1 N ow Abraham was old. He had lived many years. And the Lord had brought good to Abraham in every way.

¶ And Abraham was old and well stricken in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 A braham said to the oldest servant in his house and the one who took care of all that he owned, “Place your hand under my hip,

And Abraham said unto his eldest slave of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,

3 a nd I will have you promise by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth. Promise that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, who live around me.

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 B ut go to my country and to those of my family. Take a wife for my son Isaac from there.”

but thou shalt go unto my country and to my kindred and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

5 T he servant said to Abraham, “What if the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land? Should I take your son to the land you came from?”

And the slave 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 A braham said to him, “Make sure that you do not take my son there.

And Abraham said unto him, Beware that thou not bring my son there again.

7 T he Lord, the God of heaven, Who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, spoke to me and promised me. He said, ‘I will give this land to your children and to their children’s children.’ He will send His angel in front of you. And you will take a wife for my son from there.

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 B ut if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this promise to me. Only do not take my son there.”

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 S o the servant placed his hand under the hip of Abraham, and he promised to do this.

Then the slave put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning that matter.

10 T hen the servant took ten of Abraham’s camels and left. He took with him all kinds of gifts from Abraham. Then he went to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia.

¶ And the slave 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 H e made the camels get down on their knees outside the city by the well of water in the evening. It was the time when women go out to get water.

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 H e said, “O Lord, the God of my boss Abraham, let all go well for me today. Show loving-kindness to my boss Abraham.

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 S ee, I am standing here by the well of water. And the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to get water.

Behold, I stand here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out for water:

14 I f I say to a girl, ‘Let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and she answers, ‘Drink, and I will give water to your camels also,’ let her be the one whom You have chosen for your servant Isaac. I will know by this that You have shown loving-kindness to my boss.”

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 slave Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown mercy unto my master.

15 B efore he had finished speaking, Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor, the brother of Abraham. She had a jar on her shoulder.

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 T he girl was very beautiful and had never lain with a man. She went down to the well, filled her jar and came up.

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 was coming back up.

17 T hen the servant ran to meet her. He said, “Let me drink a little water from your jar.”

Then the slave ran to meet her and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 S he said, “Drink, my lord.” And she was quick to lift her jar to her hand and give him a drink.

And she said, Drink, my lord, and she hastened to let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink.

19 W hen she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will get water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.”

And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also until they have finished drinking.

20 S he was quick to empty her jar into the animals’ drinking place. Then she ran to the well for more water, and got enough for all his camels.

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 T he man was quiet and watched her, waiting to know if the Lord had made all go well or not during his visit.

And the man marveled at her in silence, to see whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.

22 W hen the camels had finished drinking, the man took a heavy gold ring and two heavy gold objects to wear on her arms.

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 H e said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there a place for us to stay in your father’s house?”

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 S he said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.”

And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she gave birth unto Nahor.

25 S he also said, “We have both enough straw and food, and a place to stay.”

She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and fodder enough and room to lodge in.

26 T hen the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord.

Then the man bowed down his head and worshipped the LORD.

27 H e said, “Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of my boss Abraham. He has not kept His loving-kindness and His truth from my boss. He has led me in the way to the house of my boss’s brothers.”

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 T hen the girl ran and told about all this to those in her mother’s house.

And the damsel ran and told those of her mother’s house these things.

29 R ebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. And Laban ran outside to the man at the well.

¶ And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man to the fountain.

30 W hen he saw the gold objects his sister was wearing, and heard his sister Rebekah saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man. He saw him standing by the camels at the well.

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 L aban said, “Come in, you who receive good from the Lord! Why do you stand outside? I have made the house ready, and a place for the camels.”

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 S o the man came into the house. Laban took the load off the camels, and gave them straw and food. He got water to wash the feet of Abraham’s servant and the feet of the men who were with him.

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 T hen food was set in front of the man to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have told you why I came here.” Laban said, “Tell it.”

