< Genesis 24 >

1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in days, and YHWH had blessed Abraham in all things.
And Abraam was old, advanced in days, and the Lord blessed Abraam in all things.
2 And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh,
And Abraam said to his servant the elder of his house, who had rule over all his possessions, Put your hand under my thigh,
3 and I will make you swear by the God of heaven and earth, that you must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
and I will adjure you by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that you take not a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Chananites, with whom I dwell, in the midst of them.
4 but you must go to my country and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac."
But you shall go instead to my country, where I was born, and to my tribe, and you shall take from thence a wife for my son Isaac.
5 And the servant asked him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I then bring your son back to the land from which you came?"
And the servant said to him, Shall I carry back your son to the land whence you came forth, if haply the woman should not be willing to return with me to this land?
6 Then Abraham told him, "Be careful that you do not take my son back there.
And Abraam said to him, Take heed to yourself that you carry not my son back there.
7 Now the God of heaven, who took me from my father's household and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'I will give this land to your offspring' -- he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.
The Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, who took me out of my father's house, and out of the land whence I sprang, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, I will give this land to you and to your seed, he shall send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife to my son from thence.
8 But if the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath to me. Only you must not bring my son back there."
And if the woman should not be willing to come with you into this land, you shall be clear from my oath, only carry not my son there again.
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his oath to him concerning this matter.
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraam, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten camels from his master's camels and departed, having a variety of good things from his master at his disposal, and he set out and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels, and [he took] of all the goods of his master with him, and he arose and went into Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
And he rested his camels without the city by the well of water towards evening, when damsels go forth to draw water.
12 Then he said, "God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show kindness to my master Abraham.
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraam, prosper my way before me to day, and deal mercifully with my master Abraam.
13 Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Behold! I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth to draw water.
14 Now may it happen that the young woman to whom I will say, 'Please lower your jug that I may drink,' and she answers, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'—her you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
And it shall be, the virgin to whoever I shall say, Incline your water-pot, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink you, and I will give your camels drink, until they shall have done drinking—even this one you have prepared for your servant Isaac, and hereby shall I know that you have dealt mercifully with my master Abraam.
15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that look, Rebekah was coming out with her jug on her shoulder—who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
And it came to pass before he had done speaking in his mind, that behold, Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, the wife of Nachor, and [the same] the brother of Abraam, came forth, having a water-pot on her shoulders.
16 Now the young woman was very beautiful in appearance, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. And she went down to the spring and filled her jug and came up.
And the virgin was very beautiful in appearance, she was a virgin, a man had not known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her water-pot, and came up.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jug."
And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of your pitcher;
18 So she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hurried and let down her jug to her hands, and gave him a drink.
and she said, Drink, Sir; and she hasted, and let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him to drink, till he ceased drinking.
19 Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."
And she said, I will also draw water for your camels, till they shall all have drunk.
20 So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
And she hasted, and emptied the water-pot into the trough, and ran to the well to draw again, and drew water for all the camels.
21 And the man watched her in silence so as to know whether God had made his journey successful or not.
And the man took great notice of her, and remained silent to know whether the Lord had made his way prosperous or not.
22 And it happened, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold ring weighing a beka, which he put on her nose, and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten pieces of gold,
And it came to pass when all the camels ceased drinking, that the man took golden ear-rings, each of a drachm weight, and he [put] two bracelets on her hands, their weight was ten pieces of gold.
23 and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?"
And he asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with your father.
24 Then she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bathuel the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 And she also said to him, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge."
And she said to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting.
26 Then the man bowed his head and worshiped God,
And the man being well pleased, worshipped the Lord,
27 and said, "Blessed be the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, he has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."
and said, Blessed be the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has not suffered his righteousness to fail, nor his truth from my master, and the Lord has brought me prosperously to the house of the brother of my lord.
28 Then the young woman ran, and told her mother's household about these words.
And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban, and he ran out to the man at the spring.
And Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet the man, to the well.
30 And it happened, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he went to the man. And look, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
And it came to pass when he saw the ear-rings and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus the man spoke to me, that he went to the man, as he stood by the camels at the well.
31 And he said, "Come in, you blessed of God. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and room for the camels."
And he said to him, Come in hither, you blessed of the Lord, why stand you without, whereas I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?
32 So the man went into the house and he unloaded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
And the man entered into the house, and unloaded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him.
33 And he set before him food to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." And he said, "Say it."
And he set before them loaves to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.
