Genesis 24
1 Forsothe Abraham was eld, and of many daies, and the Lord hadde blessid hym in alle thingis.
Now, Abraham, was old, far gone in days, —and, Yahweh, had blessed Abraham, in all things.
2 And he seide to the eldere seruaunt of his hows, that was souereyn on alle thingis that he hadde, Put thou thin hond vndur myn hipe,
So Abraham said unto his servant, elder of his house, ruler of all that he had, —Place, I pray thee thy hand under my thigh;
3 that Y coniure thee bi the Lord God of heuene and of erthe, that thou take not a wijf to my sone of the douytris of Chanaan, among whiche Y dwelle;
that I may put thee on oath, by Yahweh God of the heavens and God of the earth—That thou wilt not take a wife for my son, from among the daughters of the Canaanites in the midst of whom, I, am dwelling:
4 but that thou go to my lond and kynrede, and therof take a wijf to my sone Ysaac.
but unto my own land and unto my own kindred, wilt go, —So shalt thou take a wife for my son—for Isaac.
5 The seruaunt aunswerde, If the womman nyle come with me in to this lond, whether Y owe lede ayen thi sone to the place, fro which thou yedist out?
And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman may not be willing to follow me into this land, —May I take back thy son, into the land from whence thou camest?
6 Abraham seide, Be war, lest ony tyme thou lede ayen thidur my sone;
And Abraham said unto him, —Beware that thou do not take back my son thither!
7 the Lord of heuene that took me fro the hows of my fadir, and fro the lond of my birthe, which spak to me, and swoor, and seide, Y schal yyue this lond to thi seed, he schal sende his aungel bifore thee, and thou schalt take fro thennus a wijf to my sone; forsothe if the womman nyle sue thee,
Yahweh, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, who took me out of the house of my father, and out of the land of my kindred, and, who spake to me, and who sware to me, saying, To thy seed, will I give this land, he, will send his messenger before thee, so shalt thou take a wife for my son from thence.
8 thou schalt not be holdun bi the ooth; netheles lede not ayen my sone thidur.
But if unwilling be the woman to follow thee, then shalt thou be clear from this mine oath, —Only my son, shalt thou not take back thither
9 Therfore the seruaunt puttide his hond vndur the hipe of Abraham, his lord, and swoor to him on this word.
So the servant placed his hand, under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, —and sware to him, over this thing.
10 And he took ten camels of the floc of his lord, and yede forth, and bar with him of alle the goodis of his lord; and he yede forth, and cam to Mesopotanye, to the citee of Nachor.
Then took the servant ten camels, from among the camels of his lord, and went his way, —all the goods of his master being in his hand, —so be mounted, and went his way unto Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
11 And whanne he hadde maad the camels to reste with out the citee, bisidis the pit of watir, in the euentid, in that tyme in which wymmen ben wont to go out to drawe watir,
And he made the camels kneel down outside the city, against the well of water, —at the time of evening, at the time of the coming forth of the women that drew water,
12 he seide, Lord God of my lord Abraham, Y biseche, meete with me to dai, and do mersi with my lord Abraham.
Then he said, O Yahweh, God of my lord Abraham! I pray thee cause it to fall out before me today, that thou deal in lovingkindness with my lord Abraham.
13 Lo! Y stonde nyy the welle of watir, and the douytris of enhabiters of this citee schulen go out to drawe watir;
Here am, I, stationed by the fountain of water, —and, the daughters of the men of the city, are coming forth to draw water:
14 therfor the damysel to which Y schal seie, Bowe doun thi watir pot that Y drynke, and schal answere, Drynke thou, but also Y schal yyue drynke to thi camels, thilke it is which thou hast maad redi to thi seruaunt Ysaac; and bi this Y schal vndirstonde that thou hast do mersi with my lord Abraham.
so it shall come to pass that the young woman unto whom I shall say. Let down pray. thy pitcher that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink, and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, that, her! hast thou appointed for thy servant for Isaac, And, hereby, shall I get to know, that thou hast dealt in lovingkindness with my lord!
15 And he hadde not yit fillid the wordis with ynne hym silf, and lo! Rebecca, the douytir of Batuel, sone of Melcha, wijf of Nachor, brothir of Abraham, yede out, hauynge a watir pot in hir schuldre;
And it came to pass, ere yet, he, had done speaking, that lo! Rebekah, was coming forth who had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham, —with her pitcher upon her shoulder,
16 a damysel ful comeli, and faireste virgyn, and vnknowun of man. Sotheli sche cam doun to the welle, and fillide the watir pot, and turnide ayen.
