Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old and far on in years: and the Lord had given him everything in full measure.
And Abraham was old, well stricken in years; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said to his chief servant, the manager of all his property, Come now, put your hand under my leg:
And Abraham said unto his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3 And take an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;
And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
4 But that you will go into my country and to my relations and get a wife there for my son Isaac.
But unto my country, and to my birthplace shalt thou go, and take a wife unto my son, unto Isaac.
5 And the servant said, If by chance the woman will not come with me into this land, am I to take your son back again to the land from which you came?
And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I then bring thy son again unto the land from which thou camest?
6 And Abraham said, Take care that you do not let my son go back to that land.
And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou, that thou bring not my son thither again.
7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and made an oath to me, saying, To your seed I will give this land: he will send his angel before you and give you a wife for my son in that land.
The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, and who spoke unto me, and who swore unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from there.
8 And if the woman will not come with you, then you are free from this oath; only do not take my son back there.
But if the woman should not be willing to follow thee, then shalt, thou be clear from this my oath: only my son thou shalt not bring thither again.
9 And the servant put his hand under Abraham's leg, and gave him his oath about this thing.
And the put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 And the servant took ten of his master's camels, and all sorts of good things of his master's, and went to Mesopotamia, to the town of Nahor.
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed, with all kinds of precious things of his master in his hand; and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nachor.
11 And he made the camels take their rest outside the town by the water-spring in the evening, at the time when the women came to get water.
And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, at the time that the women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, let me do well in what I have undertaken this day, and give your mercy to my master Abraham.
And he said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and deal kindly with my master Abraham.
13 See, I am waiting here by the water-spring; and the daughters of the town are coming out to get water:
Behold, I stand by the well of water: and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
14 Now, may the girl to whom I say, Let down your vessel and give me a drink, and who says in answer, Here is a drink for you and let me give water to your camels: may she be the one marked out by you for your servant Isaac: so may I be certain that you have been good to my master Abraham.
And let it come to pass that the maiden to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and to thy camels also will I give drink, be the one thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown kindness unto my master.
15 And even before his words were ended, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, who was the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water-vessel on her arm.
And it came to pass, before he had yet finished speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nachor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 She was a very beautiful girl, a virgin, who had never been touched by a man: and she went down to the spring to get water in her vessel.
And the maiden was of a very handsome appearance, a virgin, neither had any man known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant came running to her and said, Give me a little water from your vessel.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water out of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Take a drink, my lord: and quickly letting down her vessel onto her hand, she gave him a drink.
And she said, Drink, my lord; and she hastened, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him to drink.
19 And having done so, she said, I will get water for your camels till they have had enough.
And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, Also for thy camels will I draw water, until they have finished drinking.
20 And after putting the water from her vessel into the animals' drinking-place, she went quickly back to the spring and got water for all the camels.
And she hastened, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man, looking at her, said nothing, waiting to see if the Lord had given his journey a good outcome.
And the man was wondering at her; remaining silent, to discover whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And when the camels had had enough, the man took a gold nose-ring, half a shekel in weight, and two ornaments for her arms of ten shekels weight of gold;
And it came to pass, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden earring, half a shekel in weight, and two bracelets for her hands, ten gold shekels in weight;
23 And said to her, Whose daughter are you? is there room in your father's house for us?
And he said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee; is there room in thy father's house for us to stay this night in?
24 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, Nahor's wife.
And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore unto Nachor.
25 And she said, We have a great store of dry grass and cattle-food, and there is room for you.
She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender in plenty, as also room to lodge in.
26 And with bent head the man gave worship to the Lord;
And the man bowed down his head, and prostrated himself before the Lord.
27 And said, Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has given a sign that he is good and true to my master, by guiding me straight to the house of my master's family.
And he said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not withdrawn his mercy and his truth from my master; I being on the way, which the Lord hath led me, to the house of the brethren of my master.
28 So the girl went running and took the news of these things to her mother's house
And the maiden ran, and told at her mother's house these things.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he came out quickly to the man at the water-spring.
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
30 And when he saw the nose-ring and the ornaments on his sister's hands, and when she gave him word of what the man had said to her, then he went out to the man who was waiting with the camels by the water-spring.
And this came to pass, when he saw the earring and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man unto me; and he came unto the man; and, behold, he was standing by the camels at the well.
31 And he said to him, Come in, you on whom is the blessing of the Lord; why are you waiting outside? for I have made the house ready for you, and a place for the camels.
And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? while I have prepared the house and room for the camels.
32 Then the man came into the house, and Laban took their cords off the camels and gave them dry grass and food, and he gave to him and the men who were with him water for washing their feet.
