Gen 24
1
And Abraham was old, [and] well stricken in age. And YHWH had blessed Abraham in all
things.
2
And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that
he had, Put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh.
3
And I will make you swear by YHWH, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that
you will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom
I dwell.
4
But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.
5
And the servant said to him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow
me to this land. Must I needs bring your son again to the land from whence you came?
6
And Abraham said to him, Beware you that you bring not my son there again.
7
YHWH, the God of heaven, who took me from my father`s house, and from the land of
my nativity, and who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, To your seed will I
give this land. He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my
son from there.
8
And if the woman be not willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my
oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again.
9
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him
concerning this matter.
10
And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed, having
all goodly things of his master`s in his hand. And he arose, and went to Mesopotamia,
to the city of Nahor.
11
And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by the well of water at the
time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12
And he said, O YHWH, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray you, good speed
this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13
Behold, I am standing by the fountain of water. And the daughters of the men of the
city are coming out to draw water.
14
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down your pitcher,
I pray you, that I may drink. And she shall say, Drink, and I will give your camels
drink also. Let the same be she that you have appointed for your servant Isaac. And
thereby shall I know that you have showed kindness to my master.
15
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out,
who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham`s brother, with
her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16
And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her.
And she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Give me to drink, I pray you, a little
water from your pitcher.
18
And she said, Drink, my lord. And she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand,
and gave him drink.
19
And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw for your camels also,
until they have done drinking.
20
And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well
to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21
And the man looked steadfastly on her, holding his peace, to know whether YHWH had
made his journey prosperous or not.
22
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring
of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of
gold,
23
and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me, I pray you. Is there room in your father`s
house for us to lodge in?
24
And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bare
to Nahor.
25
She said moreover to him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge
in.
26
And the man bowed his head, and worshiped YHWH.
27
And he said, Blessed be YHWH, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his
lovingkindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, YHWH has led me in the way
to the house of my master`s brethren.
28
And the damsel ran, and told her mother`s house according to these words.
29
And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out to the man, to
the fountain.
30
And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets upon his sister`s hands,
and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me.
That he came to the man. And, behold, he was standing by the camels at the fountain.
31
And he said, Come in, you blessed of YHWH. Wherefore stand you without? For I have
prepared the house, and room for the camels.
32
And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels. And he gave straw and
provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men that
were with him.
33
And there was set food before him to eat. But he said, I will not eat, until I have
told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
34
And he said, I am Abraham`s servant.
35
And YHWH has blessed my master greatly. And he is become great. And he has given him
flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels
and asses.
36
And Sarah my master`s wife bare a son to my master when she was old. And to him has
he given all that he has.
37
And my master made me swear, saying, You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters
of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
38
But you shall go to my father`s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.
39
And I said to my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40
And he said to me, YHWH, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper
your way. And you shall take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father`s house.
41
Then shall you be clear from my oath, when you come to my kindred. And if they give
her not to you, you shall be clear from my oath.
42
And I came this day to the fountain, and said, O YHWH, the God of my master Abraham,
if now you do prosper my way which I go.
43
Behold, I am standing by the fountain of water. And let it come to pass, that the
maiden that comes forth to draw, to whom I shall say, Give me, I pray you, a little
water from your pitcher to drink.
44
And she shall say to me, Both drink you, and I will also draw for your camels. Let
the same be the woman whom YHWH has appointed for my master`s son.
45
And before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher
on her shoulder. And she went down to the fountain, and drew. And I said to her, Let
me drink, I pray you.
46
And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and
I will give your camels drink also. So I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel,
Nahor`s son, whom Milcah bare to him. And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets
upon her hands.
48
And I bowed my head, and worshiped YHWH, and blessed YHWH, 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.
49
And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell
me. That I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50
Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from YHWH. We cannot
speak to you bad or good.
51
Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her, and go, and let her be your master`s son`s
wife, as YHWH has spoken.
52
And it came to pass, that, when Abraham`s servant heard their words, he bowed himself
down to the earth to YHWH.
53
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and
gave them to Rebekah. He gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54
And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night.
And they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away to my master.
55
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us [a few] days, at
the least ten. After that she shall go.
56
And he said to them, Hinder me not, seeing YHWH has prospered my way. Send me away
that I may go to my master.
57
And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.
58
And they called Rebekah, and said to her, Will you go with this man? And she said,
I will go.
59
And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham`s servant, and
his men.
60
And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, Our sister, be you [the mother] of thousands
of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those that hate them.
61
And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the
man. And the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62
And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi. For he dwelt in the land of the South.
63
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide. And he lifted up his
eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.
64
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel.
65
And she said to the servant, What man is this that walks in the field to meet us?
And the servant said, It is my master. And she took her veil, and covered herself.
66
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah`s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became
his wife. And he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother`s death.