1 Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. Yahweh 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 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. 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 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. 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, "Yahweh, 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 Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not. 22 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, 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 worshiped Yahweh. 27 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."
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 Yahweh. 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 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. 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, ‘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. 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, ‘Yahweh, 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 Yahweh 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 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. 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 Yahweh. 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 Yahweh has spoken."
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh. 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 Yahweh 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.
1 And Abraham was old [and] well stricken in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,
3 and I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of the heavens 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;
4 but thou shalt go unto my country and to my kindred and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land, must I therefore bring thy son again unto the land from which thou didst come?
6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware that thou not bring my son there again.
7 The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred and who spoke unto me and swore 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 there.
8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be free from this my oath; only do not bring my son there again.
9 Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning that matter.
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed with the best of what his master had in his hand; and he arose and went to Ara-naharaim, unto the city of Nahor.
11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, [even] the time that women go out to draw [water].
12 And he said, O LORD, God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, to have a good encounter this day and show mercy unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand [here] by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out for water:
14 And 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 to drink also; [let the same be] she [that] thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown mercy unto my master.
15 And 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.
16 And the damsel [was] very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known; and she went down to the fountain and filled her pitcher and and was coming [back] up.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord, and she hastened to let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink.
19 And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, I will draw [water] for thy camels also until they have finished drinking.
20 And she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw [water] and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man marveled at her in silence, to see whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.
22 And it came to pass as the camels had finished drinking that the man took a golden pendant of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten [shekels] weight of gold
23 and said, Whose daughter [art] thou? Tell me, I pray thee; is there room [in] thy father's house for us to lodge in?
24 And she said unto him, I [am] the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she gave birth unto Nahor.
25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and fodder enough and room to lodge in.
26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshipped the LORD.
27 And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD, God of my master Abraham, who has not lifted his mercy and his truth from my master, the LORD leading me in the way to the house of my master's brethren.
28 And the damsel ran and told [those of] her mother's house these things.
29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name [was] Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man to the fountain.
30 And it came to pass when he saw the pendant and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, she said, Thus spoke the man unto me; then he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the fountain.
31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; why dost thou stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and the place for the camels.
32 Then the man came into the house, and [Laban] ungirded his camels and gave straw and fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the men's feet that [were] with him.
33 And they set [food] before him to eat, but he said, I will not eat until I have told my errand. And [he] said unto him, Speak on.
34 And he said, I [am] Abraham's servant.
35 And the LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold and menservants and maidservants and camels and asses.
36 And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, unto whom he has given all that he has.
37 And 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;
38 but thou shalt go unto my father's house and to my kindred and take from there a wife for my son.
39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 And 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 lineage and of my father's house;
41 then shalt thou be free from [this] my oath, when thou hast come unto my lineage; and if they give [her] not [unto] thee, thou shalt be free from my oath.
42 And I came this day unto the fountain and said, O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if now thou dost prosper my way by which I go,
43 behold, I stand by the fountain of water; let it come to pass, therefore, [that] the virgin who comes forth to draw [water] unto whom I say, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
44 and if she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels, [let] the same [be] the woman whom the LORD has prepared for my master's son.
45 And before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down unto the fountain and drew [water], and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 And 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 gave to drink unto the camels also.
47 And I asked her and said, Whose daughter [art] thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him. Then I put the pendant over her nose and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And I bowed down my head and worshipped the LORD and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of the truth to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.
49 And now if ye will deal in mercy and truth 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 the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebekah [is] before thee; take [her] and go and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD has spoken.
52 And it came to pass that when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, [bowing himself] to the earth.
53 And the servant brought forth vessels of silver and vessels of gold and raiment and gave [them] to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.
54 And they ate and drank, he and the men that [were] with him, and slept; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
55 Then 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 unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD has prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57 Then they said, We will call the damsel and enquire at her mouth.
58 And they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 So they sent away Rebekah, their sister, and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah and said unto her, Thou [art] our sister; be thou [the mother] of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those who 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 away.
62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the land of the Negev.
63 And Isaac had gone out to pray in the field at the evening hour; and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and, behold, the camels [were] coming.
64 And Rebekah also lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
65 For she [had] asked the servant, What man [is] this that walks in the field to meet us? And the servant [had] said, This [is] my master; therefore she took a veil and covered herself.
66 Then 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 as [his] wife; and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's [death].: