Génesis 24
Bible in Basic English
1Now Abraham was old and far on in years: and the Lord had given him everything in full measure.
2And Abraham said to his chief servant, the manager of all his property, Come now, put your hand under my leg:
3And take an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not get a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;
4But that you will go into my country and to my relations and get a wife there for my son Isaac.
5And the servant said, If by chance the woman will not come with me into this land, am I to take your son back again to the land from which you came?
6And Abraham said, Take care that you do not let my son go back to that land.
7The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and made an oath to me, saying, To your seed I will give this land: he will send his angel before you and give you a wife for my son in that land.
8And if the woman will not come with you, then you are free from this oath; only do not take my son back there.
9And the servant put his hand under Abraham's leg, and gave him his oath about this thing.
10And the servant took ten of his master's camels, and all sorts of good things of his master's, and went to Mesopotamia, to the town of Nahor.
11And he made the camels take their rest outside the town by the water-spring in the evening, at the time when the women came to get water.
12And he said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, let me do well in what I have undertaken this day, and give your mercy to my master Abraham.
13See, I am waiting here by the water-spring; and the daughters of the town are coming out to get water:
14Now, may the girl to whom I say, Let down your vessel and give me a drink, and who says in answer, Here is a drink for you and let me give water to your camels: may she be the one marked out by you for your servant Isaac: so may I be certain that you have been good to my master Abraham.
15And even before his words were ended, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, who was the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water-vessel on her arm.
16She was a very beautiful girl, a virgin, who had never been touched by a man: and she went down to the spring to get water in her vessel.
17And the servant came running to her and said, Give me a little water from your vessel.
18And she said, Take a drink, my lord: and quickly letting down her vessel onto her hand, she gave him a drink.
19And having done so, she said, I will get water for your camels till they have had enough.
20And after putting the water from her vessel into the animals' drinking-place, she went quickly back to the spring and got water for all the camels.
21And the man, looking at her, said nothing, waiting to see if the Lord had given his journey a good outcome.
22And when the camels had had enough, the man took a gold nose-ring, half a shekel in weight, and two ornaments for her arms of ten shekels weight of gold;
23And said to her, Whose daughter are you? is there room in your father's house for us?
24And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, Nahor's wife.
25And she said, We have a great store of dry grass and cattle-food, and there is room for you.
26And with bent head the man gave worship to the Lord;
27And said, Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has given a sign that he is good and true to my master, by guiding me straight to the house of my master's family.
28So the girl went running and took the news of these things to her mother's house
29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he came out quickly to the man at the water-spring.
30And when he saw the nose-ring and the ornaments on his sister's hands, and when she gave him word of what the man had said to her, then he went out to the man who was waiting with the camels by the water-spring.
31And he said to him, Come in, you on whom is the blessing of the Lord; why are you waiting outside? for I have made the house ready for you, and a place for the camels.
32Then the man came into the house, and Laban took their cords off the camels and gave them dry grass and food, and he gave to him and the men who were with him water for washing their feet.
33And meat was put before him, but he said, I will not take food till I have made my business clear to you. And they said, Do so.
34And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
35The Lord has given my master every blessing, and he has become great: he has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold, and men-servants and women-servants and camels and asses.
36And when Sarah, my master's wife, was old, she gave birth to a son, to whom he has given all he has.
37And my master made me take an oath, saying, Do not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living;
38But go to my father's house and to my relations for a wife for my son.
39And I said to my master, What if the woman will not come with me?
40And he said, The Lord, whom I have ever kept before me, will send his angel with you, who will make it possible for you to get a wife for my son from my relations and my father's house;
41And you will be free from your oath to me when you come to my people; and if they will not give her to you, you will be free from your oath.
42And I came today to the water-spring, and I said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if it is your purpose to give a good outcome to my journey,
43Let it come about that, while I am waiting here by the water-spring, if a girl comes to get water and I say to her, Give me a little water from your vessel, and she says,
44Take a drink, and I will get water for your camels; let her be the woman marked out by the Lord for my master's son.
45And even while I was saying this to myself, Rebekah came out with her vessel on her arm; and she went down to the spring to get water; and I said to her, Give me a drink.
46And straight away she took down her vessel from her arm, and said, Take a drink, and I will get water for your camels.
47And questioning her, I said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, and Milcah his wife. Then I put the ring on her nose and the ornaments on her hands.
