Genesis 24
1 Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 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.
And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 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.
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 Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
5 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]?”
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 Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
7 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].
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 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!”
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 put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the matter.
The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
10 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.
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 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.
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 The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly to my master, Abraham!
O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Listen to me. I am standing near a well of water, and the young women of the city are coming to get 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 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.’”
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 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.
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 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.
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 Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
18 She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
19 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.”
And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
20 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.
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 The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be successful or not.
But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 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].
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 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?”
And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
24 She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
26 The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
27 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!”
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 The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by the well.
And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
30 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.
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 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.”
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 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.
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 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!”
And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
34 So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
35 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.
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 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.
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 My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
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 Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them 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 Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
40 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.
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 But if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
42 “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.
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 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.”
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 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!’
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 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!’
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 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.
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, ‘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.
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 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.
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, 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].”
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 Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
51 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.”
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 When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
53 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.
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 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.”
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 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.”
And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
56 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!”
Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
58 So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, 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 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.
So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
60 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.”
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 Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
62 At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
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 One evening he went out into the field to meditate as he walked. He looked up and [was surprised to] see some camels coming.
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 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
65 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.
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 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 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.
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.
