< Genesis 24 >
1 And Abraham was old, well stricken in years; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
Abraham was olde and stryken in dayes and the LORde had blessed him in all thinges.
2 And Abraham said unto his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
And he sayde vnto his eldest servaunte of his house which had the rule over all that he had: Put thy hande vnder my thye that
3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
I maye make the swere by the LORde that is God of heauen and God of the erth that thou shalt not take a wyfe vnto my sonne of the doughters of the canaanytes amonge which I dwell.
4 But unto my country, and to my birthplace shalt thou go, and take a wife unto my son, unto Isaac.
But shalt goo vnto my contre and to my kynred and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne Isaac.
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I then bring thy son again unto the land from which thou camest?
Tha sayde the seruaunte vnto him: what ad yf the woma wyll not agree to come with me vnto this lade shall I brynge thy sonne agayne vnto the lande which thou camest out of:
6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou, that thou bring not my son thither again.
And Abraha sayde vnto him: bewarre of that that thou brige not my sonne thither.
7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, and who spoke unto me, and who swore unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from there.
The LORde God of heauen which toke me from my fathers house and from the lande where I was borne and which spake vnto me and sware vnto me saynge: vnto thy seed wyll I geue this lande he shall sende his angell before the yt thou mayst take a wife vnto my sonne from thence.
8 But if the woman should not be willing to follow thee, then shalt, thou be clear from this my oath: only my son thou shalt not bring thither again.
Neuerthelesse yf the woma will not agree to come with the than shalt thou be with out daunger of this ooth. But aboue all thinge brynge not my sonne thyther agayne.
9 And the put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
And the seruaunte put his hand vnder the thye of Abraham and sware to him as concernynge that matter.
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed, with all kinds of precious things of his master in his hand; and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nachor.
And the seruaunte toke. x. camels of the camels of his master and departed and had of all maner goodes of his master with him and stode vp and went to Mesopotamia vnto the cytie of Nahor.
11 And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, at the time that the women go out to draw water.
And made his camels to lye doune with out the cytie by a wels syde of water at euen: aboute the tyme that women come out to drawe water
12 And he said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and deal kindly with my master Abraham.
and he sayde. LORde God of my master Abraha sende me good spede this daye and shewe mercy vnto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand by the well of water: and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
Lo I stonde here by the well of water and the doughters of the men of this citie will come out to drawe water:
14 And let it come to pass that the maiden to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and to thy camels also will I give drink, be the one thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown kindness unto my master.
Now the damsell to whome I saye stoupe doune thy pytcher and let me drynke. Yf she saye drynke and I will geue thy camels drynke also yt same is she that thou hast ordened for they servaunte Isaac: yee and therby shall I knowe that thou hast shewed mercy on my master.
15 And it came to pass, before he had yet finished speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nachor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
And it came to passe yer he had leeft spakynge that Rebecca came out the doughter of Bethuell sonne to Melcha the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother and hir pytcher apon hir shulder:
16 And the maiden was of a very handsome appearance, a virgin, neither had any man known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
The damsell was very fayre to loke apon and yet a mayde and vnknowen of man. And she went doune to the well and fylled hyr pytcher and came vp agayne.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water out of thy pitcher.
Then the seruaunte ranne vnto her and sayde: let me syppe a litle water of thi pither.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord; and she hastened, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him to drink.
And she sayde: drynke my lorde. And she hasted and late downe her pytcher apon hyr arme and gaue him drinke.
19 And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, Also for thy camels will I draw water, until they have finished drinking.
And whe she had geven hym drynke she sayde: I will drawe water for thy camels also vntill they haue dronke ynough.
20 And she hastened, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
And she poured out hyr pitcher in to the trough hastely and ranne agayne vnto the well to fett water: and drewe for all his camels.
21 And the man was wondering at her; remaining silent, to discover whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
And the felowe wondred at her. But helde his peace to wete whether the LORde had made his iourney prosperous or not.