48And with bent head I gave worship and praise to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, by whom I had been guided in the right way, to get the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
49And now, say if you will do what is good and right for my master or not, in order that it may be clear to me what I have to do.
50Then Laban and Bethuel said in answer, This is the Lord's doing: it is not for us to say Yes or No to you.
51See, here is Rebekah: take her and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as the Lord has said.
52And at these words, Abraham's servant went down on his face and gave praise to the Lord.
53Then he took jewels of silver and jewels of gold and fair robes and gave them to Rebekah: and he gave things of value to her mother and her brother.
54Then he and the men who were with him had food and drink, and took their rest there that night; and in the morning he got up, and said, Let me now go back to my master.
55But her brother and her mother said, Let the girl be with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.
56And he said, Do not keep me; the Lord has given a good outcome to my journey; let me now go back to my master.
57And they said, We will send for the girl, and let her make the decision.
58And they sent for Rebekah and said to her, Are you ready to go with this man? And she said, I am ready.
59So they sent their sister Rebekah and her servant with Abraham's servant and his men.
60And they gave Rebekah their blessing, saying, O sister, may you be the mother of thousands and ten thousands; and may your seed overcome all those who make war against them.
61So Rebekah and her servant-women went with the man, seated on the camels; and so the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
62Now Isaac had come through the waste land to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the South.
63And when the evening was near, he went wandering out into the fields, and lifting up his eyes he saw camels coming.
64And when Rebekah, looking up, saw Isaac, she got down from her camel,
65And said to the servant, Who is that man coming to us through the field? And the servant said, It is my master: then she took her veil, covering her face with it.
66Then the servant gave Isaac the story of all he had done.
67And Isaac took Rebekah into his tent and she became his wife; and in his love for her, Isaac was comforted after his father's death.
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y ABRAHAM era viejo, y bien entrado en días; y Jehová había bendecido á Abraham en todo.
2Y dijo Abraham á un criado suyo, el más viejo de su casa, que era el que gobernaba en todo lo que tenía: Pon ahora tu mano debajo de mi muslo,
3Y te juramentaré por Jehová, Dios de los cielos y Dios de la tierra, que no has de tomar mujer para mi hijo de las hijas de los Cananeos, entre los cuales yo habito;
4Sino que irás á mi tierra y á mi parentela, y tomarás mujer para mi hijo Isaac.
5Y el criado le respondió: Quizá la mujer no querrá venir en pos de mí á esta tierra: ¿volveré, pues, tu hijo á la tierra de donde saliste?
6Y Abraham le dijo: Guárdate que no vuelvas á mi hijo allá.
7Jehová, Dios de los cielos, que me tomó de la casa de mi padre y de la tierra de mi parentela, y me habló y me juró, diciendo: A tu simiente daré esta tierra; él enviará su ángel delante de ti, y tú tomarás de allá mujer para mi hijo.
8Y si la mujer no quisiere venir en pos de ti, serás libre de este mi juramento; solamente que no vuelvas allá á mi hijo.
9Entonces el criado puso su mano debajo del muslo de Abraham su señor, y juróle sobre este negocio.
10Y el criado tomó diez camellos de los camellos de su señor, y fuése, pues tenía á su disposición todos los bienes de su señor: y puesto en camino, llegó á Mesopotamia, á la ciudad de Nachôr.
11E hizo arrodillar los camellos fuera de la ciudad, junto á un pozo de agua, á la hora de la tarde, á la hora en que salen las mozas por agua.
12Y dijo: Jehová, Dios de mi señor Abraham, dame, te ruego, el tener hoy buen encuentro, y haz misericordia con mi señor Abraham.
13He aquí yo estoy junto á la fuente de agua, y las hijas de los varones de esta ciudad salen por agua:
14Sea, pues, que la moza á quien yo dijere: Baja tu cántaro, te ruego, para que yo beba; y ella respondiere: Bebe, y también daré de beber á tus camellos: que sea ésta la que tú has destinado para tu siervo Isaac; y en esto conoceré que habrás hecho misericordia con mi señor.
15Y aconteció que antes que él acabase de hablar, he aquí Rebeca, que había nacido á Bethuel, hijo de Milca, mujer de Nachôr hermano de Abraham, la cual salía con su cántaro sobre su hombro.