And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels; and he gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him.
33 And meat was put before him, but he said, I will not take food till I have made my business clear to you. And they said, Do so.
And there was set food before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have spoken my words. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
35 The Lord has given my master every blessing, and he has become great: he has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold, and men-servants and women-servants and camels and asses.
And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and asses.
36 And when Sarah, my master's wife, was old, she gave birth to a son, to whom he has given all he has.
And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master after she was become old: and he hath given unto him all that he hath.
37 And my master made me take an oath, saying, Do not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;
And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But go to my father's house and to my relations for a wife for my son.
But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39 And I said to my master, What if the woman will not come with me?
And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 And he said, The Lord, whom I have ever kept before me, will send his angel with you, who will make it possible for you to get a wife for my son from my relations and my father's house;
And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I have walked will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; that thou mayest take a wife for my son from my kindred, and from my father's house.
41 And you will be free from your oath to me when you come to my people; and if they will not give her to you, you will be free from your oath.
Then shalt thou be clear from my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they do not give thee one, [then] shalt thou be clear from my oath.
42 And I came today to the water-spring, and I said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if it is your purpose to give a good outcome to my journey,
And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou wouldst but prosper my way on which I am going.
43 Let it come about that, while I am waiting here by the water-spring, if a girl comes to get water and I say to her, Give me a little water from your vessel, and she says,
Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall be the young woman who cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher to drink;
44 Take a drink, and I will get water for your camels; let her be the woman marked out by the Lord for my master's son.
And she say to me, Both drink thou, and also for thy camels will I draw: this shall be the wife whom the Lord hath destined for my master's son.
45 And even while I was saying this to myself, Rebekah came out with her vessel on her arm; and she went down to the spring to get water; and I said to her, Give me a drink.
And before I had yet finished speaking to my own heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water; and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 And straight away she took down her vessel from her arm, and said, Take a drink, and I will get water for your camels.
And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and also to thy camels I will give drink; and I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 And questioning her, I said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, and Milcah his wife. Then I put the ring on her nose and the ornaments on her hands.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nachor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And with bent head I gave worship and praise to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, by whom I had been guided in the right way, to get the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
And I bowed down my head, and prostrated myself before the Lord; and I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
49 And now, say if you will do what is good and right for my master or not, in order that it may be clear to me what I have to do.
And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right, or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel said in answer, This is the Lord's doing: it is not for us to say Yes or No to you.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing hath proceeded from the Lord; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 See, here is Rebekah: take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the Lord has said.
Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be the wife of thy master's son, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And at these words, Abraham's servant went down on his face and gave praise to the Lord.
And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he prostrated himself to the earth unto the Lord.
53 Then he took jewels of silver and jewels of gold and fair robes and gave them to Rebekah: and he gave things of value to her mother and her brother.
And the servant brought forth vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; and precious things he gave to her brother and to her mother.
54 Then he and the men who were with him had food and drink, and took their rest there that night; and in the morning he got up, and said, Let me now go back to my master.
And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried the night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
55 But her brother and her mother said, Let the girl be with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.
And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us, a year or ten months; after that she shall go.
56 And he said, Do not keep me; the Lord has given a good outcome to my journey; let me now go back to my master.
And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57 And they said, We will send for the girl, and let her make the decision.
And they said, We will call the maiden, and inquire her own decision.
58 And they sent for Rebekah and said to her, Are you ready to go with this man? And she said, I am ready.
And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah and her servant with Abraham's servant and his men.
And thereupon they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
60 And they gave Rebekah their blessing, saying, O sister, may you be the mother of thousands and ten thousands; and may your seed overcome all those who make war against them.
And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of myriads, and let thy seed possess the gate of those who hate them.
61 So Rebekah and her servant-women went with the man, seated on the camels; and so the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
And Rebekah arose with her maidens, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 Now Isaac had come through the waste land to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the South.
And Isaac came from a walk to the well Lachai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country;
63 And when the evening was near, he went wandering out into the fields, and lifting up his eyes he saw camels coming.
And Isaac was gone out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, camels were coming.
64 And when Rebekah, looking up, saw Isaac, she got down from her camel,
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and she saw Isaac; and she alighted off the camel.
65 And said to the servant, Who is that man coming to us through the field? And the servant said, It is my master: then she took her veil, covering her face with it.
And she said unto the servant, Who is yonder man that walketh in the field toward us? And the servant said, This is my master; therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66 Then the servant gave Isaac the story of all he had done.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67 And Isaac took Rebekah into his tent and she became his wife; and in his love for her, Isaac was comforted after his father's death.
And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
