Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in days, and YHWH had blessed Abraham in all things.
Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
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,
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 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,
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 but you must go to my country and to my relatives, and get a wife 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 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?"
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 Then Abraham told him, "Be careful that you do not take my son back there.
Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son 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.
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 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."
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 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his oath to him concerning this matter.
So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the 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.
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 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.
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 Then he said, "God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show kindness 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 am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw 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 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."
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 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.
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 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.
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 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jug."
Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18 So she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hurried and let down her jug to her hands, and gave him a drink.
She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."
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 So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and drew 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 And the man watched her in silence so as to know whether God 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 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,
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 and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?"
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 Then she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
25 And she also said to him, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge."
Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
26 Then the man bowed his head and worshiped God,
The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
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."
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 Then the young woman ran, and told her mother's household about these words.
The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban, and he ran out to the man 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 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.
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 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."
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 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.
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 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."
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 So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.
So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
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.
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 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.
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 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,
My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
38 but you must go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
39 And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back 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.
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 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.'
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 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—
“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 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,"
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 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.'
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 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.'
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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."
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 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The matter comes from God. We can't speak to you bad or good.
Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
51 Look, Rebekah is before you. Take, and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as God has spoken."
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 And it happened when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down to the ground.
When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
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.
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 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."
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 the young woman stay with us ten days or so. After that she may go."
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 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 replied to them, “Yahweh has made my journey successful, so do not detain me. Let me take her back to my master now!”
57 Then they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her."
They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
58 So they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she replied, "I will go."
So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, I will go.”
59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
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 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."
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 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.
Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
62 Now Isaac had come from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the land of the Negev.
At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
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.
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 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off 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 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 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
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.
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.
