Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,
3 That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
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,
4 But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?
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?”
6 And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.
7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father’s house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
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.
8 But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.
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.”
9 The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
10 And he took ten camels of his master’s herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
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.
11 And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
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.
12 O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.
Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
14 Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shown kindness to my master.
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.”
15 He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:
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.
16 An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.
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.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.
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.
21 But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
22 And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.
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.
23 And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24 And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
25 And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”
26 The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
27 Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master’s brother.
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.”
28 Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29 And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,
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.
31 And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.
“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.”
32 And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.
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.
33 And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
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.”
34 And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
35 And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.
“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.
36 And Sara my master’s wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.
My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37 And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:
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,
38 But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
39 But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
40 The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father’s house.
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.
41 But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
42 And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,
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!
43 Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:
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,’
44 And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master’s son.
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.
45 And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.
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.’
46 And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.
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.
47 And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.
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.
48 And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.
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.
49 Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.
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.”
50 And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
51 Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master’s son, as the Lord hath spoken.
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.”
52 Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.
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.
54 And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.
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.”
55 And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
56 Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
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.”
57 And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
58 And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.
59 So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.
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.”
61 So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62 At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.
Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.
63 And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.
Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
64 Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
65 And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.
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.
66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother’s death.
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.
