Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was very old and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.
And Abraam was old, advanced in days, and the Lord blessed Abraam in all things.
2 Abraham said to his servant, the one who was the oldest of his household and who was in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh
And Abraam said to his servant the elder of his house, who had rule over all his possessions, Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 and I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I make my home.
and I will adjure thee by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Chananites, with whom I dwell, in the midst of them.
4 But you will go to my country, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
But thou shalt go instead to my country, where I was born, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son Isaac.
5 The servant said to him, “What if the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land? Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
And the servant said to him, Shall I carry back thy son to the land whence thou camest forth, if haply the woman should not be willing to return with me to this land?
6 Abraham said to him, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there!
And Abraam said to him, Take heed to thyself that thou carry not my son back thither.
7 Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my relatives, and who promised me with a solemn oath saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.
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 thee and to thy seed, he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife to my son from thence.
8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine. Only you are not to take my son back there.”
And if the woman should not be willing to come with thee into this land, thou shalt be clear from my oath, only carry not my son thither again.
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraam, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 The servant took ten of his master's camels and departed. He also took with him all kinds of gifts from his master. He departed and went to the region of Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
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 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water. It was evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
And he rested his camels without the city by the well of water towards evening, when damsels go forth to draw water.
12 Then he said, “Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today and show covenant faithfulness 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 Look, here I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
Lo! I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth to draw water.
14 Let it happen like this. When I say to a young woman, 'Please lower your pitcher so that I may drink,' and she says to me, 'Drink, and I will water your camels too,' then let her be the one that you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown covenant faithfulness to my master.”
And it shall be, the virgin to whomsoever I shall say, Incline thy water-pot, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink thou, and I will give thy camels drink, until they shall have done drinking—even this one thou hast prepared for thy servant Isaac, and hereby shall I know that thou hast dealt mercifully with my master Abraam.
15 It came about that even before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out with her water pitcher on her shoulder. Rebekah was born to Bethuel son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
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 The young woman was very beautiful and a virgin. No man had slept with her. She went down to the spring and filled her pitcher, and came 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 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your pitcher.”
And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of thy pitcher;
18 She said, “Drink, my master,” and she quickly let down her pitcher on her hand, 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 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”
And she said, I will also draw water for thy camels, till they shall all have drunk.
20 So she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and drew water for all his 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 man watched her in silence to see whether Yahweh had prospered his journey 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 As the camels finished drinking, the man brought out a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two gold bracelets for her arms weighing ten shekels,
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 and asked, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me please, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
And he asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with thy father.
24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bathuel the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 She also said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and also room for you to spend the night.”
And she said to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting.
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped Yahweh.
And the man being well pleased, worshipped the Lord,
27 He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his covenant faithfulness and his trustworthiness toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me 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 Then the young woman ran and told her mother's household about all of these things.
And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran to the man who was out at the road by the spring.
And Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet the man, to the well.
30 When he had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man, and, behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
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 Then Laban said, “Come, you blessed of Yahweh. Why are you standing outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
And he said to him, Come in hither, thou blessed of the Lord, why standest thou without, whereas I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?
32 So the man came to the house and he unloaded the camels. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was provided to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
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 before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” So Laban said, “Speak on.”
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 He said, “I am Abraham's servant.
And he said, I am a servant of Abraam;
35 Yahweh has blessed my master very much and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and 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 Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, and he has given everything that he owns to him.
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 swear, saying, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I make my home.
And my master caused me to swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Chananites, among whom I sojourn in their land.
38 Instead, you must go to my father's family, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
But thou shalt go to the house of my father, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take thence a wife for my son.
39 I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'
And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go with me.
40 But he said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and he will prosper your way, so that you will get a wife for my son from among my relatives and from my father's family line.
And he said to me, The Lord God to whom I have been acceptable in his presence, himself shall send out his angel with thee, and shall prosper thy journey, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my tribe, and of the house of my father.
41 But you will be free from my oath if you come to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from my oath.'
Then shalt thou be clear from my curse, for whensoever thou shalt have come to my tribe, and they shall not give her to thee, then shalt thou be clear from my oath.
42 So I arrived today at the spring, and said, 'O Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please, if you do indeed intend to make my journey successful—
And having come this day to the well, I said, Lord God of my master Abraam, if thou prosperest my journey on which I am now going,
43 here I am, standing by the spring of water—let the young woman who comes out to draw water, the woman to whom I say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”
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 thy pitcher,
44 the woman who says to me, “Drink, and I will also draw water for your camels”—let her be the woman whom you, Yahweh, have chosen for my master's son.'
and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will draw water for thy camels, this [shall be] the wife whom the Lord has prepared for his own servant Isaac; and hereby shall I know that thou hast wrought mercy with my master Abraam.
45 Even before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder and she went down to the spring and drew water. So 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 pitcher from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels water also.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her arm from her head, and said, Drink thou, and I will give thy camels drink; and I drank, and she gave the camels drink.
47 I asked her and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milkah bore to him.' Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? 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 down and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to find the daughter of my master's relative for his 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 therefore, if you are prepared to show covenant faithfulness and trustworthiness to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
If then ye [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 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from Yahweh; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.
And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer thee bad or good.
51 Look, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, so she may be the wife of your master's son, as Yahweh has spoken.”
Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of thy master, as the Lord has said.
52 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the ground to 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 The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother 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 he and the men who were with him ate and drank. They stayed there overnight, and when they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away 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 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us for a few more days, at least ten. After that she may 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 said to them, “Do not hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”
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, “We will call the young woman and ask her.”
And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” She replied, “I will go.”
And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? and she said, I will go.
59 So they sent their sister Rebekah, along with her female servant, on her journey with Abraham's servant and his men.
So they sent forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants.
60 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them.”
And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; become thou thousands of myriads, and let thy seed possess the cities of their enemies.
61 Then Rebekah arose, and she and her servant girls mounted the camels, and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
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 Now Isaac was living in the Negev, and had just returned from Beer Lahai Roi.
And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he dwelt in the land toward the south.
63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening. When he looked up and saw, behold, there were 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 looked, and when she saw Isaac, she jumped down from the camel.
And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from the camel,
65 She said to the servant, “Who is that man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil, and covered herself.
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 recounted to Isaac all the things that he had done.
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after 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.
