Genesis 24
1 Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
2 At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
One day Abraham said to the chief servant of his household, the man who was in charge of everything Abraham owned, “Put your hand between my thighs to solemnly promise you will do what I tell you.
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.
Knowing that Yahweh God [who created] the heavens and the earth is listening, promise that you will not get a wife for my son, Isaac, from the women here in Canaan.
4 Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
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 asked him, “If I find a woman among your relatives, what if she is not willing to come back with me to this land? Shall I take your son back there to the country you came from, [so he can find a wife and live there]?”
6 “No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
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.
Yahweh God, who created the heavens, brought me here. He brought me from my father’s household, and from the land where my relatives lived. He spoke to me and made a solemn promise to me, saying, ‘I will give this land [of Canaan] to your descendants.’ He will send an angel who will go there ahead of you, and enable you to get a wife for my son [there and bring her to live here].
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 you find will not come back with you, you are free to disregard the promise you are making. The only thing that you must not do is to take my son to live there!”
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the 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.
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and loaded them with all kinds of goods that his master gave him to take along. Then he left to go to Aram-Naharaim, [which is in (northern Mesopotamia/Syria)]. He arrived in Nahor city.
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.
It was late in the afternoon, at the time when the women go to the well to get water, when he arrived there. He made the camels kneel down near the well, which was outside the city.
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.
The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly to my master, Abraham!
13 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
Listen to me. I am standing near a well of water, and the young women of the city are coming to get 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.”
I am asking you this: ‘I will say to some girl, “Please lower your jar so that I may drink some water.” If she says, “Drink some, and I will draw some water [from the well] for your camels, too,” I will know that she is the woman whom you chose to be a wife for your servant, Isaac, and I will know that you have been kind to 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.
Before he finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah arrived there, carrying a jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s younger brother Nahor.
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 very beautiful and still a virgin. She went down to the edge of the well, filled her jar with water, and then came back up.
17 The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18 “Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and 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.”
After she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also get some water for your camels, until they have had enough to 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.
She quickly emptied the water in her jar into the trough [for giving water to animals], and then ran back to the well, and kept getting water for all the camels.
21 The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be successful or not.
22 Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
Finally, after the camels finished drinking, the servant took out a gold nose ring that weighed (two ounces/6 grams), and two large gold bracelets for her arms, and gave them to Rebekah [and told her to put them on].
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?”
Then he said, “Tell me whose daughter you are. Also, tell me, is there room in your father’s house for me and my men to sleep there tonight?”
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 replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
25 and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
26 The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
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!”
He said, “I thank you, Yahweh God, whom my master Abraham worships. You have continued to be kind and faithful to my master. You led me on this journey straight/directly to the house of my master’s relatives!”
28 She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by 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.
He was surprised to have seen the bracelets on his sister’s arms and the nose ring and to have heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. So he went out and saw the man standing near the camels, close to 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.”
He said to the man, “You who have been blessed by Yahweh, come with me! (Why are standing out here?/You should not keep standing out here!) [RHQ] I have prepared a room for you in the house, and a place for the camels to stay.”
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.
So the servant went to the house, and Laban’s servants unloaded the camels, and brought straw and grain for the camels, and water for him and the men with him to wash their feet.
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.
They set food in front of him for him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I tell you (what I need to tell you/why I have come).” So Laban said, “Tell us!”
34 “I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
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.
Yahweh has greatly blessed my master so that he has become very rich. Yahweh has given him many sheep and cattle, a lot of gold and silver, male and female 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.
My master’s wife, Sarah, bore a son for him when she was very old, and my master has given to his son everything he owns.
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.
My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
38 Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back 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.
He replied, ‘Yahweh, whom I have always obeyed [MTY], will send his angel with you, and he will cause your journey to be successful, with the result that you can get a wife for my son from my clan, from my father’s family.
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 if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
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.
“When I came today to the well, I prayed, ‘Yahweh God whom my master, Abraham worships, if you are willing, please allow this journey of mine to be successful.
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,’
Listen to me. I am standing beside a well. A young woman may come to draw water. I will say to her, “Please, give me a little water to drink from your jar.”
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.”
If she says to me, “Certainly, drink some! And I will also draw some water for your camels,” that will be the woman whom you have chosen for my master’s son!’
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.’
Before I finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah approached with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got some water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a 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.
She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink some! And I will draw water [from the well] for your camels, too.’ So I drank some water, and she also got water for 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.
Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor and his wife, Milcah.’ I had [a ring and bracelets with me, and] I put the ring in her nose and put the bracelets on her arms.
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.
Then I bowed and worshiped Yahweh, and I thanked Yahweh God, the one my master Abraham worships, the one who led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother to be a wife for my master’s 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.”
Now, if you are kind and faithful to my master, tell me that you will do what I am asking. If you will not do that, tell me that also, so I may know what to do [MTY].”
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
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.”
Rebekah is here in front of you. Take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master’s son, just as Yahweh has indicated.”
52 As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
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 servant brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. And he gave gifts to her brother Laban and to 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.”
Then they ate a meal together. The men who were with Abraham’s servant also slept there that night. The next morning, the servant said, “Allow me now to return to 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.”
But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl remain with us for about ten days. After that, you may take her and go.”
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 replied to them, “Yahweh has made my journey successful, so do not detain me. Let me take her back to my master now!”
57 “Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
58 They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, 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 allowed Rebekah, a woman who had taken care of her when she was very young, Abraham’s servant, and the men who had come with him. to go.
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.”
Before they all left, they [asked God to] bless Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, we ask that Yahweh will cause you to have millions of descendants, and allow them to completely defeat [MET] all those that hate them.”
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
62 Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
63 He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
One evening he went out into the field to meditate as he walked. He looked up and [was surprised to] see some camels coming.
64 Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off 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 asked the servant, “Who is that man who is approaching?” The servant replied, “That is Isaac, my master, [the man you will be marrying].” So she took her veil and covered her face, which was the custom for a woman who was about to be married.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
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.
Then Isaac took Rebekah into the tent that belonged to his mother, Sarah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted about his mother’s death.
