< Genesis 24 >

1 Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
And Abraham [is] old, he has entered into days, and YHWH has blessed Abraham in all [things];
2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.
and Abraham says to his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he has, “Please put your hand under my thigh,
3 I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
and I cause you to swear by YHWH, God of the heavens and God of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in the midst of whom I am dwelling;
4 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
but to my land and to my family you go, and have taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.”
5 The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?”
And the servant says to him, “It may be the woman is not willing to come after me to this land; do I at all cause your son to return to the land from where you came out?”
6 Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again.
And Abraham says to him, “Take heed to yourself lest you cause my son to return there;
7 The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
YHWH, God of the heavens, who has taken me from the house of my father, and from the land of my birth, and who has spoken to me, and who has sworn to me, saying, To your seed I give this land, He sends His messenger before you, and you have taken a wife for my son from there;
8 If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.”
and if the woman is not willing to come after you, then you have been acquitted from this my oath: only you do not cause my son to return there.”
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
And the servant puts his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swears to him concerning this matter.
10 The servant took ten of his master’s camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.
And the servant takes ten camels of the camels of his lord and goes, also of all the goods of his lord in his hand, and he rises, and goes to Aram-Naharaim, to the city of Nahor;
11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
and he causes the camels to kneel at the outside of the city, at the well of water, at evening, at the time of the coming out of the women who draw water.
12 He said, “LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
And he says, “YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, please cause to meet before me this day—(and do kindness with my lord Abraham;
13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
behold, I am standing by the fountain of water, and daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;
14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
and it has been, the young person to whom I say, Please incline your pitcher and I drink, and she has said, Drink, and I also water your camels)—her [whom] You have decided for Your servant, for Isaac; and by it I know that You have done kindness with my lord.”
15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.
And it comes to pass, before he has finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham) is coming out, and her pitcher on her shoulder,
16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.
and the young person [is] of very good appearance, a virgin, and a man has not known her; and she goes down to the fountain, and fills her pitcher, and comes up.
17 The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
And the servant runs to meet her and says, “Please let me swallow a little water from your pitcher”;
18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.
and she says, “Drink, my lord”; and she hurries, and lets down her pitcher on her hand, and gives him drink.
19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”
And she finishes giving him drink and says, “Also for your camels I draw until they have finished drinking”;
20 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
and she hurries, and empties her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and runs again to the well to draw, and draws for all his camels.
21 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
And the man, wondering at her, remains silent, to know whether YHWH has made his way prosperous or not.
22 As the camels had done drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
And it comes to pass, when the camels have finished drinking, that the man takes a golden ring (whose weight [is] a bekah), and two bracelets for her hands (whose weight [is] ten [bekahs] of gold),
23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”
and says, “Whose daughter [are] you? Please declare to me, is the house of your father a place for us to lodge in?”
24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
And she says to him, “I [am] daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she has borne to Nahor.”
25 She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”
She also says to him, “Both straw and provender [are] abundant with us, also a place to lodge in.”
26 The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD.
And the man bows, and pays respect to YHWH,
27 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”
and says, “Blessed [is] YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has not left off His kindness and His truth with my lord—I [being] in the way, YHWH has led me to the house of my lord’s brothers.”
28 The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.
And the young person runs, and declares to the house of her mother according to these words.
29 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
And Rebekah has a brother, and his name [is] Laban, and Laban runs to the man who [is] outside, to the fountain;
30 When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
indeed, it comes to pass, when he sees the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he hears the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus has the man spoken to me,” that he comes to the man, and behold, he is standing by the camels by the fountain.
31 He said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
And he says, “Come in, O blessed one of YHWH! Why do you stand outside—and I have prepared the house and place for the camels?”
32 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
And he brings in the man into the house, and looses the camels, and gives straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who [are] with him:
33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”
and sets before him to eat; but he says, “I do not eat until I have spoken my word”; and he says, “Speak.”
