Genesis 24
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v1
Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.
v2
Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.
v3
I will make you swear by Yahweh, 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.
v4
But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
v5
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?“
v6
Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again.
v7
Yahweh, 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.
v8
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.”
v9
The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
v10
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.
v11
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.
v12
He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
v13
Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
v14
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.”
v15
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.
v16
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.
v17
The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
v18
She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.
v19
When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”
v20
She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
v21
The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
v22
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,
v23
and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?“
v24
She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
v25
She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”
v26
The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.
v27
He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”
v28
The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.
v29
Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
v30
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.
v31
He said, “Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
v32
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.
v33
Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”
v34
He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
v35
Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. Yahweh has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
v36
Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
v37
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,
v38
but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.‘
v39
I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?‘
v40
He said to me, ‘Yahweh, 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.
v41
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.‘
v42
I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
v43
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,“
v44
then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,“—let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.‘
v45
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.‘
v46
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.
v47
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.
v48
I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, 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.
v49
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.”
v50
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can’t speak to you bad or good.
v51
Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Yahweh has spoken.”
v52
When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh.
v53
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.
v54
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.”
v55
Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
v56
He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”
v57
They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.”
v58
They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
v59
They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.
v60
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.”
v61
Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
v62
Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
v63
Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels coming.
v64
Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel.
v65
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.
v66
The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
v67
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.