Genesis 24
1 Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
erat autem Abraham senex dierumque multorum et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei
2 At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suae qui praeerat omnibus quae habebat pone manum tuam subter femur meum
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.
ut adiurem te per Dominum Deum caeli et terrae ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananeorum inter quos habito
4 Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
sed ad terram et ad cognationem meam proficiscaris et inde accipias uxorem filio meo 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?”
respondit servus si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc num reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum de quo egressus es
6 “No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
dixit Abraham cave nequando reducas illuc filium meum
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.
Dominus Deus caeli qui tulit me de domo patris mei et de terra nativitatis meae qui locutus est mihi et iuravit dicens semini tuo dabo terram hanc ipse mittet angelum suum coram te et accipies inde uxorem filio meo
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.”
sin autem noluerit mulier sequi te non teneberis iuramento filium tantum meum ne reducas illuc
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui et iuravit illi super sermone hoc
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.
tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui et abiit ex omnibus bonis eius portans secum profectusque perrexit Mesopotamiam ad urbem 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.
cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquae vespere eo tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam dixit
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.
Domine Deus domini mei Abraham occurre obsecro hodie mihi et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham
13 Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
ecce ego sto propter fontem aquae et filiae habitatorum huius civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam
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.”
igitur puella cui ego dixero inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam et illa responderit bibe quin et camelis tuis dabo potum ipsa est quam praeparasti servo tuo Isaac et per hoc intellegam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo
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.
necdum intra se verba conpleverat et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur filia Bathuel filii Melchae uxoris Nahor fratris Abraham habens hydriam in scapula
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.
puella decora nimis virgoque pulcherrima et incognita viro descenderat autem ad fontem et impleverat hydriam ac revertebatur
17 The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
occurritque ei servus et ait pauxillum mihi ad sorbendum praebe aquae de hydria tua
18 “Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
quae respondit bibe domine mi celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam et dedit ei potum
19 After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
cumque ille bibisset adiecit quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam donec cuncti bibant
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.
effundensque hydriam in canalibus recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam et haustam omnibus camelis dedit
21 The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
ille autem contemplabatur eam tacitus scire volens utrum prosperum fecisset iter suum Dominus an non
22 Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
postquam ergo biberunt cameli protulit vir inaures aureas adpendentes siclos duos et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem
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?”
dixitque ad eam cuius es filia indica mihi est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum
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,
quae respondit filia Bathuelis sum filii Melchae quem peperit Nahor
25 and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
et addidit dicens palearum quoque et faeni plurimum est apud nos et locus spatiosus ad manendum
26 The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
inclinavit se homo et adoravit Dominum
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!”
dicens benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo et recto me itinere perduxit in domum fratris domini mei
28 She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
cucurrit itaque puella et nuntiavit in domum matris suae omnia quae audierat
29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban qui festinus egressus est ad hominem ubi erat fons
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.
cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suae et audisset cuncta verba referentis haec locutus est mihi homo venit ad virum qui stabat iuxta camelos et propter fontem aquae
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.”
dixitque ad eum ingredere benedicte Domini cur foris stas praeparavi domum et locum camelis
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.
et introduxit eum hospitium ac destravit camelos deditque paleas et faenum et aquam ad lavandos pedes camelorum et virorum qui venerant cum eo
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.
et adpositus est in conspectu eius panis qui ait non comedam donec loquar sermones meos respondit ei loquere
34 “I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
at ille servus inquit Abraham sum
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.
et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde magnificatusque est et dedit ei oves et boves argentum et aurum servos et ancillas camelos et asinos
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.
et peperit Sarra uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua deditque illi omnia quae habuerat
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.
et adiuravit me dominus meus dicens non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananeorum in quorum terra habito
38 Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
sed ad domum patris mei perges et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo
39 I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
ego vero respondi domino meo quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier
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.
Dominus ait in cuius conspectu ambulo mittet angelum suum tecum et diriget viam tuam accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea et de domo patris mei
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.’
innocens eris a maledictione mea cum veneris ad propinquos meos et non dederint tibi
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.
veni ergo hodie ad fontem et dixi Domine Deus domini mei Abraham si direxisti viam meam in qua nunc ambulo
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,’
ecce sto iuxta fontem aquae et virgo quae egredietur ad hauriendam aquam audierit a me da mihi pauxillum aquae ad bibendum ex hydria tua
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.”
et dixerit mihi et tu bibe et camelis tuis hauriam ipsa est mulier quam praeparavit Dominus filio domini mei
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.’
dum haec mecum tacitus volverem apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria quam portabat in scapula descenditque ad fontem et hausit aquam et aio ad eam da mihi paululum bibere
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.
quae festina deposuit hydriam de umero et dixit mihi et tu bibe et camelis tuis potum tribuam bibi et adaquavit camelos
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.
interrogavique eam et dixi cuius es filia quae respondit filia Bathuelis sum filii Nahor quem peperit illi Melcha suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem eius et armillas posui in manibus
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.
pronusque adoravi Dominum benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham qui perduxisset me recto itinere ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio eius
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.”
quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo indicate mihi sin autem aliud placet et hoc dicite ut vadam ad dextram sive ad sinistram
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
responderunt Laban et Bathuel a Domino egressus est sermo non possumus extra placitum eius quicquam aliud tecum loqui
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.”
en Rebecca coram te est tolle eam et proficiscere et sit uxor filii domini tui sicut locutus est Dominus
52 As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
quod cum audisset puer Abraham adoravit in terra Dominum
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.
prolatisque vasis argenteis et aureis ac vestibus dedit ea Rebeccae pro munere fratribus quoque eius et matri dona obtulit
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.”
initoque convivio vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi surgens autem mane locutus est puer dimittite me ut vadam ad dominum meum
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
responderunt fratres eius et mater maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos et postea proficiscetur
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.”
nolite ait me retinere quia Dominus direxit viam meam dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum
57 “Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
dixerunt vocemus puellam et quaeramus ipsius voluntatem
58 They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
cumque vocata venisset sciscitati sunt vis ire cum homine isto quae ait vadam
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.
dimiserunt ergo eam et nutricem illius servumque Abraham et comites eius
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.”
inprecantes prospera sorori suae atque dicentes soror nostra es crescas in mille milia et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
igitur Rebecca et puellae illius ascensis camelis secutae sunt virum qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum
62 Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
eo tempore Isaac deambulabat per viam quae ducit ad puteum cuius nomen est Viventis et videntis habitabat enim in terra australi
63 He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro inclinata iam die cumque levasset oculos vidit camelos venientes procul
64 Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
Rebecca quoque conspecto Isaac descendit de camelo
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.
et ait ad puerum quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis dixit ei ipse est dominus meus at illa tollens cito pallium operuit se
66 The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
servus autem cuncta quae gesserat narravit Isaac
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.
qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Sarrae matris suae et accepit uxorem et in tantum dilexit ut dolorem qui ex morte matris acciderat temperaret
