Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
Nowe Abraham was olde, and striken in yeeres, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 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,
Therefore Abraham saide vnto his eldest seruant of his house, which had the rule ouer all that he had, Put nowe thine hand vnder my thigh,
3 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.
And I will make thee sweare by ye Lord God of the heauen, and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife vnto my sonne of the daughters of the Canaanites among who I dwel.
4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
But thou shalt go vnto my countrey, and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sone Izhak.
5 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?”
And the seruant saide to him, What if the woman will not come with me to this land? shall I bring thy sonne againe vnto the lande from whence thou camest?
6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
To whom Abraham answered, Beware that thou bring not my sonne thither againe.
7 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.
The Lord God of heauen, who tooke me from my fathers house, and from the land where I was borne, and that spake vnto me, and that sware vnto me, saying, Vnto thy seede wil I giue this land, he shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife vnto my sonne from thence.
8 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.”
Neuertheles if the woman wil not follow thee, then shalt thou bee discharged of this mine othe: onely bring not my sonne thither againe.
9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
Then the seruant put his hand vnder the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him for this matter.
10 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.
So the seruant tooke ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed: (for he had all his masters goods in his hand: ) and so he arose, and went to Aram Naharaim, vnto the citie of Nahor.
11 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:
And he made his camels to lye downe without the citie by a well of water, at euentide about the time that the women come out to draw water.
12 “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I beseech thee, send me good speede this day, and shew mercy vnto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
Lo, I stand by the well of water, whiles the mens daughters of this citie come out to drawe water.
14 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.”
Graunt therefore that ye maide, to whom I say, Bowe downe thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drinke: if she say, Drinke, and I will giue thy camels drinke also: may be she that thou hast ordeined for thy seruant Izhak: and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed mercy on my master.
15 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.
And nowe yer he had left speaking, beholde, Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, sonne of Milcah the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother, and her pitcher vpon her shoulder.
16 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.
(And the maide was very faire to looke vpon, a virgine and vnknowen of man) and she went downe to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came vp.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
Then the seruant ranne to meete her, and said, Let me drinke, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher.
18 And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.
And she said, Drinke sir: and she hasted, and let downe her pitcher vpon her hand and gaue him drinke.
19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
And when she had giuen him drinke, she said, I will drawe water for thy camels also vntill they haue drunken inough.
20 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.
And she powred out her pitcher into the trough speedily; and ranne againe vnto the well to drawe water, and she drewe for all his camels.
21 But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
So the man wondred at her, and helde his peace, to knowe whether the Lord had made his iourney prosperous or not.
22 Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
And when the camels had left drinking, the man tooke a golden abillement of halfe a shekell weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of golde:
23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
And he said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, Is there roume in thy fathers house for vs to lodge in?
24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
Then she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the sonne of Milcah whom she bare vnto Nahor.
25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
Moreouer she said vnto him, We haue litter also and prouender ynough, and roume to lodge in.
26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the Lord,
27 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.”
And said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, which hath not withdrawen his mercie and his trueth from my master: for when I was in the way, the Lord brought me to my masters brethrens house.
28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
And the maide ranne and tolde them of her mothers house according to these wordes.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
Now Rebekah had a brother called Laban, and Laban ranne vnto the man to the well.
30 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,
For when he had seene the earings and the bracelets in his sisters hands, and when he heard the wordes of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus said the man vnto me, then he went to the man, and loe, he stoode by the camels at the well.
31 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.”
And he saide, Come in thou blessed of the Lord: wherefore standest thou without, seeing I haue prepared the house, and roume for ye camels?
32 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.
Then the man came into the house, and he vnsadled the camels, and brought litter and prouender for the camels, and water to wash his feete, and the mens feete that were with him.
33 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.”
Afterward the meate was set before him: but he saide, I will not eate, vntill I haue saide my message: And he said, Speake on.
34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
Then he said, I am Abrahams seruant,
35 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.
