Genesis 24
1 Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
亚伯拉罕年纪老迈，向来在一切事上耶和华都赐福给他。
2 At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
亚伯拉罕对管理他全业最老的仆人说：“请你把手放在我大腿底下。
3 and swear an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you won't arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the these Canaanite people that I'm living among.
我要叫你指着耶和华—天地的主起誓，不要为我儿子娶这迦南地中的女子为妻。
4 Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
你要往我本地本族去，为我的儿子以撒娶一个妻子。”
5 “What if the woman refuses to come back with me to this country?” the servant asked. “Should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
仆人对他说：“倘若女子不肯跟我到这地方来，我必须将你的儿子带回你原出之地吗？”
6 “No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
亚伯拉罕对他说：“你要谨慎，不要带我的儿子回那里去。
7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, took me from my family home and my own country. He spoke to me and swore an oath to me in which he promised, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ He is the one who will send his angel ahead of you so that you can find a wife there for my son.
耶和华—天上的主曾带领我离开父家和本族的地，对我说话，向我起誓说：‘我要将这地赐给你的后裔。’他必差遣使者在你面前，你就可以从那里为我儿子娶一个妻子。
8 However, if the woman refuses to return here with you, then you are released from this oath. But make sure you don't take my son back there.”
倘若女子不肯跟你来，我使你起的誓就与你无干了，只是不可带我的儿子回那里去。”
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
仆人就把手放在他主人亚伯拉罕的大腿底下，为这事向他起誓。
10 Then the servant arranged for ten of his master's camels to carry all kinds of valuable gifts from Abraham and left for the town of Nahor in Aram-naharaim.
那仆人从他主人的骆驼里取了十匹骆驼，并带些他主人各样的财物，起身往美索不达米亚去，到了拿鹤的城。
11 Arriving in the evening, he had the camels kneel down by the spring that was outside the town. This was the time when women went out to fetch water.
天将晚，众女子出来打水的时候，他便叫骆驼跪在城外的水井那里。
12 He prayed, “Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please let me be successful today, and please show your faithfulness to my master Abraham.
他说：“耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神啊，求你施恩给我主人亚伯拉罕，使我今日遇见好机会。
13 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
我现今站在井旁，城内居民的女子们正出来打水。
14 May it happen like this. The young woman that I ask, ‘Please hold your water jar so I can have a drink,’ and she replies, ‘Please drink, and I'll give your camels water too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac. This way I'll know that you've shown your faithfulness to my master.”
我向那一个女子说：‘请你拿下水瓶来，给我水喝’，她若说：‘请喝！我也给你的骆驼喝。’愿那女子就作你所预定给你仆人以撒的妻。这样，我便知道你施恩给我主人了。”
15 He hadn't even finished praying when he saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milkah. Milkah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
话还没有说完，不料，利百加肩头上扛着水瓶出来。利百加是彼土利所生的；彼土利是亚伯拉罕兄弟拿鹤妻子密迦的儿子。
16 She was very beautiful, a virgin—no one had slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up.
那女子容貌极其俊美，还是处女，也未曾有人亲近她。她下到井旁，打满了瓶，又上来。
17 The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
仆人跑上前去迎着她，说：“求你将瓶里的水给我一点喝。”
18 “Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
女子说：“我主请喝！”就急忙拿下瓶来，托在手上给他喝。
19 After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
女子给他喝了，就说：“我再为你的骆驼打水，叫骆驼也喝足。”
20 She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the spring to get more water. She brought enough for all his camels.
她就急忙把瓶里的水倒在槽里，又跑到井旁打水，就为所有的骆驼打上水来。
21 The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
那人定睛看她，一句话也不说，要晓得耶和华赐他通达的道路没有。
22 Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
骆驼喝足了，那人就拿一个金环，重半舍客勒，两个金镯，重十舍客勒，给了那女子，
23 Then he asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Also could you tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
说：“请告诉我，你是谁的女儿？你父亲家里有我们住宿的地方没有？”
24 She replied, “I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and food for the camels,
女子说：“我是密迦与拿鹤之子彼土利的女儿”；
25 and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
又说：“我们家里足有粮草，也有住宿的地方。”
26 The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
那人就低头向耶和华下拜，
27 “Thank you Lord, the God of my master Abraham,” he prayed. “You have not forgotten your commitment and faithfulness to my master. And Lord, you have led me directly to the home of my master's relatives!”
说：“耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神是应当称颂的，因他不断地以慈爱诚实待我主人。至于我，耶和华在路上引领我，直走到我主人的兄弟家里。”
28 She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
女子跑回去，照着这些话告诉她母亲和她家里的人。
29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
利百加有一个哥哥，名叫拉班，看见金环，又看见金镯在他妹子的手上，并听见他妹子利百加的话，说那人对我如此如此说。拉班就跑出来往井旁去，到那人跟前，见他仍站在骆驼旁边的井旁那里，
30 He'd noticed the nose-ring and the bracelets she was wearing, and he'd heard his sister Rebekah explaining, “This is what the man told me.” When he arrived the man was still there, standing with his camels beside the spring.
31 “Please come home with me, you who are blessed by the Lord,” said Laban. “What are you standing out here for? I've got a room at home ready for you, and a place for the camels to stay.”
便对他说：“你这蒙耶和华赐福的，请进来，为什么站在外边？我已经收拾了房屋，也为骆驼预备了地方。”
32 So the man went home with him. Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food to eat. He also provided water for the man to wash his feet, as well as for the men who were with him.
那人就进了拉班的家。拉班卸了骆驼，用草料喂上，拿水给那人和跟随的人洗脚；
33 Then Laban had food brought in. But the man told him, “I'm not going to eat until I've explained why I'm here.” “Please explain,” Laban replied.
