Bereshis 24
24
1And Avraham was zaken (old), and well stricken in age; and Hashem berach (had blessed) Avraham in all things.
2And Avraham said unto his eved zekan of his bais, hamoshel (that ruled) over all that he had, Put, now, thy yad under my thigh;
3And I will make thee swear by Hashem Elohei HaShomayim and Elohei Ha'Aretz, that thou shalt not take an isha unto beni of the Banot HaKena'ani, among whom I dwell:
4But thou shalt go unto my eretz, and to my moledet, and take an isha unto beni Yitzchak.
5And the eved said unto him, What if the isha will not be willing to follow me unto HaAretz Hazot: must I needs bring binecha back unto ha'aretz from where thou camest?
6And Avraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not beni to there!
7 Hashem Elohei HaShomayim, which took me from bais avi, and from the eretz of my moledet, and which spoke unto me, and that swore unto me, saying, Unto thy zera will I give HaAretz Hazot; He shall send His Malach before thee, and thou shalt take an isha unto beni from there.
8But if the isha will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be released from this my shevu'ah (oath): only do not bring back beni there.
9And the eved put his yad under yerech Avraham adonav, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10And the eved took asarah gemalim of the gemalei adonav, and departed; for all the goods of adonav were in his yad: and he arose, and went to Aram Naharayim (Mesopotamia), unto the Ir Nachor.
11And he made his gemalim to kneel down outside the Ir near a be'er hamayim at the time of erev, at the time that women go out to draw mayim.
12And he said Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, now, send me success this yom, and show chesed unto adoni Avraham.
13Hinei, I stand here by the ayin hamayim; and the banot anshei haIr come out to draw mayim;
14And let it come to pass, that the na'arah to whom I shall say, Let down thy jug, now, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy gemalim drink also; let the same be she that Thou hast appointed for Thy eved Yitzchak; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast showed chesed unto adoni.
15And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, hinei, Rivkah came out, who was born to Betuel Ben Milcah, eshet Nachor, achi Avraham, with her jug upon her shoulder.
16And the na'arah was tovat mareh me'od, a betulah, neither had any ish known her: and she went down to haayenah (the spring), and filled her jug, and came up.
17And the eved hurried to meet her, and said, Let me, now, drink a little mayim of thy jug.
18And she said, Drink, adoni: and she hasted, and let down her jug upon her yad, and gave him drink.
19And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw for thy gemalim also, until they have done drinking.
20And she hasted, and emptied her jug into the trough, and ran back unto the be'er to draw, and drew for all his gemalim.
21And the ish gazed at her and held his peace, so as to have da'as whether Hashem had made his derech prosperous or not.
22And it came to pass, just as the gemalim had done drinking, that the ish took a nezem zahav (gold ring) by weight a beka, and two tzemidim (bracelets) by weight ten [shekels of] gold for her wrists;
23And said, Whose bat art thou? Tell me, now: is there makom in the bais of thy av for us to spend the night?
24And she said unto him, I am Bat Betuel Ben Milcah, the ben which she bore unto Nachor.
25She said moreover unto him, We have both teven (straw) and mispo (fodder) enough, and makom (room) to spend the night.
26And the ish bowed his head, worshiped Hashem.
27And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, who hath not left destitute of His chesed and His emes; I being on the derech, Hashem led me to the bais achei adoni.
28And the na'arah ran, and told them of her bais em these things.
29And Rivkah had an ach, shmo Lavan; Lavan ran out unto the ish, unto the ayin.
30And it came to pass, when he saw the nezem and tzemidim upon the wrists of his achot, and when he heard the words of Rivkah his achot, saying, Thus spoke the ish unto me; that he came unto the ish; and, hinei, he stood by the gemalim at the ayin.
31And he said, Come in, Baruch Hashem; why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the bais, and makom for the gemalim.
32And the ish came into the bais; and he unloaded his gemalim, and gave teven (straw) and mispo (fodder) for the camels, and mayim to wash his raglayim, and the raglei haanashim that were with him.
33And there was set ochel before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have stated my business. And he said, Speak on.
34And he said, I am eved Avraham.
35And Hashem hath blessed adoni me'od; and he is become prospered: and He hath given him tzon, and bakar, and kesef, and zahav, and avadim, and shefachot, and gemalim, and chamorim.
36And Sarah eshet adoni bore ben to adoni when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37And adoni made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take an isha for beni of the Banot HaKena'ani, in whose land I dwell;
38But thou shalt go unto bais avi, to my mishpokhot, and take an isha unto beni.
39And I said unto adoni, What if the isha will not follow me.
40And he said unto me, Hashem, before Whom I walk, will send His Malach with thee, and prosper thy derech; and thou shalt take an isha for beni of my mishpokhot, and of my bais avi;
41Then shalt thou be released from this my oath, when thou comest to my mishpokhot; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be released from my oath.
42And I came this day unto the ayin, and said, Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, if now Thou do prosper my derech which I go;
43Hinei, I stand by the ayin hamayim; and it shall come to pass, that when haAlmah#24:43 haAlmah used here as synonym for na'arah-betulah, Gn 24:16; see Isa 7:14, Introduction cometh forth to draw mayim, and I say to her, Give me, now, a little mayim of thy jar to drink;
44And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy gemalim; let the same be the isha whom Hashem hath appointed for ben adoni.
45And before I had done davening in mine lev, hinei, Rivkah came forth with her jar on her shoulder; and she went down unto ha'ayenah, and drew: and I said unto her, Let me drink, now.
46And she made haste, and let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy gemalim drink also: so I drank, and she made the gemalim drink also.
