Genesis 24
1 Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
And Abraam was old, advanced in days, and the Lord blessed Abraam 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 Abraam said to his servant the elder of his house, who had rule over all his possessions, Put your 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.
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 Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
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 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]?”
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 Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
And Abraam said to him, Take heed to yourself that you carry not my son back there.
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 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 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!”
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 between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the 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 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 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 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 he rested his camels without the city by the well of water towards evening, when damsels go forth to draw water.
12 The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly 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 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 by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth 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.’”
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 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.
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 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.
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 Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of your pitcher;
18 She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder 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 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 she said, I will also draw water for your camels, till they shall all have drunk.
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 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 The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be 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 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 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 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 asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with your father.
24 She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
And she said to him, 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 to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting.
26 The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
And the man being well pleased, worshipped 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!”
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 The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words.
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 whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
And he said, I am a servant of Abraam;
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 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 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 Sarrha my master's wife bore one son to my master after he had grown old; and he gave him whatever 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 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 Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them 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 Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go 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.
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 But if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
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 “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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, ‘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 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 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 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 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].”
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 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 and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer you bad or good.
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 you, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of your master, as the Lord has said.
52 When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
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 silver and gold jewelry and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. And he gave gifts to her brother Laban 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 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 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 replied, “Let the girl remain with us for about ten days. After that, you may take her and 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 replied to them, “Yahweh has made my journey successful, so do not detain me. Let me take her back to my master now!”
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 They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, 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 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 forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants.
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.”
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 Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
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 At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he lived in the land toward the south.
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 Isaac went forth into the plain toward evening to meditate; and having lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming.
64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from 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 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 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.
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.
