Genesis 24
24
A Bride for Isaac
1Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. 2Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household who was in charge of all that he owned, “Please place your hand under my thigh, 3and 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; 4but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5The 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?” 6Then Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there! 7The 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 #24:7 Lit seeddescendants I will give this land’—He will send His angel ahead of you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. 8But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free of this oath of mine; only do not take my son back there.” 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and went out with a variety of good things of his master’s in his hand; so he set out and went to #24:10 Heb Aram-naharaim, Aram of the two riversMesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water #24:11 Lit at time of eveningwhen it was evening, the time when women go out to draw water. 12And he said, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, please #24:12 Lit cause to occur for megrant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Behold, I am standing by the #24:13 Lit fountain of waterspring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14now may it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and #24:14 Lit she will saywho 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 kindness to my master.”
Rebekah Is Chosen
15And it came about, before he had finished speaking, that 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. 16The young woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had #24:16 Lit known herhad relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. 17Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” 18And she said, “Drink, my lord”; then she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have finished drinking.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21Meanwhile, the man was taking a close look at her #24:21 Lit keeping silentin silence, to find out whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a #24:22 A shekel was about 0.4 oz. or 11 gmhalf-shekel, and two bracelets for her #24:22 Lit handswrists weighing ten shekels in gold, 23and he said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to stay overnight at your father’s house?” 24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to stay overnight.” 26Then the man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned His kindness and His trustworthiness toward my master; as for me, the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”
28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. 30When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s #24:30 Lit handswrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “#24:30 Lit Thus the manThis is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31And 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?” 32So the man entered the house. Then #24:32 Lit heLaban 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. 33But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have stated my business.” And he said, “Speak on.” 34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35The Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become #24:35 Lit greatrich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and slave women, and camels and donkeys. 36Now my master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master #24:36 Lit after she was oldin her old age, and he has given him all that he has. 37My 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; 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39Then I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’ 40And 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; 41then 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 today to the spring, and said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I have been going successful; 43behold, I am standing by the #24:43 Lit fountain of waterspring, and may it be that the #24:43 Or virginyoung unmarried woman who comes out to draw water, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; 44and she says 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“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 water, and I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46She 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. 47Then 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 #24:47 Lit handswrists. 48And 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 brother for his son. 49So now if you are going to #24:49 Lit show kindness and truth todeal kindly and truthfully with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me now, so that I may turn to the right or the left.”
50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The matter has come from the Lord; so we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”
52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground #24:52 Lit tobefore the Lord. 53And 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. 54Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.” 56However, he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away so that I may go to my master.” 57And they said, “We will call the young woman and #24:57 Lit ask her mouthask her.” 58Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“May you, our sister,
Become thousands of ten thousands,
And may your #24:60 Lit seeddescendants possess
The gate of those who hate them.”
61Then Rebekah got up with her female attendants, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.
Isaac Marries Rebekah
62Now Isaac had come back from #24:62 Lit coming toa journey to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in the #24:62 I.e., South countryNegev. 63Isaac went out to #24:63 Or stroll; meaning uncertainmeditate in the field toward evening; and he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. 64Rebekah raised her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel. 65She 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 #24:65 Or shawlveil and covered herself. 66The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her; so Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE® NASB®
Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977,1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation
A Corporation Not for Profit
La Habra, CA
All Rights Reserved
www.lockman.org
Genesis 24
24
1And Abraham was old, and advanced in age; and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things. 2And Abraham said to his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put thy hand, I pray thee, under my thigh, 3and I will make thee swear by Jehovah, the God#GodHebrew: Elohim of the heavens and the God#GodHebrew: Elohim of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am dwelling; 4but thou shalt go to my land and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac. 5And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I, then, bring thy son again in any case to the land from which thou hast removed? 6And Abraham said to him, Beware that thou bring not my son thither again. 7Jehovah the God#GodHebrew: Elohim of the heavens, who took me out of my father's house, and out of the land of my nativity, and who has spoken to me, and who has sworn to me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land — he will send his angel before thee, that thou mayest take a wife for my son thence. 8And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be quit of this my oath: only, bring not my son thither again. 9And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore unto him concerning that matter.
