Genesis 24
1 Erat autem Abraham senex, dierumque multorum: et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei.
Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
2 Dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suae, qui praeerat omnibus quae habebat: Pone manum tuam subter femur meum,
At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
3 ut adiurem te per Dominum, Deum caeli et terrae, ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananaeorum, inter quos habito:
and swear an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you won't arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the these Canaanite people that I'm living among.
4 sed ad terram et cognationem meam proficiscaris, et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac.
Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
5 Respondit servus: Si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc, numquid reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum, de quo egressus es?
“What if the woman refuses to come back with me to this country?” the servant asked. “Should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
6 Dixitque Abraham: Cave nequando reducas filium meum illuc.
“No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
7 Dominus Deus caeli, qui tulit me de domo patris mei, et de terra nativitatis meae, 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:
“The Lord, the God of heaven, took me from my family home and my own country. He spoke to me and swore an oath to me in which he promised, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ He is the one who will send his angel ahead of you so that you can find a wife there for my son.
8 sin autem mulier noluerit sequi te, non teneberis iuramento: filium meum tantum ne reducas illuc.
However, if the woman refuses to return here with you, then you are released from this oath. But make sure you don't take my son back there.”
9 Posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui, et iuravit illi super sermone hoc.
The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
10 Tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui, et abiit, ex omnibus bonis eius portans secum, profectusque perrexit in Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nachor.
Then the servant arranged for ten of his master's camels to carry all kinds of valuable gifts from Abraham and left for the town of Nahor in Aram-naharaim.
11 Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquae vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:
Arriving in the evening, he had the camels kneel down by the spring that was outside the town. This was the time when women went out to fetch water.
12 Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, occurre, obsecro, mihi hodie, et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham.
He prayed, “Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please let me be successful today, and please show your faithfulness to my master Abraham.
13 Ecce ego sto prope fontem aquae, et filiae habitatorum huius civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam.
Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get 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 praeparasti servo tuo Isaac: et per hoc intelligam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo.
May it happen like this. The young woman that I ask, ‘Please hold your water jar so I can have a drink,’ and she replies, ‘Please drink, and I'll give your camels water too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac. This way I'll know that you've shown your faithfulness to my master.”
15 Necdum intra se verba compleverat, et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur, filia Bathuel, filii Melchae uxoris Nachor fratris Abraham, habens hydriam in scapula sua:
He hadn't even finished praying when he saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milkah. Milkah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
16 puella decora nimis, virgoque pulcherrima, et incognita viro: descenderat autem ad fontem, et impleverat hydriam, ac revertebatur.
She was very beautiful, a virgin—no one had slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up.
17 Occurritque ei servus, et ait: Pauxillum aquae mihi ad bibendum praebe de hydria tua.
The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
18 Quae respondit: Bibe domine mi. celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam, et dedit ei potum.
“Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
19 Cumque ille bibisset, adiecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.
After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
20 Effundensque hydriam in canalibus, recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam: et haustam omnibus camelis dedit.
She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the spring to get more water. She brought enough for all his camels.
21 Ipse autem contemplabatur eam tacitus, scire volens utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Deus, an non.
The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
22 Postquam autem biberunt cameli, protulit vir inaures aureas, appendentes siclos duos, et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem.
Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
23 Dixitque ad eam: Cuius es filia? indica mihi: est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum?
Then he asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Also could you tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
24 Quae respondit: Filia sum Bathuelis, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha.
She replied, “I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and food for the camels,
25 Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et foeni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.
and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
26 Inclinavit se homo, et adoravit Dominum,
The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
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.
“Thank you Lord, the God of my master Abraham,” he prayed. “You have not forgotten your commitment and faithfulness to my master. And Lord, you have led me directly to the home of my master's relatives!”
28 Cucurrit itaque puella, et nunciavit in domum matris suae omnia quae audierat.
She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
29 Habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban, qui festinus egressus est ad hominem, ubi erat fons.
Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
30 Cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suae, et audisset cuncta verba referentis: Haec locutus est mihi homo: venit ad virum, qui stabat iuxta camelos, et prope fontem aquae:
He'd noticed the nose-ring and the bracelets she was wearing, and he'd heard his sister Rebekah explaining, “This is what the man told me.” When he arrived the man was still there, standing with his camels beside the spring.
31 dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? praeparavi domum, et locum camelis.
“Please come home with me, you who are blessed by the Lord,” said Laban. “What are you standing out here for? I've got a room at home ready for you, and a place for the camels to stay.”
32 Et introduxit eum in hospitium: ac destravit camelos, deditque paleas et foenum, et aquam ad lavandos pedes eius, et virorum qui venerant cum eo.
So the man went home with him. Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food to eat. He also provided water for the man to wash his feet, as well as for the men who were with him.
33 Et appositus est in conspectu eius panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.
Then Laban had food brought in. But the man told him, “I'm not going to eat until I've explained why I'm here.” “Please explain,” Laban replied.
