Genesis 24
1 Abraham was olde and stryken in dayes and the LORde had blessed him in all thinges.
Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
2 And he sayde vnto his eldest servaunte of his house which had the rule over all that he had: Put thy hande vnder my thye that
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 I maye make the swere by the LORde that is God of heauen and God of the erth that thou shalt not take a wyfe vnto my sonne of the doughters of the canaanytes amonge which I dwell.
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 shalt goo vnto my contre and to my kynred and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne Isaac.
Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
5 Tha sayde the seruaunte vnto him: what ad yf the woma wyll not agree to come with me vnto this lade shall I brynge thy sonne agayne vnto the lande which thou camest out of:
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 And Abraha sayde vnto him: bewarre of that that thou brige not my sonne thither.
Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
7 The LORde God of heauen which toke me from my fathers house and from the lande where I was borne and which spake vnto me and sware vnto me saynge: vnto thy seed wyll I geue this lande he shall sende his angell before the yt thou mayst take a wife vnto my sonne from thence.
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 Neuerthelesse yf the woma will not agree to come with the than shalt thou be with out daunger of this ooth. But aboue all thinge brynge not my sonne thyther agayne.
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 And the seruaunte put his hand vnder the thye of Abraham and sware to him as concernynge that matter.
So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the matter.
10 And the seruaunte toke. x. camels of the camels of his master and departed and had of all maner goodes of his master with him and stode vp and went to Mesopotamia vnto the cytie 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 made his camels to lye doune with out the cytie by a wels syde of water at euen: aboute the tyme that women come out to drawe 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 and he sayde. LORde God of my master Abraha sende me good spede this daye and shewe mercy vnto 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 Lo I stonde here by the well of water and the doughters of the men of this citie will come out to drawe 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 the damsell to whome I saye stoupe doune thy pytcher and let me drynke. Yf she saye drynke and I will geue thy camels drynke also yt same is she that thou hast ordened for they servaunte Isaac: yee and therby shall I knowe that thou hast shewed mercy on 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 came to passe yer he had leeft spakynge that Rebecca came out the doughter of Bethuell sonne to Melcha the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother and hir pytcher apon hir shulder:
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 The damsell was very fayre to loke apon and yet a mayde and vnknowen of man. And she went doune to the well and fylled hyr pytcher and came vp agayne.
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 seruaunte ranne vnto her and sayde: let me syppe a litle water of thi pither.
Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18 And she sayde: drynke my lorde. And she hasted and late downe her pytcher apon hyr arme and gaue him drinke.
She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 And whe she had geven hym drynke she sayde: I will drawe water for thy camels also vntill they haue dronke ynough.
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 And she poured out hyr pitcher in to the trough hastely and ranne agayne vnto the well to fett water: and drewe 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 felowe wondred at her. But helde his peace to wete whether the LORde had made his iourney prosperous 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 as the camels had lefte drynckynge he toke an earynge of halfe a sicle weght and. ij golden bracelettes for hyr hades of. x. sycles weyght 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 sayde vnto her: whose doughter art thou? tell me: ys there rowme in thy fathers house for vs to lodge in?
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 And she sayde vnto him: I am the doughter of Bethuell the sonne of Milcha which she bare vnto Nahor:
She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
25 and sayde moreouer vnto him: we haue litter and prauonder ynough and also rowme to lodge in.
Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
26 And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the LORde
The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
27 and sayde: blessed be the LORde God of my master Abraham which ceasseth not to deale mercyfully and truly with my master And hath brought me the waye to my masters brothers house.
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 And the damsell ranne and tolde them of her mothers house these thinges.
The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
29 And Rebecca had a brother called Laban. And Laban ranne out vnto the man to the well:
Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by the well.
30 for as soone as he had sene the earynges and the bracelettes apon his sisters handes ad herde the wordes of Rebecca his sister saynge thus sayde the man vnto me than he went out vnto the man. And loo he stode yet with the camels by the well syde.
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 Laban sayde: come in thou blessed of the LORde. Wherfore stondest thou without? I haue dressed the house and made rowme 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 And than the ma came in to the house. And he vnbrydeld the camels: and brought litter and prauonder for the camels and water to weshe his fete and their fete that 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 there was meate sett before him to eate. But he sayde: I will not eate vntill I haue sayde myne earede: And he sayde saye on.
