Genesis 24
1 Now, Abraham, was old, far gone in days, —and, Yahweh, had blessed Abraham, in all things.
By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2 So Abraham said unto his servant, elder of his house, ruler of all that he had, —Place, I pray thee thy hand under my thigh;
So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,
3 that I may put thee on oath, by Yahweh God of the heavens and God of the earth—That thou wilt not take a wife for my son, from among the daughters of the Canaanites in the midst of whom, I, am dwelling:
and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
4 but unto my own land and unto my own kindred, wilt go, —So shalt thou take a wife for my son—for Isaac.
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman may not be willing to follow me into this land, —May I take back thy son, into the land from whence thou camest?
The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
6 And Abraham said unto him, —Beware that thou do not take back my son thither!
Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.
7 Yahweh, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, who took me out of the house of my father, and out of the land of my kindred, and, who spake to me, and who sware to me, saying, To thy seed, will I give this land, he, will send his messenger before thee, so shalt thou take a wife for my son from thence.
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.
8 But if unwilling be the woman to follow thee, then shalt thou be clear from this mine oath, —Only my son, shalt thou not take back thither
And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”
9 So the servant placed his hand, under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, —and sware to him, over this thing.
So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
10 Then took the servant ten camels, from among the camels of his lord, and went his way, —all the goods of his master being in his hand, —so be mounted, and went his way unto Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city, against the well of water, —at the time of evening, at the time of the coming forth of the women that drew water,
As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.
12 Then he said, O Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham! I pray thee cause it to fall out before me today, that thou deal in lovingkindness with my lord Abraham.
“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Here am, I, stationed by the fountain of water, —and, the daughters of the men of the city, are coming forth to draw water:
Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
14 so it shall come to pass that the young woman unto whom I shall say. Let down pray. thy pitcher that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, that, her! hast thou appointed for thy servant for Isaac, And, hereby, shall I get to know, that thou hast dealt in lovingkindness with my lord!
Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
15 And it came to pass, ere yet, he, had done speaking, that lo! Rebekah, was coming forth who had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, —with her pitcher upon her shoulder,
Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16 Now the young woman! was of very pleasing appearance, a virgin whom, no man, had known, —and she went down unto the fountain, and filled her pitcher and came up.
Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, —and said, I pray thee let me drink a little water out of thy pitcher.
So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
18 And she said, Drink my lord, —And she hastened and lowered her pitcher on her hand and let him drink.
“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 And when she had done giving him drink, —she said For thy camels also, will I draw, until they have done drinking.
After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
20 So she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and ran again unto the well, to draw, —and she drew for all his camels.
And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.
21 Now the man, was eagerly watching her, —keeping silence to see—whether Yahweh had prospered his way., or not.
Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
22 And it came to pass when the camels had done drinking, that the man took a ring of gold, half a shekel its weight, —and two bracelets for her hands, ten of gold their weight;
And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
23 and said Whose daughter art, thou? I pray thee, tell me. Is there in the house of thy father a place for us to tarry the night?
“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24 And she said unto him, Daughter of Bethuel, am, I,—[Bethuel] son of Milcah whom she bare to Nahor.
She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
25 And she said unto him, Both straw and fodder in plenty, have we, —also a place to tarry the night.
Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”
26 Then the man bowed his head, and bent himself down unto Yahweh;
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
27 and said, Blessed be Yahweh. God of my lord Abraham, who hath not withdrawn his lovingkindness and his faithfulness, from my lord, —I—being in the way, Yahweh led me unto the house of the brethren of my lord!
saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28 And the young woman ran, and told the household of her mother, —according to these words.
The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29 Now, Rebekah, had a brother, whose name, was Laban, —so Laban ran unto the man outside, unto the fountain.
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
30 And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, Thus, did the man speak unto me, that he came unto the man, and lo! he was standing by the camels near the fountain;
As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.
31 and he said, Come in. thou blessed of Yahweh, —Wherefore shouldst thou stand outside, when I have made ready the house and a place for the camels?
“Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
32 So the man came in towards the house, and ungirded the camels, —and there was given him straw and fodder for the camels, and water for bathing his own feet and the feet of the men who were with him;
So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.