And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, that he is become great: for he hath giuen him sheepe, and beeues, and siluer, and golde, and men seruants, and maide seruants, and camels, and asses.
36 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.
And Sarah my masters wife hath borne a sonne to my master, when she was olde, and vnto him hath he giuen all that he hath.
37 And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
Now my master made me sweare, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my sonne of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
But thou shalt go vnto my fathers house and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sonne.
39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
Then I saide vnto my master, What if the woman will not follow me?
40 ‘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.
Who answered me, The Lord, before who I walke, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy iourney, and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne of my kinred and my fathers house.
41 But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
Then shalt thou be discharged of mine othe, when thou commest to my kinred: and if they giue thee not one, thou shalt be free from mine othe.
42 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,
So I came this day to the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou nowe prosper my iourney which I goe,
43 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.”
Behold, I stand by the well of water: when a virgine commeth forth to drawe water, and I say to her, Giue me, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher to drinke,
44 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.’
And she say to me, Drinke thou, and I will also drawe for thy camels, let her be ye wife, which the Lord hath prepared for my masters sonne.
45 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.’
And before I had made an end of speaking in mine heart, beholde, Rebekah came foorth, and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went downe vnto the well, and drewe water. Then I said vnto her, Giue me drinke, I pray thee.
46 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.
And she made haste, and tooke downe her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drinke, and I will giue thy camels drinke also. So I dranke, and she gaue the camels drinke also.
47 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.
Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she answered, The daughter of Bethuel Nahors sonne, whom Milcah bare vnto him. Then I put the abillement vpon her face, and the bracelets vpon her hands:
48 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.
And I bowed downe and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had brought me the right way to take my masters brothers daughter vnto his sone.
49 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.”
Now therefore, if ye will deale mercifully and truely with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me that I may turne me to the right hand or to the left.
50 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.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, This thing is proceeded of the Lord: we cannot therefore say vnto thee, neither euill nor good.
51 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.”
Beholde, Rebehak is before thee, take her and goe, that she may be thy masters sonnes wife, euen as the Lord hath said.
52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
And when Abrahams seruant heard their wordes, he bowed himselfe toward the earth vnto the Lord.
53 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.
Then the seruant tooke foorth iewels of siluer, and iewels of golde, and raiment, and gaue to Rebekah: also vnto her brother and to her mother he gaue gifts.
54 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.”
Afterward they did eate and drinke, both he, and the men that were with him, and taried all night. and when they rose vp in the morning, he said, Let me depart vnto my master.
55 And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
Then her brother and her mother answered, Let the maide abide with vs, at the least ten dayes: then shall she goe.
56 “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.”
But he said vnto them, Hinder you me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my iourney: send me away, that I may goe to my master.
57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
Then they said, We will call the maide, and aske her consent.
58 And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
And they called Rebekah, and saide vnto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she answered, I will go.
59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
So they let Rebekah their sister goe, and her nourse, with Abrahams seruant and his men.
60 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.”
And they blessed Rebekah, and sayde vnto her, Thou art our sister, growe into thousande thousands, and thy seede possesse the gate of his enemies.
61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
Then Rebekah arose, and her maydes, and rode vpon the camels, and followed the man. and the seruant tooke Rebekah, and departed.
62 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.
Nowe Izhak came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi, (for he dwelt in the South countrey)
63 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.
And Izhak went out. to pray in the fielde toward the euening: who lift vp his eyes and looked, and behold, the camels came.
64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
Also Rebekah lift vp her eyes, and when she saw Izhak, she lighted downe from the camel.
65 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.
(For shee had sayde to the seruant, Who is yonder man, that commeth in the fielde to meete vs? and the seruant had said, It is my master) So she tooke a vaile, and couered her.
66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
And the seruant tolde Izhak all things, that he had done.
67 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.
Afterward Izhak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he tooke Rebekah, and she was his wife, and he loued her: So Izhak was comforted after his mothers death.
