Chapter 24
1 Abraham was old , and well advanced in age . The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things .
2 Abraham said to his servant , the elder of his house , who ruled over all that he had , " Please put your hand under my thigh .
3 I 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 , amongst whom I live .
4 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives , and take a wife for my son Isaac ."
5 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 ?"
6 Abraham said to him , " Beware that you don’t bring my son there again .
7 The 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 .
8 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 ."
9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter .
10 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 .
11 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 .
12 He said, " LORD , the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today , and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Behold , I am standing by the spring of water . The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water .
14 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."
15 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 .
16 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 .
17 The servant ran to meet her , and said, " Please give me a drink , a little water from your pitcher ."
18 She said, " Drink , my lord." She hurried , and let down her pitcher on her hand , and gave him a drink .
19 When she had finished giving him a drink , she said, " I will also draw for your camels , until they have finished drinking ."
20 She hurried , and emptied her pitcher into the trough , and ran again to the well to draw , and drew for all his camels .
21 The man looked steadfastly at her , remaining silent , to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not .
22 As 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 ,
23 and said, " Whose daughter are you ? Please tell me . Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay ?"
24 She said to him , " I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah , whom she bore to Nahor ."
25 She said moreover to him , "We have both straw and feed enough , and room to lodge in ."
26 The man bowed his head , and worshipped the LORD .
27 He said, " Blessed be the LORD , the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth towards my master. As for me , the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives."
28 The young lady ran , and told her mother’s house about these words .
29 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban . Laban ran out to the man, to the spring .
30 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 .
31 He said, "Come in , you blessed of the LORD . Why do you stand outside ? For I have prepared the house , and room for the camels ."
32 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 .
33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said , " I will not eat until I have told my message ." Laban said , " Speak on ."
34 He said, " I am Abraham’s servant .
35 The 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 .
36 Sarah , my master ’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old . He has given all that he has to him .
37 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 ,
38 but you shall go to my father ’s house , and to my relatives , and take a wife for my son .’
39 I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me ?’
40 He 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 .
41 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.’
42 I 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 —
43 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 ,"
44 then 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 .’
45 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 .’
46 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 .
47 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 .
48 I bowed my head , and worshipped 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 .
49 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 ."
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered , " The thing proceeds from the LORD . We can ’t 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 the LORD has spoken ."
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words , he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD .
53 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.
54 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."
55 Her brother and her mother said, " Let the young lady stay with us a few days , at least ten . After that she will go ."
56 He said to them , "Don’t hinder me , since the LORD has prospered my way . Send me away that I may go to my master."
57 They said , "We will call the young lady , and ask her ."
58 They called Rebekah , and said to her , " Will you go with this man ?" She said , " I will go ."
59 They sent away Rebekah , their sister, with her nurse , Abraham’s servant , and his men .
60 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 ."
61 Rebekah arose with her ladies . They rode on the camels , and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah , and went his way .
62 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South .
63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening . He lifted up his eyes and looked . Behold , there were camels coming .
64 Rebekah lifted up her eyes , and when she saw Isaac , she got off the camel .
65 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 .
66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done .
67 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.