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 S o he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

And he said, I am Abraham’s slave.

35 A nd the Lord has brought much good to my boss. He has become rich. The Lord has given him flocks and cattle, silver and gold, men and women servants, and camels and donkeys.

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 menslaves and maidslaves and camels and asses.

36 M y boss’s wife Sarah gave birth to my boss’s son when she was very old. And he has given him all he has.

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 “ My boss made me promise, saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live.

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 B ut go to my father’s house, to those of my family, and take a wife for my son there.’

but thou shalt go unto my father’s house and to my kindred and take from there a wife for my son.

39 I said to my owner, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’

And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.

40 H e said to me, ‘The Lord, Whom I have always obeyed, will send His angel with you to make all go well during your visit there. You will take a wife for my son from those of my family and from my father’s house.

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 T hen you will be free from your promise to me. When you come to those of my family, and if they do not give her to you, then you will be free from your promise to me.’

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 “ So I came to the well today. I said, ‘O Lord, the God of my boss Abraham, may all go well during my visit here.

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 S ee, I am standing by the well of water. If I say to the girl who comes out for water, “Let me drink a little water from your jar,”

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 a nd she says, “You drink, and I will get water for your camels also,” then let her be the woman whom the Lord has chosen for my boss’s son.’

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 B efore I had finished speaking in my heart, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got water. I asked her, ‘Let me drink.’

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 A nd she was quick to take down her jar from her shoulder. She said, ‘Drink, and I will give water to your camels also.’ So I drank and she gave water to the camels also.

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 T hen I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor.’ And I put the gold objects on her nose and arms.

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 T hen I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I gave honor and thanks to the Lord, the God of my boss Abraham. For He had led me in the right way to take the daughter of my boss’s brother for his son.

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 S o now if you will show kindness and be true to my boss, tell me. And if not, tell me so I may know which way to turn.”

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 T hen Laban and Bethuel answered, “This thing comes from the Lord. We cannot speak for or against it.

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

51 S ee, Rebekah is in front of you. Take her and go. Let her be the wife of your boss’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”

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 W hen Abraham’s servant heard their words, he put his face to the ground before the Lord.

And it came to pass that when Abraham’s slave heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

53 H e brought out things made of silver and gold, and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. He gave things of much worth to her brother and mother also.

And the slave 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 T hen he and the men with him ate and drank and stayed the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my boss.”

¶ 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 B ut her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl stay with us a few days, at least ten. Then she may go.”

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 B ut he said to them, “Do not make me stay any more days, since the Lord has made my way go well. Send me away so I may go to my boss.”

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 T hey said, “We will call the girl and ask her what she wants to do.”

Then they said, We will call the damsel and enquire at her mouth.

58 T hey called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”

And they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59 S o they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse. They went with Abraham’s servant and the men who were with him.

So they sent away Rebekah, their sister, and her nurse and Abraham’s slave and his men.

60 T hey prayed that good would come to Rebekah, and said to her, “You are our sister. May you become the mother of millions. May your children and all their children’s children after them take over the cities of those who hate them.”

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 T hen Rebekah and her servants got up on the camels and followed the man. So the servant of Abraham took Rebekah and left.

And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels and followed the man; and the slave took Rebekah and went away.

62 N ow Isaac had come from Beerlahairoi, and was living in the Negev.

¶ And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the land of the Negev.

63 I saac had gone out to pray in the field in the evening. He looked up and saw that camels were coming.

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 A nd Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel

And Rebekah also lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

65 a nd said to Abraham’s servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” Abraham’s servant said, “He is my boss.” So she took a cloth and covered her face.

For she had asked the slave, What man is this that walks in the field to meet us? And the slave had said, This is my master; therefore she took a veil and covered herself.

66 T he servant told Isaac all the things he had done.

Then the slave told Isaac all the things that he had done.

67 T hen Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac found comfort after his mother’s death.

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.