33 and [food] was set before him to eat, But he said, I cannot eat, until I have spoken my words. And he said—Speak!
Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”
34 Then said he, —Servant of Abraham, am I.
“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
35 Now, Yahweh, having blessed my lord exceedingly, and made him great, —and given him flocks and herds and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels, and asses,
“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.
36 then did Sarah wife of my lord, bear a son to my lord, after she had become old, —so he gave to him all that he had;
My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37 And my lord put me on oath saying, —Thou shalt not take a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land, I, am dwelling;
My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell,
38 but, unto the house of my father, shalt thou go, and unto my family, —and take a wife for my son.
but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
39 So I said unto my lord, —Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
40 And he said unto me, —Yahweh, before whom I have walked to and fro, will send his messenger with thee, so shall he prosper thy way, and thou shalt take a wife for my son out of my kindred and out of the house of my father.
And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house.
41 Then, shalt thou clear thyself from mine oath, for thou shalt go in unto my kindred, —and, if they will not grant her unto thee, then shalt thou be clear from mine oath.
And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
42 So I came in to-day, unto the fountain, —and I said O Yahweh God of my lord Abraham! if, I pray thee thou art prospering my way whereon I am going,
So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success!
43 here, am I stationed by the fountain of water, —so then it shall come to pass that, the maiden that is coming forth to draw, and I shall say unto her Let me drink. I pray thee a little water out of thy pitcher;
Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’
44 and she shall say unto me Both, thou, drink, and for thy camels also, will I draw, the same, shall be the woman whom Yahweh hath appointed for the son of my lord.
and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.
45 Ere yet, I, could make an end of speaking unto mine own heart, lo! then Rebekah, coming forth, with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain, and drew, —and I said unto her Let me drink I pray thee!
And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46 So she hastened and lowered her pitcher from off her, and said. Drink! and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, —So I drank and the camels also, she let drink.
She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.
47 Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said Daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom, Milcah, bare to him, —Then put I the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands;
Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
48 and bowed my head and bent myself down unto Yahweh, —and I blessed Yahweh God of my lord Abraham, who had led me in a way of faithfulness, to take the daughter of the brother of my lord for his son.
Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.
49 Now, therefore, if ye are dealing in lovingkindness and faithfulness with my lord, tell me, —and, if not, tell me, that I may turn unto the right hand or unto the left.
Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”
50 Then answered Laban and Bethuel and said, from Yahweh, hath come forth the word, —we cannot speak unto thee ill or well.
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
51 Lo! Rebekah, is before thee, Take her and go thy way, —And let her become wife unto the son of thy lord, as Yahweh hath spoken.
Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”
52 And it came to pass when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down towards the earth unto Yahweh.
When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
53 Then the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and gave unto Rebekah, —and precious things, gave he to her brother and to her mother.
Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.
54 And they did eat and drink he, and the men who were with him, and they tarried the night, —and when they arose in the morning, he said Let me go unto my lord!
Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”
55 Then said her brother and her mother, Let the young woman remain with us some days or rather ten, —After that, she shall go.
But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
56 And he said unto them, Do not hinder me, when, Yahweh, hath prospered my journey, —Let me go, that I may take my journey unto my lord!
But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”
57 Then said they, We must call the young woman and ask at her mouth.
So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
58 So they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.
59 So they let go Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, Our sister! become thou, thousands of ten thousands, —And let thy seed take possession of the gate of them that hate them!
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
61 Then mounted Rebekah and her young woman and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man, —so the servant took Rebekah. and went his way.
Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62 Now, Isaac, had come in at the entrance, of Beer-lahai-roi, —for, he, was dwelling in the land of the South:
Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.
63 and Isaac came forth to meditate in the field at the approach of evening, —so he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! camels, coming in.
Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac, —so she alighted with haste from off the camel;
And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
65 and said unto the servant, Who is this man that is walking in the field to meet us? And the servant said, That, is my lord. So she took the veil and covered herself.
and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant recounted to Isaac, —all the things which he had done.
Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother; thus he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her, —and Isaac consoled himself, for the loss of his mother.
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
