Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
And Abraham said to his oldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray you, 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 make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife to 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?
And the servant said to him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I needs bring your son again to the land from where you came?
6 And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
And Abraham said to him, Beware you that you bring not my son thither again.
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 God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spoke to me, and that swore to me, saying, To your seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife to 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 will not be willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
9 The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning that 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.
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
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:
And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go 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.
And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray you, send me good speed this day, 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.
Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come 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.
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down your pitcher, I pray you, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give your camels drink also: let the same be she that you have appointed for your servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that you have showed 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:
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
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.
And the damsel was very fair to look on, 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 ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray you, drink a little water of your pitcher.
18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink.
19 And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for your camels also, until they have done drinking.
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 hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw water, and drew 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.
And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
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 it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23 And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
And said, Whose daughter are you? tell me, I pray you: is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in?
24 And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she 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.
She said moreover to him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
26 The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped 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.
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brothers.
28 Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.
29 And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out to the man, to the well.
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,
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me; that he came to the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
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.
And he said, Come in, you blessed of the LORD; why stand you without? for I have prepared the house, and room 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.
And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
33 And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
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.
And the LORD has blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
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.
And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old: and to him has he given all that he has.
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:
And my master made me swear, saying, You shall not take a wife to my son of 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, and take a wife to my son.
39 But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
And I said to my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow 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 said to me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of 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.
Then shall you be clear from this my oath, when you come to my kindred; and if they give not you one, you shall be clear 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,
And I came this day to the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go:
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:
Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin comes forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray you, a little water of your pitcher to drink;
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 say to me, Both drink you, and I will also draw for your camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD has appointed out 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 done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well, and drew water: and I said to her, Let me drink, I pray you.
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.
And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give your camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
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.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him: and I put the earring on her face, and the bracelets on her hands.
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.
And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter to 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.
And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50 And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from the LORD: we cannot speak to you bad or good.
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.
Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.
52 Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
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.
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
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.
And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away 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.
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56 Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
And he said to them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD has prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57 And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.
58 And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
And they called Rebekah, and said to her, Will you go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and 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, You are our sister, be you the mother of thousands of millions, and let your seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61 So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode on the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
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.
And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelled in the south country.
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.
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
64 Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the 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.
For she had said to the servant, What man is this that walks in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
And the servant told Isaac all things 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 his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
