Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
Now Abraham was very old and Yahweh 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,
Abraham said to his servant, the one who was the oldest of his household and who was in charge of all that he had, “Put 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 Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I make my home.
4 But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
But you will go to my country, and to my relatives, and get 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 said to him, “What if the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land? Must I 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 said to him, “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.
Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my relatives, and who promised me with a solemn oath saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you will get 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.
But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine. Only you are not to 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 put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore 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.
The servant took ten of his master's camels and departed. He also took with him all kinds of gifts from his master. He departed and went to the region of Aram Naharaim, 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:
He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water. It was evening, 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.
Then he said, “Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today and show covenant faithfulness 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.
Look, here I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city 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.
Let it happen like this. When I say to a young woman, 'Please lower your pitcher so that I may drink,' and she says to me, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too,' then let her be the one that you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown covenant faithfulness 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:
It came about that even before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out with her water pitcher on her shoulder. Rebekah was born to Bethuel son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
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.
The young woman was very beautiful and a virgin. No man had slept with her. She went down to the spring 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.
Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your pitcher.”
18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
She said, “Drink, my master,” and she quickly let down her pitcher on her hand, 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.
When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, 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 to all the camels.
So she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and drew 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.
The man watched her in silence to see whether Yahweh had prospered his journey 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.
As the camels finished drinking, the man brought out a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two gold bracelets for her arms 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?
and asked, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me please, 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 said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, whom 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 also said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and also room for you to spend the night.”
26 The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
Then the man bowed down and worshiped Yahweh.
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.
He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his covenant faithfulness and his trustworthiness toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me directly 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.
Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about all of 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, and his name was Laban. Laban ran to the man who was out at the road by 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,
When he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man, and, behold, he was standing by the camels at 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.
Then Laban said, “Come, you blessed of Yahweh. Why are you standing outside? 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 he unloaded the camels. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was provided to wash his feet and the feet of the men who 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.
They set food before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” So Laban said, “Speak on.”
34 And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
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.
Yahweh has blessed my master very much and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and 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.
Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, and he has given everything that he owns to him.
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, saying, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I make my home.
38 But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
Instead, you must go to my father's family, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
39 But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
I said to my master, 'Perhaps 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.
But he said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and he will prosper your way, so that you will get a wife for my son from among my relatives and from my father's family line.
41 But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
But you will be free from my oath if you come to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free 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 I arrived today at the spring, and said, 'O Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please, if you do indeed intend to make my journey successful—
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 by the spring of water—let the young woman who comes out to draw water, the woman to whom I say, “Please give me a little water from 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.
the woman who says to me, “Drink, and I will also draw water for your camels”—let her be the woman whom you, Yahweh, have chosen 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.
Even before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher 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 pitcher from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels water also.' So I drank, and she watered the camels 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.
I asked her and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milkah bore to him.' Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms.
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 Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to find the daughter of my master's relative 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 therefore, if you are prepared to show covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me, so 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 has come from Yahweh; we cannot speak to you either 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.
Look, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, so she may be the wife of your master's son, as Yahweh has spoken.”
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 himself down to the ground to Yahweh.
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.
The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and to 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 who were with him ate and drank. They stayed there overnight, and when they arose in the morning, 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.
Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us for a few more days, at least ten. 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 said to them, “Do not hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. 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.
They said, “We will call the young woman and ask her.”
58 And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” She replied, “I will go.”
59 So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
So they sent their sister Rebekah, along with her female servant, on her journey with 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.
They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.”
61 So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
Then Rebekah arose, and she and her servant girls mounted the camels, and followed the man. Thus 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.
Now Isaac was living in the Negev, and had just returned from Beer Lahai Roi.
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.
Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening. When he looked up and saw, behold, there were camels coming!
64 Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
Rebekah looked, and when she saw Isaac, she jumped down from 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.
She said to the servant, “Who is that man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
The servant recounted to Isaac all the 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.
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
