Genesis
Chapter 24
1 Abraham was old and advanced in years, and God had blessed Abraham in every way.
2 Abraham said to his oldest servant, who managed everything he owned, “Please put your hand under my thigh.”
3 I will make you promise by God, the God of heaven and earth, not to get a wife for my son from the Canaanite girls where I live.
4 Go to my homeland and my family, and find a wife for my son Isaac.
5 The servant asked, “What if the woman doesn’t want to come back with me to this place? Should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
6 Abraham told him, “Make sure you don’t take my son back there.”
7 God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my relatives’ land, who spoke to me and promised me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your descendants,’ will send an angel ahead of you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.
8 If the woman doesn’t want to come with you, you are free from my promise. Just don’t take my son back there.
9 The servant placed his hand under his master Abraham’s thigh and made a promise to him about this subject.
10 The servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, carrying all his master’s wealth. He then set out for Mesopotamia, to Nahor’s city.
11 He made his camels kneel outside the city near a water well when it was evening, the time when women come out to get water.
12 He said, “God of my master Abraham, please let me be successful today and show kindness to my master Abraham.”
13 Look, I am standing by the water well; and the city men’s daughters come out to get water.
14 Let it happen that the young woman I ask to lower her jar so I can have a drink, and who offers to water my camels too, be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I will know you have been kind to my master.
15 Before he finished talking, Rebekah came out. She was born to Bethuel, Milcah’s son and Nahor’s wife (Abraham’s brother), carrying a pitcher on her shoulder.
16 The young woman was very pretty, had never been with a man, and she went to the well, filled her jar, and came back up.
17 The servant hurried to her and asked, “Please let me have a little water from your pitcher to drink.”
18 She said, “Drink, sir,” and quickly lowered her jar onto her hand to give him a drink.
19 After she gave him water, she said, “I will also get water for your camels until they finish drinking.”
20 She hurried, poured her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to get more water, and filled it up for all the camels.
21 The man watched her in silence, wondering if God had made his trip successful.
22 After the camels finished drinking, the man gave her a gold earring weighing half a shekel and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
23 He asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there space at your father’s house for us to stay?”
24 She said to him, “I am Bethuel’s daughter, Milcah’s grandson who gave birth to Nahor’s child.”
25 She also told him, “We have plenty of straw and feed, and a place to stay.”
26 The man lowered his head and honored God.
27 He said, “Praise God of my master Abraham, who has not denied my master his kindness and honesty. While I was on the journey, God guided me to my master’s family’s home.”
28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s family about these things.
29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and Laban hurried out to the man at the well.
30 When he saw the earring and bracelets on his sister’s hands, and heard her saying what the man told her, he went to the man who was standing by the camels near the well.
31 He said, “Come in, you who are blessed by God; why are you standing outside? I have made the house ready and have space for the camels.”
32 The man entered the house, took off his camels’ gear, gave them straw and food, and brought water to wash his own and his companions’ feet.
33 Food was placed in front of him to eat, but he said, “I won’t eat until I explain my mission.” Then they told him, “Go ahead and speak.”
34 He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.”
35 God has blessed my master a lot; he has become very important: and God has given him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, male servants, female servants, camels, and donkeys.
36 Sarah, my master’s wife, had a son for my master when she was old, and he has given him everything he owns.
37 My master made me promise not to get a wife for his son from the Canaanite women where we live.
38 Go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and find a wife for my son.
39 And I said to my boss, Maybe the woman won’t come with me.
40 He told me, ‘God, whom I follow, will send an angel with you to make your journey successful; and you will find a wife for my son from my relatives and my father’s family.’
41 Then you will be free from my promise when you go to my family; and if they do not give you someone, you will be free from my promise.
42 I came to the well today and said, “God of my master Abraham, if you will make my journey successful:”
43 Look, I’m standing by the water well. When a young woman comes to get water, and I ask her for a little drink from her jar,
44 She said to me, ‘Drink, and I will also get water for your camels.’ Let her be the one God has chosen for my master’s son.
45 Before I finished thinking to myself, Rebekah came out with a jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and drew water. Then I asked her, “Please let me have a drink.”
46 She quickly took her jar off her shoulder, said “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.” So I drank, and she watered the camels as well.
47 I asked her, “Who is your father?” She replied, “I am Bethuel’s daughter, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah gave birth to for him.” Then I put the earring on her face and the bracelets on her hands.
48 I bowed my head, worshipped God, and blessed God of my master Abraham who guided me correctly to choose my master’s brother’s daughter for his son.
49 If you will treat my master with kindness and honesty, tell me. If not, tell me, so I can go either to the right or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This matter is from God: we cannot say anything bad or good to you.”
51 Look, Rebekah is here; take her and go so she can become the wife of your master’s son, as God has said.
52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground to worship God.
53 The servant took out silver and gold jewelry and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and her mother.
54 They ate and drank, he and the men with him, and stayed all night; they got up in the morning, and he said, Let me go to my master.
55 Her brother and mother said, “Let the girl stay with us for a few days, at least ten; then she can go.”
56 He said to them, “Don’t stop me, since God has made my journey successful; let me go so I can return to my master.”
57 We will ask the young woman what she thinks.
58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
59 They sent off their sister Rebekah, her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.
60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her, “You are our sister. May you be the mother of many millions and may your descendants conquer the lands of their enemies.”
61 Rebekah and her maids got up, they rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and left.
62 Isaac returned from near the well Lahairoi; he was living in the southern land.
63 Isaac went out to think in the field in the evening; when he looked up, he saw camels approaching.
64 Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she got down from the camel.
65 She had asked the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant replied, “It’s my boss.” So she took a veil and covered herself.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he had done.
67 Isaac took Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, married her, and loved her. Isaac felt better after his mother died.