22 And it came to pass, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden earring, half a shekel in weight, and two bracelets for her hands, ten gold shekels in weight;
And as the camels had lefte drynckynge he toke an earynge of halfe a sicle weght and. ij golden bracelettes for hyr hades of. x. sycles weyght of gold
23 And he said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee; is there room in thy father's house for us to stay this night in?
and sayde vnto her: whose doughter art thou? tell me: ys there rowme in thy fathers house for vs to lodge in?
24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore unto Nachor.
And she sayde vnto him: I am the doughter of Bethuell the sonne of Milcha which she bare vnto Nahor:
25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender in plenty, as also room to lodge in.
and sayde moreouer vnto him: we haue litter and prauonder ynough and also rowme to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed down his head, and prostrated himself before the Lord.
And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the LORde
27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not withdrawn his mercy and his truth from my master; I being on the way, which the Lord hath led me, to the house of the brethren of my master.
and sayde: blessed be the LORde God of my master Abraham which ceasseth not to deale mercyfully and truly with my master And hath brought me the waye to my masters brothers house.
28 And the maiden ran, and told at her mother's house these things.
And the damsell ranne and tolde them of her mothers house these thinges.
29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
And Rebecca had a brother called Laban. And Laban ranne out vnto the man to the well:
30 And this came to pass, when he saw the earring and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man unto me; and he came unto the man; and, behold, he was standing by the camels at the well.
for as soone as he had sene the earynges and the bracelettes apon his sisters handes ad herde the wordes of Rebecca his sister saynge thus sayde the man vnto me than he went out vnto the man. And loo he stode yet with the camels by the well syde.
31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? while I have prepared the house and room for the camels.
And Laban sayde: come in thou blessed of the LORde. Wherfore stondest thou without? I haue dressed the house and made rowme for the camels.
32 And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels; and he gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him.
And than the ma came in to the house. And he vnbrydeld the camels: and brought litter and prauonder for the camels and water to weshe his fete and their fete that were with him
33 And there was set food before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have spoken my words. And he said, Speak on.
and there was meate sett before him to eate. But he sayde: I will not eate vntill I haue sayde myne earede: And he sayde saye on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
And he sayde: I am Abrahas servaunte
35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and asses.
and the LORDE hath blessed my master out of measure that he is become greate and hath geven him shepe oxen syluer and golde menservauntes maydeservauntes camels ad asses.
36 And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master after she was become old: and he hath given unto him all that he hath.
And Sara my masters wyfe bare him a sonne whe she was olde: and vnto him hath he geven all that he hath.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
And my master made me swere saynge: Thou shalt not take a wyfe to my sonne amonge the doughters of the cananytes in whose lade I dwell.
38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
But thou shalt goo vnto my fathers house and to my kynred and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne.
39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
And I sayde vnto my master. What yf the wyfe will not folowe me?
40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I have walked will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; that thou mayest take a wife for my son from my kindred, and from my father's house.
And he sayde vnto me: The LORde before whome I walke wyll sende his angell with the and prosper thy iourney that thou shalt take a wyfe for my sonne of my kynred and of my fathers house.
41 Then shalt thou be clear from my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they do not give thee one, [then] shalt thou be clear from my oath.
But and yf (when thou comest vnto my kynred) they will not geue the one tha shalt thou bere no perell of myne oothe.
42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou wouldst but prosper my way on which I am going.
And I came this daye vnto the well and sayed: O LORde the God of my master Abraha yf it be so that thou makest my iourney which I go prosperous:
43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall be the young woman who cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher to drink;
beholde I stode by this well of water And when a virgyn cometh forth to drawe water and I saye to her: geue me a litle water of thi pitcher to drynke
44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and also for thy camels will I draw: this shall be the wife whom the Lord hath destined for my master's son.
and she saye agayne to me: dryncke thou and I will also drawe water for thy camels: that same is the wife whom the LORde hath prepared for my masters sonne.
45 And before I had yet finished speaking to my own heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water; and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
And before I had made an ende of speakynge in myne harte: beholde Rebecca came forth and hir pitcher on hir shulder and she went doune vnto the well and drewe. And I sayde vnto her geue me drynke.
46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and also to thy camels I will give drink; and I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
And she made hast and toke doune hir pitcher from of hir ad sayd: drinke and I will geue thy camels drynke also. And I dranke and she gaue the camels drynke also.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nachor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
And I asked her saynge: whose doughter art thou? And she answered: the doughter of Bathuell Nahors sonne whome Milca bare vnto him. And I put the earynge vpon hir face and the bracelettes apon hir hondes.
48 And I bowed down my head, and prostrated myself before the Lord; and I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
And I bowed my selfe and worshepped the LORde and blessed the LORde God of my master Abraha which had brought me the right waye to take my masters brothers doughter vnto his sonne.
49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right, or to the left.
Now therfore yf ye will deall mercyfully and truly with my master tell me. And yf no tell me also: that I maye turne me to the right hande or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing hath proceeded from the Lord; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Than answered Laban and Bathuel saynge: The thinge is proceded even out of the lorde we can not therfore saye vnto the ether good or bad:
51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be the wife of thy master's son, as the Lord hath spoken.
Beholde Rebecca before thy face take her and goo and let her be thy masters sonnes wife euen as the LORde hath sayde.
52 And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he prostrated himself to the earth unto the Lord.
And whe Abrahams servaunte herde their wordes he bowed him selfe vnto the LORde flatt vpon the erth.
53 And the servant brought forth vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; and precious things he gave to her brother and to her mother.
And the servaunte toke forth iewells of syluer and iewelles of gold and rayment and gaue them to Rebecca: But vnto hir brother and to hir mother he gaue spyces.
54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried the night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
And then they ate and dranke both he and the men that were with him and taried all nyghte and rose vp in the mornynge. And he sayde: let me departe vnto my master.
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us, a year or ten months; after that she shall go.
But hir brother and hir mother sayde: let the damsell abyde with vs a while ad it be but even. x. dayes and than goo thy wayes.
56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
And he sayde vnto them hinder me not: for the lorde hath prospered my iourney. Sende me awaye yt I maye goo vnto my master.
57 And they said, We will call the maiden, and inquire her own decision.
And they sayde: let vs call the damsell and witt what she sayth to the matter.
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
And they called forth Rebecca ad sayde vnto her: wilt thou goo with this ma? And she sayde: Yee.
59 And thereupon they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
Than they broughte Rebecca their sister on the waye and her norse and Abrahas servaunte and the men that were wyth him.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of myriads, and let thy seed possess the gate of those who hate them.
And they blessed Rebecca and sayde vnto her: Thou art oure sister growe in to thousande thousandes and thy seed possesse ye gates of their emnies.
61 And Rebekah arose with her maidens, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
And Rebecca arose and hir damsels and satt the vp apo the camels and went their waye after the man. And ye servaunte toke Rebecca and went his waye
62 And Isaac came from a walk to the well Lachai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country;
And Isaac was a comige from the well of ye lyvynge and seynge for he dwelt in the south cotre
63 And Isaac was gone out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, camels were coming.
and was gone out to walke in his meditatios before ye eue tyde. And he lyfte vp his eyes and loked and beholde ye camels were cominge.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and she saw Isaac; and she alighted off the camel.
And Rebecca lyfte vp hir eyes and whe she sawe Isaac she lyghted of the camel
65 And she said unto the servant, Who is yonder man that walketh in the field toward us? And the servant said, This is my master; therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
ad sayde vnto ye servaunte: what ma is this yt cometh agenst vs in the feld? And the servaute sayde: it is my master. And then she toke hir mantell ad put it aboute her.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
And the servaute tolde Isaac all that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
The Isaac broughte her in to his mother Saras tente ad toke Rebecca and she became his wife and he loved her: and so was Isaac coforted over his mother.