34 At ille: Servus, inquit, Abraham sum:
“I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
35 et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde, magnificatusque est: et dedit ei oves et boves, argentum et aurum, servos et ancillas, camelos et asinos.
“The Lord has blessed my master so much, and now he is a wealthy and powerful man. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
36 Et peperit Sara uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua, deditque illi omnia quae habuerat.
His wife Sarah has had a son for my master even in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37 Et adiuravit me dominus meus, dicens: Non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananaeorum, in quorum terra habito:
My master made me swear an oath, saying, ‘You must not arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the Canaanite people in whose land I'm living.
38 sed ad domum patris mei perges, et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo:
Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
39 ego vero respondi domino meo: Quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier?
I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with 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.
He told me, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived my life, will send his angel with you, and he will make your journey successful—you will find a wife for my son from my relatives, from my father's family.
41 Innocens eris a maledictione mea, cum veneris ad propinquos meos, et non dederit tibi.
You will be released from the oath you swear to me if, when you go to my family, they refuse to let her return with you.’
42 Veni ergo hodie ad fontem aquae, et dixi: Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, si direxisti viam meam, in qua nunc ambulo,
Today when I arrived at the spring, I prayed, Lord, God of my master Abraham, please let the journey I have taken be successful.
43 ecce sto iuxta fontem aquae, et virgo, quae egredietur ad hauriendam aquam, audierit a me: Da mihi pauxillum aquae ad bibendum de hydria tua:
Look, I'm standing here beside this spring. May it happen like this. If a young woman comes to get water, and I say, ‘Please give me a few sips of water to drink,’
44 et dixerit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis hauriam: ipsa est mulier quam praeparavit Dominus filio domini mei.
and she says to me, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac.”
45 Dumque haec 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.
“I hadn't even finished praying silently when I saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring to get water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46 Quae festinans deposuit hydriam de humero, et dixit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis tribuam potum. Bibi, et adaquavit camelos.
She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and she said, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too.’ So I drank, and she got water for the camels.
47 Interrogavique eam, et dixi: Cuius es filia? Quae respondit: Filia Bathuelis sum, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha. Suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem eius, et armillas posui in manibus eius.
I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.’ So I put the ring in her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
48 Pronusque adoravi Dominum, benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham, qui perduxit me recto itinere, ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio eius.
Then I kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord. I thanked the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, for he led me directly to find my master's niece 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.
So please tell me now, will you show commitment and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no so I can decide what to do next.”
50 Responderuntque Laban et Bathuel: A Domino egressus est sermo: non possumus extra placitum eius quidquam aliud loqui tecum.
Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
51 En Rebecca coram te est, tolle eam, et proficiscere, et sit uxor filii domini tui, sicut locutus est Dominus.
Rebekah's here, you can take her and leave. She can become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has decided.”
52 Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terra Dominum.
As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
53 Prolatisque vasis argenteis, et aureis, ac vestibus, dedit ea Rebeccae pro munere: fratribus quoque eius, et matri dona obtulit.
Then he unpacked silver and gold jewelry and expensive clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable presents to her brother and her mother.
54 Inito convivio, vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi. Surgens autem mane, locutus est puer: Dimitte me, ut vadam ad dominum meum.
He and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now and go home to my master.”
55 Responderuntque fratres eius, et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.
But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
56 Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.
“Please don't delay me,” he told them. “The Lord has made my journey successful, so let me leave and go back to my master.”
57 Et dixerunt: Vocemus puellam, et quaeramus ipsius voluntatem.
“Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
58 Cumque vocata venisset, sciscitati sunt: Vis ire cum homine isto? Quae ait: Vadam.
They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
59 Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites eius,
So they let Laban's sister Rebekah leave with Abraham's servant and his men, together with the woman who had nursed her as a child.
60 imprecantes prospera sorori suae, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.
They asked a blessing on her, saying, “Our dear sister, may you become the mother to thousands and thousands of descendants, and may they conquer their enemies.”
61 Igitur Rebecca, et puellae illius, ascensis camelis, secutae sunt virum: qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum:
Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
62 eo autem tempore deambulabat Isaac per viam quae ducit ad Puteum, cuius nomen est Viventis, et videntis: habitabat enim in terra australi:
Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
63 et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro, inclinata iam die: cumque elevasset oculos, vidit camelos venientes procul.
He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
64 Rebecca quoque, conspecto Isaac, descendit de camelo,
Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her 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 suum, operuit se.
She asked the servant, “Who is this walking through the fields to meet us?” “He's my master, Isaac,” he replied. So she put on her veil to cover herself.
66 Servus autem cuncta, quae gesserat, narravit domino suo Isaac.
The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
67 Qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Sarae matris suae, et accepit eam uxorem: et in tantum dilexit eam, ut dolorem, qui ex morte matris eius acciderat, temperaret.
Isaac took Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and he married her. He loved her, and she brought him comfort after his grief over his mother's death.
