Genesis 24
1 Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
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,
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.
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.
4 Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
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?”
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?”
6 “No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
“O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
13 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
17 The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
18 “Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.
19 After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
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.
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.
21 The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
22 Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
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?”
And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
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,
She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
25 and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
26 The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
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!”
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.”
28 She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
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.
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,
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
34 “I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
38 Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
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.
‘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.
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.’
But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
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.
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,
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,’
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.”
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.”
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.’
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.’
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.’
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
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.
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.”
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.”
52 As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
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.”
“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.”
57 “Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
58 They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
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.
Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
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.”
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.”
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
62 Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
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.
63 He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
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.
64 Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
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.
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.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
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.
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.