47And I asked her, and said, Whose bat art thou? And she said, Bat Betuel Ben Nachor, the ben whom Milcah bore unto him: and I put the nezem upon her face, and the tzemidim upon her wrists.
48And I bowed down my head, and worshiped Hashem, and I said a brocha to Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, which had led me on the derech emes to take bat achi adoni for bno.
49And now if ye will do chesed and emes to adoni, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to yamin, or to smol.
50Then Lavan and Betuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from Hashem; we cannot speak unto thee rah or tov.
51Hinei, Rivkah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be isha for ben adoneicha, just as Hashem hath spoken.
52And it came to pass, that, when eved Avraham heard their words, he worshiped Hashem, bowing himself to the ground.
53And the eved brought forth kelei kesef, and kelei zahav, and begadim, and gave them to Rivkah; he gave also to her ach and to her em migdanot (costly gifts).
54And they did eat and drink, he and the anashim that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the boker, and he said, Send me away unto adoni.
55And her ach and her em said, Let the na'arah abide with us ten days or so; after that she shall go.
56And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing Hashem hath prospered my derech; send me away that I may go to adoni.
57And they said, We will call the na'arah, and inquire at her mouth.
58And they called Rivkah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this ish? And she said, I will go.
59And they sent away Rivkah their achot, and her nurse, and eved Avraham, and his anashim.
60And they said a brocha over Rivkah, and said unto her, Thou art achoteinu, may thou be increased to thousands upon thousands and may thy zera possess the sha'ar of those which hate them.
61And Rivkah arose, and her na'arot, and they rode upon the gemalim, and followed the ish: and the eved took Rivkah, and went his way.
62And Yitzchak had come from Be'er Lachai Roi; for he dwelt in the eretz hanegev.
63And Yitzchak went out to meditate in the sadeh at erev: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, hinei, the gemalim (camels) were coming.
64And Rivkah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Yitzchak, she got down from the gamal.
65For she had said unto the eved, Who is that ish that walketh in the sadeh to meet us? And the eved had said, He is adoni: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
66And the eved told Yitzchak all things that he had done.
67And Yitzchak brought her into the ohel of Sarah immo, and took Rivkah, and she became his isha; and he loved her: and Yitzchak was comforted after the [mot] immo.
THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.
Genesis 24
24
Isaac and Rebekah
1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord #ver. 35; ch. 13:2had blessed Abraham in all things. 2And Abraham said to his servant, #[ch. 15:2] the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, #ver. 9; ch. 47:29“Put your hand under my thigh, 3that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that #ch. 26:34, 35; 27:46; Deut. 7:3; [2 Cor. 6:14]you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4#[ch. 28:2]but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7The Lord, the God of heaven, #ch. 12:1 who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, #See ch. 12:7 ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ #Ex. 23:20, 23; 33:2; [Heb. 1:14]he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then #See Josh. 2:17-20you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9So the servant #ver. 2put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to #Deut. 23:4; Judg. 3:8Mesopotamia#24:10 Hebrew Aram-naharaim to the city of Nahor. 11And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when #1 Sam. 9:11; John 4:7women go out to draw water. 12And he said, “O Lord, #ver. 27, 42, 48 God of my master Abraham, #ch. 27:20please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. 13Behold, #ver. 43I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. #See ch. 15:8By this#24:14 Or By her I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”
15Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of #ch. 11:29; 22:23Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. 16The young woman #ch. 26:7was very attractive in appearance, a maiden#24:16 Or a woman of marriageable age whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. 17Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.
22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel,#24:22 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24She said to him, #ver. 15; ch. 22:23“I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26#ver. 48, 52; Ex. 4:31The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord 27and said, “Blessed be the Lord, #ver. 12, 42, 48 the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken #ch. 32:10; Ps. 98:3 his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord #ver. 48has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” 28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29Rebekah had a brother whose name was #ch. 25:20; 28:2; 29:5Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. 30As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31He said, “Come in, #[ch. 26:29; Judg. 17:2; Ruth 3:10]O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave #ch. 43:24; Judg. 19:21 straw and fodder to the camels, and there was #See ch. 18:4water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”
34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35The Lord #ver. 1has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36And Sarah my master’s wife #ch. 21:2 bore a son to my master when she was old, and #ch. 25:5to him he has given all that he has. 37#ver. 3-8My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40But he said to me, ‘The Lord, #ch. 17:1 before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and #ver. 21prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. 41Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’
42“I came today to the spring and said, #ver. 12, 27 ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you #[See ver. 40 above]are prospering the way that I go, 43behold, I am standing #ver. 13by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44#ver. 14, 18and who will say to me, “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“Before I had finished #1 Sam. 1:13speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ #[Ezek. 16:11, 12]So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48#ver. 26, 52 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, #[See ver. 42 above] the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way#24:48 Or faithfully to take #[ch. 22:23]the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 49Now then, if you are going to #ch. 47:29; Josh. 2:14show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot #ch. 31:24; 2 Sam. 13:22speak to you bad or good. 51Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, #See ver. 13-15, 42-46as the Lord has spoken.”
52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, #[See ver. 48 above]he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. 53And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, #ver. 56, 59“Send me away to my master.” 55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56But 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.” 57They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and #ch. 35:8her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you #ch. 17:16 become
thousands of ten thousands,
and #ch. 22:17may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”#24:60 Or hate them
61Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62Now Isaac had returned from #ch. 16:14; 25:11Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. 63And Isaac went out #Ps. 77:12; 143:5to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was #ch. 37:35; 38:12 comforted after his mother’s #ch. 23:2death.
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