Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
And Abraham [is] old, he has entered into days, and YHWH has 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,
and Abraham says to his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he has, “Please put your hand under 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 cause you to swear by YHWH, God of the heavens and God of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in the midst of whom I am dwelling;
4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
but to my land and to my family you go, and have taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.”
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 servant says to him, “It may be the woman is not willing to come after me to this land; do I at all cause your son to return to the land from where you came out?”
6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
And Abraham says to him, “Take heed to yourself lest you cause my son to return there;
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.
YHWH, God of the heavens, who has taken me from the house of my father, and from the land of my birth, and who has spoken to me, and who has sworn to me, saying, To your seed I give this land, He sends His messenger before you, and you have taken a wife for my son from there;
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.”
and if the woman is not willing to come after you, then you have been acquitted from this my oath: only you do not cause my son to return there.”
9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
And the servant puts his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swears to him concerning 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.
And the servant takes ten camels of the camels of his lord and goes, also of all the goods of his lord in his hand, and he rises, and goes to Aram-Naharaim, to the city 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 causes the camels to kneel at the outside of the city, at the well of water, at evening, at the time of the coming out of the women who 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 says, “YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, please cause to meet before me this day—(and do kindness with my lord 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.
behold, I am standing by the fountain of water, and daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw 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.”
and it has been, the young person to whom I say, Please incline your pitcher and I drink, and she has said, Drink, and I also water your camels)—her [whom] You have decided for Your servant, for Isaac; and by it I know that You have done kindness with my lord.”
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 it comes to pass, before he has finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham) is coming out, and her pitcher on 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 young person [is] of very good appearance, a virgin, and a man has not known her; and she goes down to the fountain, and fills her pitcher, and comes up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
And the servant runs to meet her and says, “Please let me swallow a little water from your 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 says, “Drink, my lord”; and she hurries, and lets down her pitcher on her hand, and gives him drink.
19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
And she finishes giving him drink and says, “Also for your camels I draw until they have finished drinking”;
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 hurries, and empties her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and runs again to the well to draw, and draws 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
And the man, wondering at her, remains silent, to know whether YHWH has made his way 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 it comes to pass, when the camels have finished drinking, that the man takes a golden ring (whose weight [is] a bekah), and two bracelets for her hands (whose weight [is] ten [bekahs] of gold),
23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
and says, “Whose daughter [are] you? Please declare to me, is the house of your father a place for us to lodge in?”
24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
And she says to him, “I [am] daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she has borne to Nahor.”
25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
She also says to him, “Both straw and provender [are] abundant with us, also a place to lodge in.”
26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
And the man bows, and pays respect to YHWH,
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 says, “Blessed [is] YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has not left off His kindness and His truth with my lord—I [being] in the way, YHWH has led me to the house of my lord’s brothers.”
28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
And the young person runs, and declares to the house of her mother according to these words.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
And Rebekah has a brother, and his name [is] Laban, and Laban runs to the man who [is] outside, to the fountain;
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,
indeed, it comes to pass, when he sees the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he hears the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus has the man spoken to me,” that he comes to the man, and behold, he is standing by the camels by the fountain.
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 says, “Come in, O blessed one of YHWH! Why do you stand outside—and I have prepared the house and place for the 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.
And he brings in the man into the house, and looses the camels, and gives straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who [are] 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.”
and sets before him to eat; but he says, “I do not eat until I have spoken my word”; and he says, “Speak.”
34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
And he says, “I [am] Abraham’s servant;
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 YHWH has blessed my lord exceedingly, and he is great; and He gives to him flock, and herd, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and donkeys;
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 lord’s wife, bears a son to my lord, after she has been aged, and he gives to him all that he has.
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.
And my lord causes me to swear, saying, You do not take a wife to my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling.
38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
If not—to the house of my father you go, and to my family, and you have taken a wife for my son.
39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
And I say to my lord, It may be the woman does not come after 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.
and he says to me, YHWH, before whom I have habitually walked, sends His messenger with you, and has prospered your way, and you have taken a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father;
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 you are acquitted from my oath, when you come to my family; and if they do not give [one] to you, then you have been acquitted from my oath.
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,
And I come to the fountain today, and I say, YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, now if You are making prosperous my way in which I am going—
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 am standing by the fountain of water), then the virgin is coming out to draw, and I have said to her, Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher,
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 has said to me, Both drink, and I also draw for your camels—she is the woman whom YHWH has decided for my lord’s son.
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.’
Before I finish speaking to my heart, then behold, Rebekah is coming out, and her pitcher [is] on her shoulder, and she goes down to the fountain and draws; and I say to her, Please let me drink,
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 hurries and lets down her pitcher from off her and says, Drink, and I also water your camels; and I drink, and she has also watered the camels.
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.
And I ask her, and say, Whose daughter [are] you? And she says, Daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah has borne to him, and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on 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 bow, and pay respect before YHWH, and I bless YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has led me in the true way to receive the daughter of my lord’s brother for his son.
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.”
And now, if you are dealing kindly and truly with my lord, declare to me; and if not, declare to me; and I turn to the right 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.
And Laban answers—Bethuel also—and they say, “The thing has gone out from YHWH; we are not able to speak to you bad or 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.”
behold, Rebekah [is] before you, take and go, and she is a wife to your lord’s son, as YHWH has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
And it comes to pass, when the servant of Abraham has heard their words, that he bows himself toward the earth before YHWH;
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.
and the servant takes out vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and gives to Rebekah; precious things also he has given to her brother and to her mother.
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.”
And they eat and drink, he and the men who [are] with him, and lodge all night; and they rise in the morning, and he says, “Send me to my lord”;
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.”
and her brother says—her mother also, “Let the young person abide with us a week or ten days, afterward she goes.”
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.”
And he says to them, “Do not delay me, seeing YHWH has prospered my way; send me away, and I go to my lord”;
57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
and they say, “Let us call for the young person, and inquire of her mouth”;
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 call for Rebekah, and say to her, “Do you go with this man?” And she says, “I go.”
59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
And they send away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, 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 bless Rebekah, and say to her, “You [are] our sister; become thousands of myriads, and your seed possesses the gate of those hating it.”
61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
And Rebekah and her young women arise, and ride on the camels, and go after the man; and the servant takes Rebekah and goes.
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.
And Isaac has come in from the entrance of the Well of the Living One, my Beholder; and he is dwelling in the land of the south,
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 Isaac goes out to meditate in the field, at the turning of the evening, and he lifts up his eyes, and looks, and behold, camels are coming.
64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
And Rebekah lifts up her eyes, and sees Isaac, and comes down off 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.
and she says to the servant, “Who [is] this man who is walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant says, “It [is] my lord”; and she takes the veil, and covers herself.
66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
And the servant recounts to Isaac all the things that he has 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.
and Isaac brings her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he takes Rebekah, and she becomes his wife, and he loves her, and Isaac is comforted after [the death of] his mother.
