Genesis 24
1 Erat autem Abraham senex, dierumque multorum: et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei.
And Abraham [is] old, he has entered into days, and YHWH has blessed Abraham in all [things];
2 Dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suæ, qui præerat omnibus quæ habebat: Pone manum tuam subter femur meum,
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 ut adiurem te per Dominum, Deum cæli et terræ, ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, inter quos habito:
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 sed ad terram et cognationem meam proficiscaris, et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac.
but to my land and to my family you go, and have taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.”
5 Respondit servus: Si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc, numquid reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum, de quo egressus es?
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 Dixitque Abraham: Cave nequando reducas filium meum illuc.
And Abraham says to him, “Take heed to yourself lest you cause my son to return there;
7 Dominus Deus cæli, qui tulit me de domo patris mei, et de terra nativitatis meæ, qui locutus est mihi, et iuravit mihi, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc: ipse mittet Angelum suum coram te, et accipies inde uxorem filio meo:
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 sin autem mulier noluerit sequi te, non teneberis iuramento: filium meum tantum ne reducas illuc.
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 Posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui, et iuravit illi super sermone hoc.
And the servant puts his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swears to him concerning this matter.
10 Tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui, et abiit, ex omnibus bonis eius portans secum, profectusque perrexit in Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nachor.
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 Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquæ vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:
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 Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, occurre, obsecro, mihi hodie, et fac misericordiam cum domino meo 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 Ecce ego sto prope fontem aquæ, et filiæ habitatorum huius civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam.
behold, I am standing by the fountain of water, and daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;
14 Igitur puella, cui ego dixero: Inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam: et illa responderit, Bibe, quin et camelis tuis dabo potum: ipsa est, quam præparasti servo tuo Isaac: et per hoc intelligam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo.
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 Necdum intra se verba compleverat, et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur, filia Bathuel, filii Melchæ uxoris Nachor fratris Abraham, habens hydriam in scapula sua:
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 puella decora nimis, virgoque pulcherrima, et incognita viro: descenderat autem ad fontem, et impleverat hydriam, ac revertebatur.
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 Occurritque ei servus, et ait: Pauxillum aquæ mihi ad bibendum præbe de hydria tua.
And the servant runs to meet her and says, “Please let me swallow a little water from your pitcher”;
18 Quæ respondit: Bibe domine mi. celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam, et dedit ei potum.
and she says, “Drink, my lord”; and she hurries, and lets down her pitcher on her hand, and gives him drink.
19 Cumque ille bibisset, adiecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.
And she finishes giving him drink and says, “Also for your camels I draw until they have finished drinking”;
20 Effundensque hydriam in canalibus, recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam: et haustam omnibus camelis dedit.
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 Ipse autem contemplabatur eam tacitus, scire volens utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Dominus, an non.
And the man, wondering at her, remains silent, to know whether YHWH has made his way prosperous or not.
22 Postquam autem biberunt cameli, protulit vir inaures aureas, appendentes siclos duos, et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem.
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 Dixitque ad eam: Cuius es filia? indica mihi: est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum?
and says, “Whose daughter [are] you? Please declare to me, is the house of your father a place for us to lodge in?”
24 Quæ respondit: Filia sum Bathuelis, filii Melchæ, quem peperit ipsi Nachor.
And she says to him, “I [am] daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she has borne to Nahor.”
25 Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et fœni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.
She also says to him, “Both straw and provender [are] abundant with us, also a place to lodge in.”
26 Inclinavit se homo, et adoravit Dominum,
And the man bows, and pays respect to YHWH,
27 dicens: Benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham, qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo, et recto itinere me perduxit in domum fratris domini mei.
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 Cucurrit itaque puella, et nunciavit in domum matris suæ omnia quæ audierat.
And the young person runs, and declares to the house of her mother according to these words.
29 Habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban, qui festinus egressus est ad hominem, ubi erat fons.
And Rebekah has a brother, and his name [is] Laban, and Laban runs to the man who [is] outside, to the fountain;
30 Cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suæ, et audisset cuncta verba referentis: Hæc locutus est mihi homo: venit ad virum, qui stabat iuxta camelos, et prope fontem aquæ:
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 dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? præparavi domum, et locum camelis.
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 Et introduxit eum in hospitium: ac destravit camelos, deditque paleas et fœnum, et aquam ad lavandos pedes eius, et virorum qui venerant cum eo.
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 Et appositus est in conspectu eius panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.
and sets before him to eat; but he says, “I do not eat until I have spoken my word”; and he says, “Speak.”