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 And he sayde: I am Abrahas servaunte
So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35 and the LORDE hath blessed my master out of measure that he is become greate and hath geven him shepe oxen syluer and golde menservauntes maydeservauntes camels ad asses.
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 Sara my masters wyfe bare him a sonne whe she was olde: and vnto him hath he geven all that he hath.
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 And my master made me swere saynge: Thou shalt not take a wyfe to my sonne amonge the doughters of the cananytes in whose lade I dwell.
My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
38 But thou shalt goo vnto my fathers house and to my kynred and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne.
Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
39 And I sayde vnto my master. What yf the wyfe will not folowe me?
Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
40 And he sayde vnto me: The LORde before whome I walke wyll sende his angell with the and prosper thy iourney that thou shalt take a wyfe for my sonne of my kynred and of my fathers 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 But and yf (when thou comest vnto my kynred) they will not geue the one tha shalt thou bere no perell of myne oothe.
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 And I came this daye vnto the well and sayed: O LORde the God of my master Abraha yf it be so that thou makest my iourney which I go prosperous:
“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 beholde I stode by this well of water And when a virgyn cometh forth to drawe water and I saye to her: geue me a litle water of thi pitcher to drynke
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 saye agayne to me: dryncke thou and I will also drawe water for thy camels: that same is the wife whom the LORde hath prepared for my masters sonne.
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 And before I had made an ende of speakynge in myne harte: beholde Rebecca came forth and hir pitcher on hir shulder and she went doune vnto the well and drewe. And I sayde vnto her geue me drynke.
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 made hast and toke doune hir pitcher from of hir ad sayd: drinke and I will geue thy camels drynke also. And I dranke and she gaue the camels drynke also.
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 And I asked her saynge: whose doughter art thou? And she answered: the doughter of Bathuell Nahors sonne whome Milca bare vnto him. And I put the earynge vpon hir face and the bracelettes apon hir hondes.
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 And I bowed my selfe and worshepped the LORde and blessed the LORde God of my master Abraha which had brought me the right waye to take my masters brothers doughter vnto his sonne.
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 therfore yf ye will deall mercyfully and truly with my master tell me. And yf no tell me also: that I maye turne me to the right hande 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 Than answered Laban and Bathuel saynge: The thinge is proceded even out of the lorde we can not therfore saye vnto the ether good or bad:
Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
51 Beholde Rebecca before thy face take her and goo and let her be thy masters sonnes wife euen as the LORde hath sayde.
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 whe Abrahams servaunte herde their wordes he bowed him selfe vnto the LORde flatt vpon the erth.
When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
53 And the servaunte toke forth iewells of syluer and iewelles of gold and rayment and gaue them to Rebecca: But vnto hir brother and to hir mother he gaue spyces.
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 And then they ate and dranke both he and the men that were with him and taried all nyghte and rose vp in the mornynge. And he sayde: let me departe vnto 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 hir brother and hir mother sayde: let the damsell abyde with vs a while ad it be but even. x. dayes and than goo thy wayes.
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 And he sayde vnto them hinder me not: for the lorde hath prospered my iourney. Sende me awaye yt I maye goo vnto 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 And they sayde: let vs call the damsell and witt what she sayth to the matter.
They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
58 And they called forth Rebecca ad sayde vnto her: wilt thou goo with this ma? And she sayde: Yee.
So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, I will go.”
59 Than they broughte Rebecca their sister on the waye and her norse and Abrahas servaunte and the men that were wyth him.
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 Rebecca and sayde vnto her: Thou art oure sister growe in to thousande thousandes and thy seed possesse ye gates of their emnies.
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 Rebecca arose and hir damsels and satt the vp apo the camels and went their waye after the man. And ye servaunte toke Rebecca and went his waye
Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
62 And Isaac was a comige from the well of ye lyvynge and seynge for he dwelt in the south cotre
At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
63 and was gone out to walke in his meditatios before ye eue tyde. And he lyfte vp his eyes and loked and beholde ye camels were cominge.
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 Rebecca lyfte vp hir eyes and whe she sawe Isaac she lyghted of the camel
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
65 ad sayde vnto ye servaunte: what ma is this yt cometh agenst vs in the feld? And the servaute sayde: it is my master. And then she toke hir mantell ad put it aboute her.
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 servaute tolde Isaac all that he had done.
The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
67 The Isaac broughte her in to his mother Saras tente ad toke Rebecca and she became his wife and he loved her: and so was Isaac coforted over his mother.
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.