Now the young woman! was of very pleasing appearance, a virgin whom, no man, had known, —and she went down unto the fountain, and filled her pitcher and came up.
17 And the seruaunt mette hir, and seide, Yyue thou to me a litil of the watir of thi pot to drynke.
And the servant ran to meet her, —and said, I pray thee let me drink a little water out of thy pitcher.
18 Which answerde, Drynke thou, my lord. And anoon sche dide doun the watir pot on hir schuldre, and yaf drynk to hym.
And she said, Drink my lord, —And she hastened and lowered her pitcher on her hand and let him drink.
19 And whanne he hadde drunke, sche addide, But also Y schal drawe watir to thi camelis, til alle drynken.
And when she had done giving him drink, —she said For thy camels also, will I draw, until they have done drinking.
20 And sche helde out the watir pot in trouyis, and ran ayen to the pit, to drawe watir, and sche yaf watir drawun to alle the camels.
So she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and ran again unto the well, to draw, —and she drew for all his camels.
21 Sotheli he bihelde hir priueli, and wolde wite whether the Lord hadde sped his wei, ethir nay.
Now the man, was eagerly watching her, —keeping silence to see—whether Yahweh had prospered his way., or not.
22 Therfor after that the camels drunken, the man brouyte forth goldun eere ryngis, weiynge twei siclis, and as many bies of the arm, in the weiyte of ten siclis.
And it came to pass when the camels had done drinking, that the man took a ring of gold, half a shekel its weight, —and two bracelets for her hands, ten of gold their weight;
23 And he seide to hir, Whos douyter art thou? schewe thou to me, is ony place in the hows of thi fadir to dwelle?
and said Whose daughter art, thou? I pray thee, tell me. Is there in the house of thy father a place for us to tarry the night?
24 Which answerde, Y am the douyter of Batuel, sone of Nachor, whom Melcha childide to him.
And she said unto him, Daughter of Bethuel, am, I,—[Bethuel] son of Milcah whom she bare to Nahor.
25 And sche addide, seiynge, Also ful myche of prouendre and of hey is at vs, and a large place to dwelle.
And she said unto him, Both straw and fodder in plenty, have we, —also a place to tarry the night.
26 The man bowide hym silf,
Then the man bowed his head, and bent himself down unto Yahweh;
27 and worschipide the Lord, and seide, Blessid be the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which God took not aweie his mersy and treuthe fro my lord, and ledde me bi riyt weie in to the hous of the brother of my lord.
and said, Blessed be Yahweh. God of my lord Abraham, who hath not withdrawn his lovingkindness and his faithfulness, from my lord, —I—being in the way, Yahweh led me unto the house of the brethren of my lord!
28 And so the damesel ran, and telde in the hous of hir modir alle thingis whiche sche hadde herd.
And the young woman ran, and told the household of her mother, —according to these words.
29 Sotheli Rebecca hadde a brothir, Laban bi name, whiche yede out hastili to the man, where he was with out forth.
Now, Rebekah, had a brother, whose name, was Laban, —so Laban ran unto the man outside, unto the fountain.
30 And whanne he hadde seyn the eere ryngis and byes of the arm in the hondis of his sister, and hadde herd alle the wordis of hir tellynge, the man spak to me these thingis, he cam to the man that stood bisidis the camels, and nyy the welle of watir,
And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, Thus, did the man speak unto me, that he came unto the man, and lo! he was standing by the camels near the fountain;
31 and seide to him, Entre thou, the blessid of the Lord; whi stondist thou with outforth? I haue maad redi the hows, and a place to thi camels.
and he said, Come in. thou blessed of Yahweh, —Wherefore shouldst thou stand outside, when I have made ready the house and a place for the camels?
32 And he brouyte hym in to the ynne, and unsadlide the camels, and yaf prouendre, and hey, and watir to waische the feet of camels, and of men that camen with hym.
So the man came in towards the house, and ungirded the camels, —and there was given him straw and fodder for the camels, and water for bathing his own feet and the feet of the men who were with him;
33 And breed was set forth in his siyt, which seide, Y schal not ete til Y speke my wordis. He answerde to the man, Speke thou.
and [food] was set before him to eat, But he said, I cannot eat, until I have spoken my words. And he said—Speak!
