Genesis 24
1 And Abraham [is] old, he hath entered into days, and Jehovah hath blessed Abraham in all [things];
Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 and Abraham saith unto his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he hath, 'Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,
And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 and I cause thee to swear by Jehovah, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, that thou dost not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in the midst of whom I am dwelling;
That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 but unto my land and unto my kindred dost thou go, and hast taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.'
But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
5 And the servant saith unto him, 'It may be the woman is not willing to come after me unto this land; do I at all cause thy son to turn back unto the land from whence thou camest out?'
The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?
6 And Abraham saith unto him, 'Take heed to thyself, lest thou cause my son to turn back thither;
And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
7 Jehovah, God of the heavens, who hath taken me from the house of my father, and from the land of my birth, and who hath spoken to me, and who hath sworn to me, saying, To thy seed I give this land, He doth send His messenger before thee, and thou hast taken a wife for my son from thence;
The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father’s house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
8 and if the woman be not willing to come after thee, then thou hast been acquitted from this mine oath: only my son thou dost not cause to turn back thither.'
But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.
9 And the servant putteth his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and sweareth to him concerning this matter.
The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
10 And the servant taketh ten camels of the camels of his lord and goeth, also of all the goods of his lord in his hand, and he riseth, and goeth unto Aram-Naharaim, unto the city of Nahor;
And he took ten camels of his master’s herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
11 and he causeth the camels to kneel at the outside of the city, at the well of water, at even-time, at the time of the coming out of the women who draw water.
And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:
12 And he saith, 'Jehovah, God of my lord Abraham, cause to meet, I pray Thee, before me this day — (and do kindness with my lord Abraham;
O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 lo, I am standing by the fountain of water, and daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;
Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.
14 and it hath been, the young person unto whom I say, Incline, I pray thee, thy pitcher, and I drink, and she hath said, Drink, and I water also thy camels) — her Thou hast decided for Thy servant, for Isaac; and by it I know that Thou hast done kindness with my lord.'
Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shown kindness to my master.
15 And it cometh to pass, before he hath finished speaking, that lo, Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham) is coming out, and her pitcher on her shoulder,
He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:
16 and the young person [is] of very good appearance, a virgin, and a man hath not known her; and she goeth down to the fountain, and filleth her pitcher, and cometh up.
An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.
17 And the servant runneth to meet her, and saith, 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher;'
And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
18 and she saith, 'Drink, my lord;' and she hasteth, and letteth down her pitcher upon her hand, and giveth him drink.
And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
19 And she finisheth giving him drink, and saith, 'Also for thy camels I draw till they have finished drinking;'
And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
20 and she hasteth, and emptieth her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and runneth again unto the well to draw, and draweth for all his camels.
And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.
21 And the man, wondering at her, remaineth silent, to know whether Jehovah hath made his way prosperous or not.
But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it cometh to pass when the camels have finished drinking, that the man taketh a golden ring (whose weight [is] a bekah), and two bracelets for her hands (whose weight [is] ten [bekahs] of gold),
And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.
23 and saith, 'Whose daughter [art] thou? declare to me, I pray thee, is the house of thy father a place for us to lodge in?'
And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father’s house to lodge?
24 And she saith unto him, 'I [am] daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she hath borne to Nahor.'
And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 She saith also unto him, 'Both straw and provender [are] abundant with us, also a place to lodge in.'
And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
26 And the man boweth, and doth obeisance to Jehovah,
The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
27 and saith, 'Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of my lord Abraham, who hath not left off His kindness and His truth with my lord; — I [being] in the way, Jehovah hath led me to the house of my lord's brethren.'
Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master’s brother.
28 And the young person runneth, and declareth to the house of her mother according to these words.
Then the maid ran, and told in her mother’s house, all that she had heard.
29 And Rebekah hath a brother, and his name [is] Laban, and Laban runneth unto the man who [is] without, unto the fountain;
And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
30 yea, it cometh to pass, when he seeth the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heareth the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, 'Thus hath the man spoken unto me,' that he cometh in unto the man, and lo, he is standing by the camels by the fountain.
And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,
31 And he saith, 'Come in, O blessed one of Jehovah, why standest thou without, and I — I have prepared the house and place for the camels!'
And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.
32 And he bringeth in the man into the house, and looseth the camels, and giveth straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who [are] with him:
And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.
