and the bracelets she was wearing, and he'd heard his sister Rebekah explaining, “This is what the man told me.” When he arrived the man was still there, standing with his camels beside the spring.
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.”
“Please come home with me, you who are blessed by the Lord,” said Laban. “What are you standing out here for? I've got a room at home ready for you, and a place for the camels to stay.”
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.
So the man went home with him. Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food to eat. He also provided water for the man to wash his feet, as well as for the men who were 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.”
Then Laban had food brought in. But the man told him, “I'm not going to eat until I've explained why I'm here.” “Please explain,” Laban replied.
34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
“I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
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.
“The Lord has blessed my master so much, and now he is a wealthy and powerful man. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and 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.
His wife Sarah has had a son for my master even in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
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,
My master made me swear an oath, saying, ‘You must not arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the Canaanite people in whose land I'm living.
38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
39 Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back 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.
He told me, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived my life, will send his angel with you, and he will make your journey successful—you will find a wife for my son from my relatives, from my father's family.
41 And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
You will be released from the oath you swear to me if, when you go to my family, they refuse to let her return with 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!
Today when I arrived at the spring, I prayed, Lord, God of my master Abraham, please let the journey I have taken be successful.
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,’
Look, I'm standing here beside this spring. May it happen like this. If a young woman comes to get water, and I say, ‘Please give me a few sips of water to drink,’
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 says to me, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac.”
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.’
“I hadn't even finished praying silently when I saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring to get water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a 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.
She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and she said, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too.’ So I drank, and she got water for 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.
I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.’ So I put the ring in her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
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.
Then I kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord. I thanked the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, for he led me directly to find my master's niece for 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.”
So please tell me now, will you show commitment and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no so I can decide what to do next.”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
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.”
Rebekah's here, you can take her and leave. She can become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has decided.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to 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.
Then he unpacked silver and gold jewelry and expensive clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable presents to her brother 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.”
He and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now and go home to my master.”
55 But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
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.”
“Please don't delay me,” he told them. “The Lord has made my journey successful, so let me leave and go back to my master.”
57 So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
“Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.
They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
So they let Laban's sister Rebekah leave with Abraham's servant and his men, together with the woman who had nursed her as a child.
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.”
They asked a blessing on her, saying, “Our dear sister, may you become the mother to thousands and thousands of descendants, and may they conquer 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.
Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
62 Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.
Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
63 Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
64 And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her 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.
She asked the servant, “Who is this walking through the fields to meet us?” “He's my master, Isaac,” he replied. So she put on her veil to cover herself.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
The servant told Isaac everything he'd 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.
Isaac took Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and he married her. He loved her, and she brought him comfort after his grief over his mother's death.
