[1] Abraham was old, and well stricken 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, `To your descendants I will
give this land.` 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 my oath. 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
camels, of his master`s camels, and departed, having all goodly things of
his master`s in his hand. 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
this day, 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.` She will say,
`Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.` Let the same be she who
you have appointed for your servant Isaac. Thereby will I know that you
have showed kindness to my master." [15] It happened, 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 on her
shoulder. [16] The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin,
neither had any man 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
drink. [19] When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw
for your camels, until they have done 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, holding
his peace, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
[22] It happened, 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? Please tell
me. Is there room in your father`s house for us to lodge in?" [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 provender
enough, and room to lodge in." [26] The man bowed his head, and worshipped
Yahweh. [27] He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who
has not forsaken his lovingkindness and his truth toward my master. As for
me, Yahweh has led me in 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] It happened, 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," that 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 provender 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." He said, "Speak on." [34] He said, "I am Abraham`s
servant. [35] Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He
has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, men-servants and
maid-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
of 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 said to 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 of my
relatives, and of my father`s house. [41] Then will you 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 this day 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 the spring of water. Let it happen, that
the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, Give me, I pray
you, a little water from your pitcher to drink. [44] She will tell me,
"Drink, and I will also draw for your camels." Let the same be the woman
whom Yahweh has appointed for my master`s son.` [45] Before I had done
speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth 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 made the camels drink also. [47] I asked her, and said, `Whose daughter
are you?` She said, `The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor`s son, whom Milcah bare
to him.` I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. [48] I
bowed my head, and worshipped 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] It happened that when Abraham`s servant
heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh. [53] The
servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing,
and gave them to Rebekah. He gave also to her brother and to her mother
precious things. [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, seeing 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 seed 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 saw, and, behold, there were camels coming. [64]
Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from 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. Isaac was comforted
after his mother`s death.