34 And the man seide, Y am the seruaunt of Abraham,
Then said he, —Servant of Abraham, am I.
35 and the Lord hath blessid my lord greetli, and he is maad greet; and God yaf to hym scheep, and oxun, siluer, and gold, seruauntis, and handmaides, camels, and assis.
Now, Yahweh, having blessed my lord exceedingly, and made him great, —and given him flocks and herds and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels, and asses,
36 And Sare, `the wijf of my lord, childide a sone to my lord in his eelde, and he yaf alle thingis that he hadde to that sone.
then did Sarah wife of my lord, bear a son to my lord, after she had become old, —so he gave to him all that he had;
37 And my lord chargide me greetli, and seide, Thou schalt not take to my sone a wijf of the douytris of Canaan, in whos lond Y dwelle,
And my lord put me on oath saying, —Thou shalt not take a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land, I, am dwelling;
38 but thou schalt go to the hous of my fadir, and of myn kynrede thou schalt take a wijf to my sone.
but, unto the house of my father, shalt thou go, and unto my family, —and take a wife for my son.
39 Forsothe Y answerde to my lord, What if the womman nyle come with me?
So I said unto my lord, —Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 He seide, The Lord in whose siyt Y go, schal sende his aungel with thee, and he schal dresse thi weie; and thou schalt take a wijf to my sone of my kynrede, and of my fadris hows.
And he said unto me, —Yahweh, before whom I have walked to and fro, will send his messenger with thee, so shall he prosper thy way, and thou shalt take a wife for my son out of my kindred and out of the house of my father.
41 Thou schalt be innocent fro my curs, whanne thou comest to my kynesmen, and thei yyuen not `the womman to thee.
Then, shalt thou clear thyself from mine oath, for thou shalt go in unto my kindred, —and, if they will not grant her unto thee, then shalt thou be clear from mine oath.
42 Therfor Y cam to day to the welle of watir, and Y seide, Lord God of my lord Abraham, if thou hast dressid my weie in which Y go now, lo!
So I came in to-day, unto the fountain, —and I said O Yahweh God of my lord Abraham! if, I pray thee thou art prospering my way whereon I am going,
43 Y stonde bisidis the welle of watir, and the maide that schal go out to drawe watir herith me, yyue thou to me a litil of water to drynke of thi pot,
here, am I stationed by the fountain of water, —so then it shall come to pass that, the maiden that is coming forth to draw, and I shall say unto her Let me drink. I pray thee a little water out of thy pitcher;
44 and seith to me, And thou drynke, and Y schal drawe watir to thi camels, thilke is the womman which the Lord hath maad redi to the sone of my lord.
and she shall say unto me Both, thou, drink, and for thy camels also, will I draw, the same, shall be the woman whom Yahweh hath appointed for the son of my lord.
45 While Y turnede in thouyte these thingis with me, Rebecca apperide, comynge with a pot which sche bare in the schuldre; and sche yede doun to the welle, and drowe watir. And Y seide to hir, Yyue thou a litil to me to drynke; and sche hastide,
Ere yet, I, could make an end of speaking unto mine own heart, lo! then Rebekah, coming forth, with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain, and drew, —and I said unto her Let me drink I pray thee!
46 and dide doun the pot of the schuldre, and seide to me, And thou drynke, and Y schal yyue drynke to thi camels; Y drank, and watride the camels.
So she hastened and lowered her pitcher from off her, and said. Drink! and to thy camels also, will I give to drink, —So I drank and the camels also, she let drink.
47 And Y axide hir, and seide, Whos douytir art thou? Which answerde, Y am the douytir of Batuel, sone of Nachor, whom Melcha childide to him. And so Y hangide eere ryngis to ourne hir face, and Y puttide bies of the arm in hir hondis,
Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said Daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom, Milcah, bare to him, —Then put I the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands;
48 and lowliche Y worschipide the Lord, and Y blessid the Lord God of my lord Abraham, which God ledde me bi riyt weie, that Y schulde take the douytir of the brothir of my lord to his sone.
and bowed my head and bent myself down unto Yahweh, —and I blessed Yahweh God of my lord Abraham, who had led me in a way of faithfulness, to take the daughter of the brother of my lord for his son.