16Y la moza era de muy hermoso aspecto, virgen, á la que varón no había conocido; la cual descendió á la fuente, y llenó su cántaro, y se volvía.
17Entonces el criado corrió hacia ella, y dijo: Ruégote que me des á beber un poco de agua de tu cántaro.
18Y ella respondió: Bebe, señor mío: y dióse prisa á bajar su cántaro sobre su mano, y le dió á beber.
19Y cuando acabó de darle á beber, dijo: También para tus camellos sacaré agua, hasta que acaben de beber.
20Y dióse prisa, y vació su cántaro en la pila, y corrió otra vez al pozo para sacar agua, y sacó para todos sus camellos.
21Y el hombre estaba maravillado de ella, callando, para saber si Jehová había prosperado ó no su viaje.
22Y fué que como los camellos acabaron de beber, presentóle el hombre un pendiente de oro que pesaba medio siclo, y dos brazaletes que pesaban diez:
23Y dijo: ¿De quién eres hija? Ruégote me digas, ¿hay lugar en casa de tu padre donde posemos?
24Y ella respondió: Soy hija de Bethuel, hijo de Milca, el cual parió ella á Nachôr.
25Y añadió: También hay en nuestra casa paja y mucho forraje, y lugar para posar.
26El hombre entonces se inclinó, y adoró á Jehová.
27Y dijo: Bendito sea Jehová, Dios de mi amo Abraham, que no apartó su misericordia y su verdad de mi amo, guiándome Jehová en el camino á casa de los hermanos de mi amo.
28Y la moza corrió, é hizo saber en casa de su madre estas cosas.
29Y Rebeca tenía un hermano que se llamaba Labán, el cual corrió afuera al hombre, á la fuente;
30Y fué que como vió el pendiente y los brazaletes en las manos de su hermana, que decía, Así me habló aquel hombre; vino á él: y he aquí que estaba junto á los camellos á la fuente.
31Y díjole: Ven, bendito de Jehová; ¿por qué estás fuera? yo he limpiado la casa, y el lugar para los camellos.
32Entonces el hombre vino á casa, y Labán desató los camellos; y dióles paja y forraje, y agua para lavar los piés de él, y los piés de los hombres que con él venían.
33Y pusiéronle delante qué comer; mas él dijo: No comeré hasta que haya dicho mi mensaje. Y él le dijo: Habla.
34Entonces dijo: Yo soy criado de Abraham;
35Y Jehová ha bendecido mucho á mi amo, y él se ha engrandecido: y le ha dado ovejas y vacas, plata y oro, siervos y siervas, camellos y asnos.
36Y Sara, mujer de mi amo, parió en su vejez un hijo á mi señor, quien le ha dado todo cuanto tiene.
37Y mi amo me hizo jurar, diciendo: No tomarás mujer para mi hijo de las hijas de los Cananeos, en cuya tierra habito;
38Sino que irás á la casa de mi padre, y á mi parentela, y tomarás mujer para mi hijo.
39Y yo dije: Quizás la mujer no querrá seguirme.
40Entonces él me respondió: Jehová, en cuya presencia he andado, enviará su ángel contigo, y prosperará tu camino; y tomarás mujer para mi hijo de mi linaje y de la casa de mi padre:
41Entonces serás libre de mi juramento, cuando hubieres llegado á mi linaje; y si no te la dieren, serás libre de mi juramento.
42Llegué, pues, hoy á la fuente, y dije: Jehová, Dios de mi señor Abraham, si tú prosperas ahora mi camino por el cual ando;
43He aquí yo estoy junto á la fuente de agua; sea, pues, que la doncella que saliere por agua, á la cual dijere: Dame á beber, te ruego, un poco de agua de tu cántaro;
44Y ella me respondiere, Bebe tú, y también para tus camellos sacaré agua: ésta sea la mujer que destinó Jehová para el hijo de mi señor.
45Y antes que acabase de hablar en mi corazón, he aquí Rebeca, que salía con su cántaro sobre su hombro; y descendió á la fuente, y sacó agua; y le dije: Ruégote que me des á beber.
46Y prestamente bajó su cántaro de encima de sí, y dijo: Bebe, y también á tus camellos daré á beber. Y bebí, y dió también de beber á mis camellos.
