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, well advanced in days, and the LORD had blessed Abraham 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 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge over all that he had, "Please 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 I will make you swear by the God of heaven and earth, that you must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4 but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
but you must go to my country and to my relatives, and get 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?”
And the servant asked him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I then bring your son back to the land from which you came?"
6 Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.
Then Abraham told him, "Be careful that you do not take my son back there.
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.
Now the God of heaven, who took me from my father's household and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'I will give this land to your offspring' -- he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.
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 isn't willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath to me. Only you must not bring 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.
So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his oath to him concerning this matter.
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 took ten camels from his master's camels and departed, having a variety of good things from his master at his disposal, and he set out and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
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 he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
12 “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Then he said, "God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show kindness 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 am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out 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.”
Now may it happen that the young woman to whom I will say, 'Please lower your jug that I may drink,' and she answers, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'—her you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness 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.
And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that look, Rebekah was coming out with her jug on her shoulder—who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
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.
Now the young woman was very beautiful in appearance, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. And she went down to the spring and filled her jug and came up.
17 So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jug."
18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
So she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hurried and let down her jug to her hands, and 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.”
Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."
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.
So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21 Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
And the man watched her in silence so as to know whether God 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.
And it happened, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold ring weighing a beka, which he put on her nose, and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten pieces of gold,
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 said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?"
24 She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
Then she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to 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 also said to him, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge."
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
Then the man bowed his head and worshiped God,
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.”
and said, "Blessed be the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, he has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."
28 The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
Then the young woman ran, and told her mother's household about these words.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban, and he ran out to the man 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.
And it happened, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he went to the man. And look, he was standing by the camels at 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.”
And he said, "Come in, you blessed of God. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and room 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.
So the man went into the house and he unloaded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of 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.”
And he set before him food to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." And he said, "Say it."
34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.
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 master greatly, so that he has become great, and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and male servants and female 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 my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has.
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,
Now my master put me under oath, saying, 'You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
but you must go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
39 Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow 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.
But he said to me, 'God, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and make your journey successful, and you will get a wife for my son from my relatives, and of 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.’
Then will you be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives. And if they do not give her to you, then you will be free from my oath.'
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!
So today I came to the spring, and said, 'God of my master Abraham, if now you will make my journey successful in which I go—
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 am standing by this spring of water, and may it happen that the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher 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 will say to me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"—may she be the woman who has been chosen for my master's son.'
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.’
Before I had finished praying in my heart, look, Rebekah came out with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring, and drew. 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.
And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water.
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.
Then I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on 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 bowed my head and worshiped God, and blessed the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me on the right road to find the granddaughter of my master's brother 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.”
Now if you will show kindness and truth to my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The matter comes from God. We can't speak to you bad or good.
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.”
Look, Rebekah is before you. Take, and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as God has spoken."
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
And it happened when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down to the ground.
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 the servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. And he also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to 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.”
Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and spent the night. Then they got up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away 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 the young woman stay with us ten days or so. After that she may go."
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.”
But he said to them, "Do not delay me, seeing that he has made my journey successful. Send me away that I may go to my master."
57 So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
Then they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her."
58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.
So they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she replied, "I will go."
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
So they sent away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
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.”
And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them."
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
And Rebekah and her female servants got ready, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
62 Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.
Now Isaac had come from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the land of the Negev.
63 Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
And Isaac went out in the field to think in the early evening. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and look, he saw camels approaching.
64 And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted 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 asked the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" And the servant said, "It is my master." Then she took her veil and covered herself.
66 Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
And the servant told Isaac all the things 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.
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