49 Wherfor if ye don mercy and treuthe with `my lord, schewe ye to me; ellis if othir thing plesith, also seie ye this, that Y go to the riyt side ethir to the left side.
Now, therefore, if ye are dealing in lovingkindness and faithfulness with my lord, tell me, —and, if not, tell me, that I may turn unto the right hand or unto the left.
50 Laban and Batuel answeriden, The word is gon out of the Lord; we moun not speke ony other thing with thee without his plesaunce.
Then answered Laban and Bethuel and said, from Yahweh, hath come forth the word, —we cannot speak unto thee ill or well.
51 Lo! Rebecca is bifore thee; take thou hir, and go forth, and be sche wijf of the sone of thi lord, as the Lord spak.
Lo! Rebekah, is before thee, Take her and go thy way, —And let her become wife unto the son of thy lord, as Yahweh hath spoken.
52 And whanne the child of Abraham hadde herd this, he felde doun, and worschipide the Lord in erthe.
And it came to pass when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down towards the earth unto Yahweh.
53 And whanne vessels of siluer, and of gold, and clothis weren brouyt forth, he yaf tho to Rebecca for yifte, and he yaf yiftis to hir britheren, and modir.
Then the servant brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and gave unto Rebekah, —and precious things, gave he to her brother and to her mother.
54 And whanne a feeste was maad, thei eeten and drunken to gider, and dwelliden there. Forsothe the child roos eerli, and spak, Delyuere ye me, that Y go to my lord.
And they did eat and drink he, and the men who were with him, and they tarried the night, —and when they arose in the morning, he said Let me go unto my lord!
55 Hir britheren and modir answerden, The damesele dwelle nameli ten daies at vs, and aftirward sche schal go forth.
Then said her brother and her mother, Let the young woman remain with us some days or rather ten, —After that, she shall go.
56 The child seide, Nyle ye holde me, for the Lord hath dressid my weie; delyuere ye me, that I go to my lord.
And he said unto them, Do not hinder me, when, Yahweh, hath prospered my journey, —Let me go, that I may take my journey unto my lord!
57 And thei seiden, Clepe we the damysele, and axe we hir wille.
Then said they, We must call the young woman and ask at her mouth.
58 And whanne sche was clepid, and cam, thei axiden, Wolt thou go with this man?
So they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 And sche seide, Y schal go. Therfor they delyueriden hir, and hir nurse, and the seruaunt of Abraham, and hise felowis, and wischiden prosperitees to her sister,
So they let go Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 and seiden, Thou art oure sister, encreesse thou in to a thousand thousandis, and thi seed gete the yatis of hise enemyes.
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, Our sister! become thou, thousands of ten thousands, —And let thy seed take possession of the gate of them that hate them!
61 Therfor Rebecca and hir damesels stieden on the camels, and sueden the man, which turnede ayen hasteli to his lord.
Then mounted Rebekah and her young woman and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man, —so the servant took Rebekah. and went his way.
62 In that tyme Ysaac walkide bi the weie that ledith to the pit, whos name is of hym that lyueth and seeth; for he dwellide in the south lond.
Now, Isaac, had come in at the entrance, of Beer-lahai-roi, —for, he, was dwelling in the land of the South:
63 And he yede out to thenke in the feeld, for the dai was `bowid thanne; and whanne he hadde reisid the iyen, he seiy camels comynge afer.
and Isaac came forth to meditate in the field at the approach of evening, —so he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! camels, coming in.
64 And whanne Ysaac was seyn, Rebecca liyte doun of the camel,
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac, —so she alighted with haste from off the camel;
65 and seide to the child, Who is that man that cometh bi the feeld in to the metyng of vs? And the child seide to hir, He is my lord. And sche took soone a mentil, and hilide hir.
and said unto the servant, Who is this man that is walking in the field to meet us? And the servant said, That, is my lord. So she took the veil and covered herself.
66 Forsothe the seruaunt tolde to his lord Ysaac alle thingis whiche he hadde do;
And the servant recounted to Isaac, —all the things which he had done.
67 which Ysaac ledde hir in to the tabernacle of Sare, his modir, and took hir to wijf; and so myche he louede hir, that he temperide the sorewe which bifelde of the deeth of the modir.
And Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother; thus he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her, —and Isaac consoled himself, for the loss of his mother.