34 He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
And he says, “I [am] Abraham’s servant;
35 The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
and YHWH has blessed my lord exceedingly, and he is great; and He gives to him flock, and herd, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and donkeys;
36 Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
and Sarah, my lord’s wife, bears a son to my lord, after she has been aged, and he gives to him all that he has.
37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
And my lord causes me to swear, saying, You do not take a wife to my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling.
38 but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
If not—to the house of my father you go, and to my family, and you have taken a wife for my son.
39 I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
And I say to my lord, It may be the woman does not come after me;
40 He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father’s house.
and he says to me, YHWH, before whom I have habitually walked, sends His messenger with you, and has prospered your way, and you have taken a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father;
41 Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don’t give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’
then you are acquitted from my oath, when you come to my family; and if they do not give [one] to you, then you have been acquitted from my oath.
42 I came today to the spring, and said, ‘The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
And I come to the fountain today, and I say, YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, now if You are making prosperous my way in which I am going—
43 behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”
(behold, I am standing by the fountain of water), then the virgin is coming out to draw, and I have said to her, Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher,
44 then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
and she has said to me, Both drink, and I also draw for your camels—she is the woman whom YHWH has decided for my lord’s son.
45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’
Before I finish speaking to my heart, then behold, Rebekah is coming out, and her pitcher [is] on her shoulder, and she goes down to the fountain and draws; and I say to her, Please let me drink,
46 She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.
and she hurries and lets down her pitcher from off her and says, Drink, and I also water your camels; and I drink, and she has also watered the camels.
47 I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
And I ask her, and say, Whose daughter [are] you? And she says, Daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah has borne to him, and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands,
48 I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son.
and I bow, and pay respect before YHWH, and I bless YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has led me in the true way to receive the daughter of my lord’s brother for his son.
49 Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”
And now, if you are dealing kindly and truly with my lord, declare to me; and if not, declare to me; and I turn to the right or to the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from the LORD. We can’t speak to you bad or good.
And Laban answers—Bethuel also—and they say, “The thing has gone out from YHWH; we are not able to speak to you bad or good;
51 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”
behold, Rebekah [is] before you, take and go, and she is a wife to your lord’s son, as YHWH has spoken.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD.
And it comes to pass, when the servant of Abraham has heard their words, that he bows himself toward the earth before YHWH;
53 The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.
and the servant takes out vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and gives to Rebekah; precious things also he has given to her brother and to her mother.
54 They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”
And they eat and drink, he and the men who [are] with him, and lodge all night; and they rise in the morning, and he says, “Send me to my lord”;
55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
and her brother says—her mother also, “Let the young person abide with us a week or ten days, afterward she goes.”
56 He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”
And he says to them, “Do not delay me, seeing YHWH has prospered my way; send me away, and I go to my lord”;
57 They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.”
and they say, “Let us call for the young person, and inquire of her mouth”;
58 They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
and they call for Rebekah, and say to her, “Do you go with this man?” And she says, “I go.”
59 They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.
And they send away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men;
60 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them.”
and they bless Rebekah, and say to her, “You [are] our sister; become thousands of myriads, and your seed possesses the gate of those hating it.”
61 Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
And Rebekah and her young women arise, and ride on the camels, and go after the man; and the servant takes Rebekah and goes.
62 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
And Isaac has come in from the entrance of the Well of the Living One, my Beholder; and he is dwelling in the land of the south,
63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels coming.
and Isaac goes out to meditate in the field, at the turning of the evening, and he lifts up his eyes, and looks, and behold, camels are coming.
64 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel.
And Rebekah lifts up her eyes, and sees Isaac, and comes down off the camel;
65 She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” She took her veil, and covered herself.
and she says to the servant, “Who [is] this man who is walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant says, “It [is] my lord”; and she takes the veil, and covers herself.
66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
And the servant recounts to Isaac all the things that he has done,
67 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
and Isaac brings her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he takes Rebekah, and she becomes his wife, and he loves her, and Isaac is comforted after [the death of] his mother.

< Genesis 24 >