And he said, I am a servant of Abraam;
35 And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, so that he has become great, and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.
and the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he is exalted, and he has given him sheep, and calves, and silver, and gold, servants and servant-maids, camels, and asses.
36 And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has.
And Sarrha my master's wife bore one son to my master after he had grown old; and he gave him whatever he had.
37 Now my master put me under oath, saying, 'You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
And my master caused me to swear, saying, You shall not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Chananites, among whom I sojourn in their land.
38 but you must go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
But you shall go to the house of my father, and to my tribe, and you shall take thence a wife for my son.
39 And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go with me.
40 But he said to me, 'God, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and make your journey successful, and you will get a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father's house.
And he said to me, The Lord God to whom I have been acceptable in his presence, himself shall send out his angel with you, and shall prosper your journey, and you shall take a wife for my son of my tribe, and of the house of my father.
41 Then will you be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives. And if they do not give her to you, then you will be free from my oath.'
Then shall you be clear from my curse, for whenever you shall have come to my tribe, and they shall not give her to you, then shall you be clear from my oath.
42 So today I came to the spring, and said, 'God of my master Abraham, if now you will make my journey successful in which I go—
And having come this day to the well, I said, Lord God of my master Abraam, if you prosper my journey on which I am now going,
43 look, I am standing by this spring of water, and may it happen that the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
behold, I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come forth to draw water, and it shall be [that] the damsel to whom I shall say, Give me a little water to drink out of your pitcher,
44 and she will say to me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"—may she be the woman who has been chosen for my master's son.'
and she shall say to me, Both drink you, and I will draw water for your camels, this [shall be] the wife whom the Lord has prepared for his own servant Isaac; and hereby shall I know that you have wrought mercy with my master Abraam.
45 Before I had finished praying in my heart, look, Rebekah came out with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring, and drew. And I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.'
And it came to pass before I had done speaking in my mind, straightway Rebecca came forth, having her pitcher on her shoulders; and she went down to the well, and drew water; and I said to her, Give me to drink.
46 And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water.
And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her arm from her head, and said, Drink you, and I will give your camels drink; and I drank, and she gave the camels drink.
47 Then I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? tell me; and she said, I am daughter of Bathuel the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him; and I put on her the ear-rings, and the bracelets on her hands.
48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped God, and blessed the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me on the right road to find the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son.
And being well-pleased I worshipped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has prospered me in a true way, so that I should take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
49 Now if you will show kindness and truth to my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."
If then you [will] deal mercifully and justly with my lord, [tell me], and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The matter comes from God. We can't speak to you bad or good.
And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer you bad or good.
51 Look, Rebekah is before you. Take, and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as God has spoken."
Behold, Rebecca is before you, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of your master, as the Lord has said.
52 And it happened when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down to the ground.
And it came to pass when the servant of Abraam heard these words, he bowed himself to the Lord down to the earth.
53 Then the servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. And he also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother.
And the servant having brought forth jewels of silver and gold and raiment, gave them to Rebecca, and gave gifts to her brother, and to her mother.
54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and spent the night. Then they got up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."
And both he and the men with him ate and drank and went to sleep. And he arose in the morning and said, Send me away, that I may go to my master.
55 But her brother and her mother said, "Let the young woman stay with us ten days or so. After that she may go."
And her brethren and her mother said, Let the virgin remain with us about ten days, and after that she shall depart.
56 But he said to them, "Do not delay me, seeing that he has made my journey successful. Send me away that I may go to my master."
But he said to them, Hinder me not, for the Lord has prospered my journey for me; send me away, that I may depart to my master.
57 Then they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her."
And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 So they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she replied, "I will go."
And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Will you go with this man? and she said, I will go.
59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
So they sent forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them."
And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, You are our sister; become you thousands of myriads, and let your seed possess the cities of their enemies.
61 And Rebekah and her female servants got ready, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
And Rebecca rose up and her maidens, and they mounted the camels and went with the man; and the servant having taken up Rebecca, departed.
62 Now Isaac had come from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the land of the Negev.
And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he lived in the land toward the south.
63 And Isaac went out in the field to think in the early evening. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and look, he saw camels approaching.
And Isaac went forth into the plain toward evening to meditate; and having lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.
And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from the camel,
65 And she asked the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" And the servant said, "It is my master." Then she took her veil and covered herself.
and said to the servant, Who is that man that walks in the plain to meet us? And the servant said, This is my master; and she took her veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
And Isaac went into the house of his mother, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted for Sarrha his mother.

< Genesis 24 >