47Entonces preguntéle, y dije: ¿De quién eres hija? Y ella respondió: Hija de Bethuel, hijo de Nachôr, que le parió Milca. Entonces púsele un pendiente sobre su nariz, y brazaletes sobre sus manos:
48E inclinéme, y adoré á Jehová, y bendije á Jehová, Dios de mi señor Abraham, que me había guiado por camino de verdad para tomar la hija del hermano de mi señor para su hijo.
49Ahora pues, si vosotros hacéis misericordia y verdad con mi señor, declarádmelo; y si no, declarádmelo; y echaré á la diestra ó á la siniestra.
50Entonces Labán y Bethuel respondieron y dijeron: De Jehová ha salido esto; no podemos hablarte malo ni bueno.
51He ahí Rebeca delante de ti; tómala y vete, y sea mujer del hijo de tu señor, como lo ha dicho Jehová.
52Y fué, que como el criado de Abraham oyó sus palabras, inclinóse á tierra á Jehová.
53Y sacó el criado vasos de plata, y vasos de oro y vestidos, y dió á Rebeca: también dió cosas preciosas á su hermano y á su madre.
54Y comieron y bebieron él y los varones que venían con él, y durmieron; y levantándose de mañana, dijo: Enviadme á mi señor.
55Entonces respondió su hermano y su madre: Espere la moza con nosotros á lo menos diez días, y después irá.
56Y él les dijo: No me detengáis, pues que Jehová ha prosperado mi camino; despachadme para que me vaya á mi señor.
57Ellos respondieron entonces: Llamemos la moza y preguntémosle.
58Y llamaron á Rebeca, y dijéronle: ¿Irás tú con este varón? Y ella respondió: Sí, iré.
59Entonces dejaron ir á Rebeca su hermana, y á su nodriza, y al criado de Abraham y á sus hombres.
60Y bendijeron á Rebeca, y dijéronle: Nuestra hermana eres; seas en millares de millares, y tu generación posea la puerta de sus enemigos.
61Levantóse entonces Rebeca y sus mozas, y subieron sobre los camellos, y siguieron al hombre; y el criado tomó á Rebeca, y fuése.
62Y venía Isaac del pozo del Viviente que me ve; porque él habitaba en la tierra del Mediodía;
63Y había salido Isaac á orar al campo, á la hora de la tarde; y alzando sus ojos miró, y he aquí los camellos que venían.
64Rebeca también alzó sus ojos, y vió á Isaac, y descendió del camello;
65Porque había preguntado al criado: ¿Quién es este varón que viene por el campo hacia nosotros? Y el siervo había respondido: Este es mi señor. Ella entonces tomó el velo, y cubrióse.
66Entonces el criado contó á Isaac todo lo que había hecho.
67E introdújola Isaac á la tienda de su madre Sara, y tomó á Rebeca por mujer; y amóla: y consolóse Isaac después de la muerte de su madre.
King James Version
1And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
5And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
6And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
7The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
8And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
9And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
10And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
11And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
14And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
20And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
21And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
24And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
25She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
26And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
27And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.
28And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.
29And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
30And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
31And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
32And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
33And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
34And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
35And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
36And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:
41Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
42And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
43Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
44And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master’s son.
45And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
49And now if ye 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.
50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
52And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
53And 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.
54And 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 unto my master.
55And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
60And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country.
63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
65For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
67And 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.
World English Bible
1Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.
3I will make you swear by the LORD, 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.
4But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5The 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?”
6Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again.
7The LORD, 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.
8If 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.”
9The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10The 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.
11He 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.
12He said, “LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14Let 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.”
15Before 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.
16The 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.
17The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”
18She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.
19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”
20She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
23and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”
24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
25She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”
26The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD.
27He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.
29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
30When 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.
31He said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
32The 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.
33Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”
34He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
36Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.
37My 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,
38but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
39I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
40He said to me, ‘The LORD, 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.
41Then 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.’
42I came today to the spring, and said, ‘The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
43behold, 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,”
44then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’
45Before 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.’
46She 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.
47I 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.
48I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, 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.
49Now 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.”
50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from the LORD. We can’t speak to you bad or good.
51Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”
52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD.
53The 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.
54They 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.”
55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”
56He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”
57They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.”
58They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
59They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.
60They 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.”
61Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.
63Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels coming.
64Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel.
65She 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.
66The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67Isaac 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.