34 At ille: Servus, inquit, Abraham sum:
And he says, “I [am] Abraham’s servant;
35 et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde, magnificatusque est: et dedit ei oves et boves, argentum et aurum, servos et ancillas, camelos et asinos.
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 Et peperit Sara uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua, deditque illi omnia quæ habuerat.
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 Et adiuravit me dominus meus, dicens: Non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, in quorum terra habito:
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 sed ad domum patris mei perges, et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo:
If not—to the house of my father you go, and to my family, and you have taken a wife for my son.
39 ego vero respondi domino meo: Quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier?
And I say to my lord, It may be the woman does not come after me;
40 Dominus, ait, in cuius conspectu ambulo, mittet angelum suum tecum, et diriget viam tuam: accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea, et de domo patris mei.
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 Innocens eris a maledictione mea, cum veneris ad propinquos meos, et non dederint tibi.
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 Veni ergo hodie ad fontem aquæ, et dixi: Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, si direxisti viam meam, in qua nunc ambulo,
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 ecce sto iuxta fontem aquæ, et virgo, quæ egredietur ad hauriendam aquam, audierit a me: Da mihi pauxillum aquæ ad bibendum ex hydria tua:
(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 et dixerit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis hauriam: ipsa est mulier quam præparavit Dominus filio domini mei.
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 Dumque hæc tacitus mecum volverem, apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria, quam portabat in scapula: descenditque ad fontem, et hausit aquam. Et aio ad eam: Da mihi paululum bibere.
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 Quæ festinans deposuit hydriam de humero, et dixit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis tribuam potum. Bibi, et adaquavit camelos.
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 Interrogavique eam, et dixi: Cuius es filia? Quæ respondit: Filia Bathuelis sum, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha. Suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem eius, et armillas posui in manibus eius.
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 Pronusque adoravi Dominum, benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham, qui perduxit me recto itinere, ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio eius.
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 Quamobrem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: sin autem aliud placet, et hoc dicite mihi, ut vadam ad dextram, sive ad sinistram.
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 Responderuntque Laban et Bathuel: A Domino egressus est sermo: non possumus extra placitum eius quidquam aliud loqui tecum.
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 En Rebecca coram te est, tolle eam, et proficiscere, et sit uxor filii domini tui, sicut locutus est Dominus.
behold, Rebekah [is] before you, take and go, and she is a wife to your lord’s son, as YHWH has spoken.”
52 Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terram Dominum.
And it comes to pass, when the servant of Abraham has heard their words, that he bows himself toward the earth before YHWH;
53 Prolatisque vasis argenteis, et aureis, ac vestibus, dedit ea Rebecca pro munere: fratribus quoque eius, et matri dona obtulit.
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 Inito convivio, vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi. Surgens autem mane, locutus est puer: Dimitte me, ut vadam ad dominum meum.
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 Responderuntque fratres eius, et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.
and her brother says—her mother also, “Let the young person abide with us a week or ten days, afterward she goes.”
56 Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.
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 Et dixerunt: Vocemus puellam, et quæramus ipsius voluntatem.
and they say, “Let us call for the young person, and inquire of her mouth”;
58 Cumque vocata venisset, sciscitati sunt: Vis ire cum homine isto? Quæ ait: Vadam.
and they call for Rebekah, and say to her, “Do you go with this man?” And she says, “I go.”
59 Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites eius,
And they send away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men;
60 imprecantes prospera sorori suæ, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.
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 Igitur Rebecca, et puellæ illius, ascensis camelis, secutæ sunt virum: qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum:
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 eo autem tempore deambulabat Isaac per viam quæ ducit ad Puteum, cuius nomen est Viventis, et videntis: habitabat enim in terra australi:
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 et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro, inclinata iam die: cumque elevasset oculos, vidit camelos venientes procul.
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 Rebecca quoque, conspecto Isaac, descendit de camelo,
And Rebekah lifts up her eyes, and sees Isaac, and comes down off the camel;
65 et ait ad puerum: Quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis? Dixitque ei: Ipse est dominus meus. At illa tollens cito pallium, operuit se.
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 Servus autem cuncta, quæ gesserat, narravit Isaac.
And the servant recounts to Isaac all the things that he has done,
67 Qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Saræ matris suæ, et accepit eam uxorem: et in tantum dilexit eam, ut dolorem, qui ex morte matris eius acciderat, temperaret.
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.
