24:1 Now Abraham was old and advanced in years,1 and the LORD had blessed Abraham in everything. 24:2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest in his household, who was over everything that he had, “Put you hand under my thigh,2 24:3 so that I may make you swear3 by the LORD, the God of Heaven and the God of Earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose midst I am living, 24:4 but that you will go to my country and to my relatives to take4 a wife for my son, for Isaac.”
24:5 Then the servant said to him, “What if the woman is not willing to follow me5 to this land? Must I then6 take your son back to the land from which you came?”
24:6 But Abraham said to him, “Take heed7 that you do not take my son back there. 24:7 The LORD, the God of Heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed8 I will give this land,’ he will send His angel before you so that you may take9 a wife for my son from there. 24:8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you,10 then you will be free11 from this oath of mine—only you must not take my son there.” 24:9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he swore to him concerning this matter.
24:10 Then the servant took ten camels from his master’s camels and departed, with every kind of good thing of his master under his authority.12 And he set out13 to Aram Naharaim14 to the city of Nahor. 24:11 And he made the camels kneel down by the well of water outside the city, in the evening,15 at the time the women go out to draw water. 24:12 And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, guide me today,16 and show17 kindness18 to my master Abraham. 24:13 , Here, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the people in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 And let it be19 that the young woman to whom I will say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘drink, and I will also give your camels water,’20 let her be the one you have appointed21 for your servant, for Isaac; and in this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
24:15 And before he had finished speaking22 Rebekah was coming out23 with her jug on her shoulder. She was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham. 24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful, a virgin whom24 no man had known.25 And she went down to the spring and filled her jug and came back up. 24:17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 24:18 And she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let down26 her jug to her hands and gave him a drink. 24:19 When she finished giving him a drink,27 she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have finished drinking.28 24:20 So she quickly emptied29 her jug into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water; and so she drew water for all his camels. 24:21 And keeping silent the man watched her closely to determine30 if the LORD had made his way successful31 or not.
24:22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a golden ring,32 weighing a beka,33 and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.34 24:23 Then he said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there a place in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24:24 And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 24:25 And she said to him, “We have plenty of straw and fodder with us, and also a place to lodge.”
24:26 Then the man bowed his head and worshipped the LORD. 24:27 “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love35 for my master! The LORD has led me in the way36 to the house37 of the brother of my master!
24:28 The young girl ran38 and told her mother’s household all about39 these things. 24:29 Now Rebekah had a brother, whose name was Laban.40 Laban ran out41 to the man to the spring. 24:30 When he saw42 the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and when he heard43 the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he came out to the man while44 he was standing by the camels near the springs. 24:31 And he said, “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD!45 Why are you standing outside when I have prepared46 the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So the man went to the house and unloaded the camels; straw and fodder was given47 to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 24:33 Then food48 was placed49 before him. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.”50 And he said, “Speak.”
24:34 And he said, “I am the servant of Abraham. 24:35 And the LORD has blessed my master exceedingly, and he has become great: he has given to him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 And Sarah, the wife of my master, bore a son to my master after she had grown old; and he has given everything that he has to him. 24:37 My master51 made me swear, saying, ‘You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I am living; 24:38 but52 you must go to the house of my father and to my family to get53 a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said, `What if the woman does not want to go54 with me?’55 24:40 And he said to me, `The LORD, before whom I have walked,56 will send His angel with you; and he will make your journey a success, so that you will get57 a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. 24:41 Then you will be free from my oath when you go to my family; and if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’ 24:42 When I came58 to the spring today, I said, `O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will grant success59 to my journey on which I am going, 24:43 then as60 I am standing by the spring of water, let it be61 that the virgin who goes out to draw water, and to whom I say, `Give me a little water to drink from your jug,’ 24:44 and who says62 to me, `Both you drink63 and also I will draw water for your camels,’—let that same woman be the one whom the LORD has appointed for the son of my master.’
24:45 Before I finished speaking64 within my heart, along65 came Rebekah with her jug on her shoulder. And she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, `Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 And she quickly let down66 her jug from her shoulder,67 and she said , `Drink; and I will give water to your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also gave water to the camels. 24:47 Then I asked her and said, `Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, `The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore for him.’
Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms
24:48 and I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I blessed68 the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to get the daughter of my master’s relative69 to his son. 24:49 And now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me; but if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right or the left.”70
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “This matter71 is from the LORD. We are not able to speak to you bad or good.72 24:51 Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go. And let her become the wife of the son of your master, as the LORD has spoken.
24:52 And when the servant of Abraham heard their words, he bowed down to the ground to the LORD. 24:53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and clothing and gave them to Rebekah; and costly gifts he gave to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 And they ate and they drank, he and the men who were with him, and they spent the night. When they arose73 in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.”
24:55 And her brother and her mother said, “Let the young girl live with us a few days, perhaps ten; afterwards she can go.”
24:56 But he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since74 the LORD has granted success on my way; send me away that I may go75 to my master.” 24:57 And they said, “We will call the girl and ask her decision.”76 24:58 So they called Rebekah, and they said to her, “Do you want77 to go with this man?” And she said, “I want to go.”
24:59 So they sent off Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his men. 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
24:61 Then Rebekah and her maids got up and rode on the camels and went with80 the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now81 Isaac came from82 Beer Lahai Roi, for83 he was living in the Negev. 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the early evening,84 and he lifted up his eyes85 and saw that86 there were camels coming. 24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac; and she got down from her camel 24:65 and asked87 the servant, “Who is this man who is walking in the field towards us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 And the servant related to Isaac all the things that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah; and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.88