把饭摆在他面前，叫他吃，他却说：“我不吃，等我说明白我的事情再吃。”拉班说：“请说。”
34 “I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
他说：“我是亚伯拉罕的仆人。
35 “The Lord has blessed my master so much, and now he is a wealthy and powerful man. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
耶和华大大地赐福给我主人，使他昌大，又赐给他羊群、牛群、金银、仆婢、骆驼，和驴。
36 His wife Sarah has had a son for my master even in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
我主人的妻子撒拉年老的时候给我主人生了一个儿子；我主人也将一切所有的都给了这个儿子。
37 My master made me swear an oath, saying, ‘You must not arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the Canaanite people in whose land I'm living.
我主人叫我起誓说：‘你不要为我儿子娶迦南地的女子为妻。
38 Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
你要往我父家、我本族那里去，为我的儿子娶一个妻子。’
39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
我对我主人说：‘恐怕女子不肯跟我来。’
40 He told me, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived my life, will send his angel with you, and he will make your journey successful—you will find a wife for my son from my relatives, from my father's family.
他就说：‘我所事奉的耶和华必要差遣他的使者与你同去，叫你的道路通达，你就得以在我父家、我本族那里，给我的儿子娶一个妻子。
41 You will be released from the oath you swear to me if, when you go to my family, they refuse to let her return with you.’
只要你到了我本族那里，我使你起的誓就与你无干。他们若不把女子交给你，我使你起的誓也与你无干。’
42 Today when I arrived at the spring, I prayed, Lord, God of my master Abraham, please let the journey I have taken be successful.
“我今日到了井旁，便说：‘耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神啊，愿你叫我所行的道路通达。
43 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring. May it happen like this. If a young woman comes to get water, and I say, ‘Please give me a few sips of water to drink,’
我如今站在井旁，对哪一个出来打水的女子说：请你把你瓶里的水给我一点喝；
44 and she says to me, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac.”
她若说：你只管喝，我也为你的骆驼打水；愿那女子就作耶和华给我主人儿子所预定的妻。’
45 “I hadn't even finished praying silently when I saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring to get water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
我心里的话还没有说完，利百加就出来，肩头上扛着水瓶，下到井旁打水。我便对她说：‘请你给我水喝。’
46 She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and she said, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too.’ So I drank, and she got water for the camels.
她就急忙从肩头上拿下瓶来，说：‘请喝！我也给你的骆驼喝。’我便喝了；她又给我的骆驼喝了。
47 I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.’ So I put the ring in her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
我问她说：‘你是谁的女儿？’她说：‘我是密迦与拿鹤之子彼土利的女儿。’我就把环子戴在她鼻子上，把镯子戴在她两手上。
48 Then I kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord. I thanked the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, for he led me directly to find my master's niece for his son.
随后我低头向耶和华下拜，称颂耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神；因为他引导我走合式的道路，使我得着我主人兄弟的孙女，给我主人的儿子为妻。
49 So please tell me now, will you show commitment and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no so I can decide what to do next.”
现在你们若愿以慈爱诚实待我主人，就告诉我；若不然，也告诉我，使我可以或向左，或向右。”
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
拉班和彼土利回答说：“这事乃出于耶和华，我们不能向你说好说歹。
51 Rebekah's here, you can take her and leave. She can become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has decided.”
看哪，利百加在你面前，可以将她带去，照着耶和华所说的，给你主人的儿子为妻。”
52 As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
亚伯拉罕的仆人听见他们这话，就向耶和华俯伏在地。
53 Then he unpacked silver and gold jewelry and expensive clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable presents to her brother and her mother.
当下仆人拿出金器、银器，和衣服送给利百加，又将宝物送给她哥哥和她母亲。
54 He and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now and go home to my master.”
仆人和跟从他的人吃了喝了，住了一夜。早晨起来，仆人就说：“请打发我回我主人那里去吧。”
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
利百加的哥哥和她母亲说：“让女子同我们再住几天，至少十天，然后她可以去。”
56 “Please don't delay me,” he told them. “The Lord has made my journey successful, so let me leave and go back to my master.”
仆人说：“耶和华既赐给我通达的道路，你们不要耽误我，请打发我走，回我主人那里去吧。”
57 “Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
他们说：“我们把女子叫来问问她”，
58 They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
就叫了利百加来，问她说：“你和这人同去吗？”利百加说：“我去。”
59 So they let Laban's sister Rebekah leave with Abraham's servant and his men, together with the woman who had nursed her as a child.
于是他们打发妹子利百加和她的乳母，同亚伯拉罕的仆人，并跟从仆人的，都走了。
60 They asked a blessing on her, saying, “Our dear sister, may you become the mother to thousands and thousands of descendants, and may they conquer their enemies.”
他们就给利百加祝福说： 我们的妹子啊，愿你作千万人的母！ 愿你的后裔得着仇敌的城门！
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
利百加和她的使女们起来，骑上骆驼，跟着那仆人，仆人就带着利百加走了。
62 Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
那时，以撒住在南地，刚从庇耳·拉海·莱回来。
63 He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
天将晚，以撒出来在田间默想，举目一看，见来了些骆驼。
64 Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
利百加举目看见以撒，就急忙下了骆驼，
65 She asked the servant, “Who is this walking through the fields to meet us?” “He's my master, Isaac,” he replied. So she put on her veil to cover herself.
问那仆人说：“这田间走来迎接我们的是谁？”仆人说：“是我的主人。”利百加就拿帕子蒙上脸。
66 The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
仆人就将所办的一切事都告诉以撒。
67 Isaac took Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and he married her. He loved her, and she brought him comfort after his grief over his mother's death.
以撒便领利百加进了他母亲撒拉的帐棚，娶了她为妻，并且爱她。以撒自从他母亲不在了，这才得了安慰。
