Genesis 24
1 Now, Abraham, was old, far gone in days, —and, Yahweh, had blessed Abraham, in all things.
Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
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;
And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy 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:
That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
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 that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence 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 answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?
6 And Abraham said unto him, —Beware that thou do not take back my son thither!
And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
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 God of heaven, who took me out of my father’s house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
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
But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.
9 So the servant placed his hand, under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, —and sware to him, over this thing.
The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
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.
And he took ten camels of his master’s herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
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,
And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
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 the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, 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:
Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come 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, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast 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,
He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:
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.
An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, —and said, I pray thee let me drink a little water out of thy pitcher.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink my lord, —And she hastened and lowered her pitcher on her hand and let him drink.
And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
19 And when she had done giving him drink, —she said For thy camels also, will I draw, until they have done drinking.
And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all 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 pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.
21 Now the man, was eagerly watching her, —keeping silence to see—whether Yahweh had prospered his way., or not.
But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
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 that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.
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?
And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
24 And she said unto him, Daughter of Bethuel, am, I,—[Bethuel] son of Milcah whom she bare to Nahor.
And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 And she said unto him, Both straw and fodder in plenty, have we, —also a place to tarry the night.
And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
26 Then the man bowed his head, and bent himself down unto Yahweh;
The man bowed himself down, and adored 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 God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master’s brother.
28 And the young woman ran, and told the household of her mother, —according to these words.
Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
29 Now, Rebekah, had a brother, whose name, was Laban, —so Laban ran unto the man outside, unto the fountain.
And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
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;
And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,
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?
And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? 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;
And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.
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!
And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
34 Then said he, —Servant of Abraham, am I.
And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
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,
And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.
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;
And Sara my master’s wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.
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;
And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, 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 thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
39 So I said unto my lord, —Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come 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.
The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of 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.
But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
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,
And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,
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;
Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:
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 shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared 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 whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to 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.
And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she 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;
And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.
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.
And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter 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.
Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.
50 Then answered Laban and Bethuel and said, from Yahweh, hath come forth the word, —we cannot speak unto thee ill or well.
And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
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.
Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master’s son, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And it came to pass when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down towards the earth unto Yahweh.
Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored 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.
And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to 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!
And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go 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.
And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
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!
Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 Then said they, We must call the young woman and ask at her mouth.
And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
58 So they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
59 So they let go Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
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!
Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed 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.
So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
62 Now, Isaac, had come in at the entrance, of Beer-lahai-roi, —for, he, was dwelling in the land of the South:
At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.
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.
And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac, —so she alighted with haste from off the camel;
Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the 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 said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.
66 And the servant recounted to Isaac, —all the things which he had done.
And 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.
Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother’s death.
