Genesis 24
1 Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
Nowe Abraham was olde, and striken in yeeres, and the Lord had blessed Abraham 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,
Therefore Abraham saide vnto his eldest seruant of his house, which had the rule ouer all that he had, Put nowe thine hand vnder 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.
And I will make thee sweare by ye Lord God of the heauen, and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife vnto my sonne of the daughters of the Canaanites among who I dwel.
4 Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
But thou shalt go vnto my countrey, and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sone Izhak.
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?”
And the seruant saide to him, What if the woman will not come with me to this land? shall I bring thy sonne againe vnto the lande from whence thou camest?
6 “No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
To whom Abraham answered, Beware that thou bring not my sonne thither againe.
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 heauen, who tooke me from my fathers house, and from the land where I was borne, and that spake vnto me, and that sware vnto me, saying, Vnto thy seede wil I giue this land, he shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife vnto my sonne from thence.
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.”
Neuertheles if the woman wil not follow thee, then shalt thou bee discharged of this mine othe: onely bring not my sonne thither againe.
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
Then the seruant put his hand vnder the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him for this matter.
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.
So the seruant tooke ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed: (for he had all his masters goods in his hand: ) and so he arose, and went to Aram Naharaim, vnto the citie of Nahor.
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 he made his camels to lye downe without the citie by a well of water, at euentide about the time that the women come out to draw water.
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.
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I beseech thee, send me good speede this day, and shew mercy vnto my master Abraham.
13 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
Lo, I stand by the well of water, whiles the mens daughters of this citie come out to drawe 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.”
Graunt therefore that ye maide, to whom I say, Bowe downe thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drinke: if she say, Drinke, and I will giue thy camels drinke also: may be she that thou hast ordeined for thy seruant Izhak: and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed mercy on my master.
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.
And nowe yer he had left speaking, beholde, Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, sonne of Milcah the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother, and her pitcher vpon 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.
(And the maide was very faire to looke vpon, a virgine and vnknowen of man) and she went downe to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came vp.
17 The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
Then the seruant ranne to meete her, and said, Let me drinke, I pray thee, a litle water of thy 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 said, Drinke sir: and she hasted, and let downe her pitcher vpon her hand and gaue him drinke.
19 After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
And when she had giuen him drinke, she said, I will drawe water for thy camels also vntill they haue drunken inough.
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 she powred out her pitcher into the trough speedily; and ranne againe vnto the well to drawe water, and she drewe for all his camels.
21 The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
So the man wondred at her, and helde his peace, to knowe whether the Lord had made his iourney prosperous or not.
22 Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
And when the camels had left drinking, the man tooke a golden abillement of halfe a shekell weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of golde:
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, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, Is there roume in thy fathers house for vs to lodge in?
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,
Then she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the sonne of Milcah whom she bare vnto Nahor.
25 and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
Moreouer she said vnto him, We haue litter also and prouender ynough, and roume to lodge in.
26 The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped 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!”
And said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, which hath not withdrawen his mercie and his trueth from my master: for when I was in the way, the Lord brought me to my masters brethrens house.
28 She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
And the maide ranne and tolde them of her mothers house according to these wordes.
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 called Laban, and Laban ranne vnto the man to the well.
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.
For when he had seene the earings and the bracelets in his sisters hands, and when he heard the wordes of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus said the man vnto me, then he went to the man, and loe, he stoode by the camels at the well.
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 saide, Come in thou blessed of the Lord: wherefore standest thou without, seeing I haue prepared the house, and roume for ye 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.
Then the man came into the house, and he vnsadled the camels, and brought litter and prouender for the camels, and water to wash his feete, and the mens feete that were 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.
Afterward the meate was set before him: but he saide, I will not eate, vntill I haue saide my message: And he said, Speake on.
34 “I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
Then he said, I am Abrahams seruant,
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 hath blessed my master wonderfully, that he is become great: for he hath giuen him sheepe, and beeues, and siluer, and golde, and men seruants, and maide seruants, and camels, and asses.
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 my masters wife hath borne a sonne to my master, when she was olde, and vnto him hath he giuen all that he hath.
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.
Now my master made me sweare, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my sonne of the daughters of 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 thou shalt go vnto my fathers house and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sonne.
39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
Then I saide vnto my master, What if the woman will not follow 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.
Who answered me, The Lord, before who I walke, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy iourney, and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne of my kinred and my fathers 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.’
Then shalt thou be discharged of mine othe, when thou commest to my kinred: and if they giue thee not one, thou shalt be free from mine othe.
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.
So I came this day to the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou nowe prosper my iourney which I goe,
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 by the well of water: when a virgine commeth forth to drawe water, and I say to her, Giue me, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher to drinke,
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 say to me, Drinke thou, and I will also drawe for thy camels, let her be ye wife, which the Lord hath prepared for my masters sonne.
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 before I had made an end of speaking in mine heart, beholde, Rebekah came foorth, and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went downe vnto the well, and drewe water. Then I said vnto her, Giue me drinke, I pray thee.
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 made haste, and tooke downe her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drinke, and I will giue thy camels drinke also. So I dranke, and she gaue the camels drinke also.
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.
Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she answered, The daughter of Bethuel Nahors sonne, whom Milcah bare vnto him. Then I put the abillement vpon her face, and the bracelets vpon 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 I bowed downe and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had brought me the right way to take my masters brothers daughter vnto his sone.
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.”
Now therefore, if ye will deale mercifully and truely with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me that I may turne me to the right hand 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.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, This thing is proceeded of the Lord: we cannot therefore say vnto thee, neither euill nor good.
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.”
Beholde, Rebehak is before thee, take her and goe, that she may be thy masters sonnes wife, euen as the Lord hath said.
52 As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
And when Abrahams seruant heard their wordes, he bowed himselfe toward the earth vnto 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.
Then the seruant tooke foorth iewels of siluer, and iewels of golde, and raiment, and gaue to Rebekah: also vnto her brother and to her mother he gaue gifts.
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.”
Afterward they did eate and drinke, both he, and the men that were with him, and taried all night. and when they rose vp in the morning, he said, Let me depart vnto my master.
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
Then her brother and her mother answered, Let the maide abide with vs, at the least ten dayes: then shall she goe.
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.”
But he said vnto them, Hinder you me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my iourney: send me away, that I may goe to my master.
57 “Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
Then they said, We will call the maide, and aske her consent.
58 They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
And they called Rebekah, and saide vnto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she answered, 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.
So they let Rebekah their sister goe, and her nourse, with Abrahams seruant and his men.
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.”
And they blessed Rebekah, and sayde vnto her, Thou art our sister, growe into thousande thousands, and thy seede possesse the gate of his enemies.
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
Then Rebekah arose, and her maydes, and rode vpon the camels, and followed the man. and the seruant tooke Rebekah, and departed.
62 Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
Nowe Izhak came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi, (for he dwelt in the South countrey)
63 He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
And Izhak went out. to pray in the fielde toward the euening: who lift vp his eyes and looked, and behold, the camels came.
64 Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
Also Rebekah lift vp her eyes, and when she saw Izhak, she lighted downe 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.
(For shee had sayde to the seruant, Who is yonder man, that commeth in the fielde to meete vs? and the seruant had said, It is my master) So she tooke a vaile, and couered her.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
And the seruant tolde Izhak all things, 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.
Afterward Izhak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he tooke Rebekah, and she was his wife, and he loued her: So Izhak was comforted after his mothers death.
