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

Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way.

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,

Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, “ Please place your 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 you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live,

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

but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for 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?”

The servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?”

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

Then Abraham said to him, “ Beware that you do not take my son back there!

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, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and 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 will take a wife for 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.”

But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not take my son back there.”

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

So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this 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.

Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to 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.

He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when 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.

He said, “ O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to 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 am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw 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.”

now may it be that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’— may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.” Rebekah Is Chosen

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.

Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on 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.

The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

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

Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “ Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”

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

She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a 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.”

Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw also for your camels 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.

So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she 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.

Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful 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.

When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in 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 are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father’s house?”

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

She said to him, “ I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”

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

Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in.”

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

Then the man bowed low and worshiped 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.”

He said, “ Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

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

Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

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

Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring.

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.

When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “ This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

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, blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house, and a 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.

So the man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who 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.”

But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.”

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

So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

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.

The Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys.

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.

Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him 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.

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

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 owner, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’

I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does 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.

He said to me, ‘ The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from 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 you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will 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.

“So I came today to the spring, and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful;

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 am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “ Please let me drink a little water from your jar”;

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 she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed 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.’

“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

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.

She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘ Drink, and I will water your camels also’; so I drank, and she watered 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.

Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.

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 low and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for 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.”

So now if you are going to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or 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 replied, “ The matter comes from the Lord; so we cannot speak to you 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.”

Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”

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

When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the Lord.

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.

The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, 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.”

Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, “ Send me away to 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.”

But her brother and her mother said, “ Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may 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.”

He said to them, “Do not delay me, since 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.”

And they said, “We will call the girl and consult her wishes.”

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

Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you 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.

Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant 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.”

They blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, Become thousands of ten thousands, And may your descendants 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.

Then Rebekah arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. Isaac Marries Rebekah

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

Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in 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.

Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.

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

Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from 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.

She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her veil and covered herself.

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

The servant 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.

Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.