33 and setteth before him to eat; but he saith, 'I do not eat till I have spoken my word;' and he saith, 'Speak.'
And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
34 And he saith, 'I [am] Abraham's servant;
And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
35 and Jehovah hath blessed my lord exceedingly, and he is great; and He giveth to him flock, and herd, and silver, and gold, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and asses;
And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and asses.
36 and Sarah, my lord's wife, beareth a son to my lord, after she hath been aged, and he giveth to him all that he hath.
And Sara my master’s wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.
37 'And my lord causeth me to swear, saying, Thou dost not take a wife to my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling.
And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 If not — unto the house of my father thou dost go, and unto my family, and thou hast taken a wife for my son.
But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
39 'And I say unto my lord, It may be the woman doth not come after me;
But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
40 and he saith unto me, Jehovah, before whom I have walked habitually, doth send His messenger with thee, and hath prospered thy way, and thou hast taken a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father;
The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father’s house.
41 then art thou acquitted from my oath, when thou comest unto my family, and if they give not [one] to thee; then thou hast been acquitted from my oath.
But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
42 'And I come to-day unto the fountain, and I say, Jehovah, God of my lord Abraham, if Thou art, I pray Thee, making prosperous my way in which I am going —
And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,
43 (lo, I am standing by the fountain of water), then the virgin who is coming out to draw, and I have said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher,
Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:
44 and she hath said unto me, Both drink thou, and also for thy camels I draw — she is the woman whom Jehovah hath decided for my lord's son.
And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master’s son.
45 'Before I finish speaking unto my heart, then lo, Rebekah is coming out, and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she goeth down to the fountain, and draweth; and I say unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee,
And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.
46 and she hasteth and letteth down her pitcher from off her and saith, Drink, and thy camels also I water; and I drink, and the camels also she hath watered.
And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.
47 'And I ask her, and say, Whose daughter [art] thou? and she saith, Daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah hath borne to him, and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands,
And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.
48 and I bow, and do obeisance before Jehovah, and I bless Jehovah, God of my lord Abraham, who hath led me in the true way to receive the daughter of my lord's brother for his son.
And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.
49 'And now, if ye are dealing kindly and truly with my lord, declare to me; and if not, declare to me; and I turn unto the right or unto the left.'
Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.
50 And Laban answereth — Bethuel also — and they say, 'The thing hath gone out from Jehovah; we are not able to speak unto thee bad or good;
And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
51 lo, Rebekah [is] before thee, take and go, and she is a wife to thy lord's son, as Jehovah hath spoken.'
Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master’s son, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And it cometh to pass, when the servant of Abraham hath heard their words, that he boweth himself towards the earth before Jehovah;
Which when Abraham’s servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
53 and the servant taketh out vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and giveth to Rebekah; precious things also he hath given to her brother and to her mother.
And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.
54 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 saith, 'Send me to my lord;'
And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.
55 and her brother saith — her mother also — 'Let the young person abide with us a week or ten days, afterwards doth she go.'
And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
56 And he saith unto them, 'Do not delay me, seeing Jehovah hath prospered my way; send me away, and I go to my lord;'
Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 and they say, 'Let us call for the young person, and ask at her mouth;'
And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
58 and they call for Rebekah, and say unto her, 'Dost thou go with this man?' and she saith, 'I go.'
And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
59 And they send away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men;
So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his company,
60 and they bless Rebekah, and say to her, 'Thou [art] our sister; become thou thousands of myriads, and thy seed doth possess the gate of those hating it.'
Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.
61 And Rebekah and her young women arise, and ride on the camels, and go after the man; and the servant taketh Rebekah and goeth.
So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
62 And Isaac hath come in from the entrance of the Well of the Living One, my Beholder; and he is dwelling in the land of the south,
At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.
63 and Isaac goeth out to meditate in the field, at the turning of the evening, and he lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, camels are coming.
And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.
64 And Rebekah lifteth up her eyes, and seeth Isaac, and alighteth from off the camel;
Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
65 and she saith unto the servant, 'Who [is] this man who is walking in the field to meet us?' and the servant saith, 'It [is] my lord;' and she taketh the veil, and covereth herself.
And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.
66 And the servant recounteth to Isaac all the things that he hath done,
And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 and Isaac bringeth her in unto the tent of Sarah his mother, and he taketh Rebekah, and she becometh his wife, and he loveth her, and Isaac is comforted after [the death of] his mother.
Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother’s death.