10And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; now all the treasure of his master was under his hand; and he arose and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. 11And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water, at the time of the evening, when the women came out to draw water. 12And he said, Jehovah, God#GodHebrew: Elohim of my master Abraham, meet me, I pray thee, with thy blessing this day, and deal kindly with my master Abraham. 13Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. 14And let it come to pass, that the maiden to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink, and who will say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also, be she whom thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and hereby I shall know that thou hast dealt kindly with my master. 15And it came to pass before he had ended speaking, that behold, Rebecca came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother; and she had her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16And the maiden was very fair in countenance; a virgin, and no man had known her. And she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, sip a little water out of thy pitcher. 18And she said, Drink, my lord! And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him to drink. 19And when she had given him enough to drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough. 20And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw water; and she drew for all his camels. 21And the man was astonished at her, remaining silent, to know whether Jehovah had made his journey prosperous or not. 22And it came to pass when the camels had drunk enough, that the man took a gold ring, of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, ten shekels weight of gold, 23and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge? 24And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. 25And she said to him, There is straw, and also much provender with us; also room to lodge. 26And the man stooped, and bowed down before Jehovah, 27and said, Blessed be Jehovah, God#GodHebrew: Elohim of my master Abraham, who has not withdrawn his loving-kindness and his faithfulness from my master; I being in the way, Jehovah has led me to the house of my master's brethren. 28And the maiden ran and told these things to her mother's house.
29And Rebecca had a brother, named Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the well. 30And it came to pass when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's hand, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me — that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels, by the well. 31And he said, Come in, blessed of Jehovah! why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. 32And the man came into the house; and he ungirded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who were with him. 33And there was set meat before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat until I have made known my business. And he said, Speak on. 34And he said, I am Abraham's servant. 35And Jehovah has blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and bondmen and bondwomen, and camels and asses. 36And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master after she had grown old; and unto him has he given all that he has. 37And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling; 38but thou shalt by all means go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son. 39And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me? 40And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way, that thou mayest take a wife for my son of my family, and out of my father's house. 41Then shalt thou be quit of my oath, when thou shalt have come to my family. And if they give thee not one, thou shalt be quit of my oath. 42And I came this day to the well, and said, Jehovah, God#GodHebrew: Elohim of my master Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper my way on which I go, 43behold, I stand by the well of water, and let it come to pass that the damsel who cometh forth to draw water, and to whom I shall say, Give me, I pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher to drink, 44and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels — that she should be the woman whom Jehovah hath appointed for my master's son. 45Before I ended speaking in my heart, behold, Rebecca came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and went down to the well, and drew water; and I said to her, Give me, I pray thee, to drink. 46And she hasted and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. And I drank; and she gave the camels drink also. 47And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? 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 hands. 48And I stooped, and bowed down before Jehovah; and I blessed Jehovah, God#GodHebrew: Elohim of my master Abraham, who has led me the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. 49And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; and I will turn to the right hand or to the left. 50And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from Jehovah: we cannot speak to thee bad or good. 51Behold, Rebecca is before thee: take her, and go away; and let her be wife of thy master's son, as Jehovah has said. 52And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed down to the earth before Jehovah. 53And the servant brought forth silver articles, and gold articles, and clothing, and he gave them to Rebecca; and he gave to her brother, and to her mother, precious things.
54And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and lodged. And they rose up in the morning; and he said, Send me away to my master. 55And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us some days, or say ten; after that she shall go. 56And he said to them, Do not hinder me, seeing Jehovah has prospered my way: send me away, and I will go to my master. 57And they said, Let us call the maiden and inquire at her mouth. 58And they called Rebecca and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. 59And they sent away Rebecca their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. 60And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; mayest thou become thousands of tens of thousands; and may thy seed possess the gate of their enemies! 61And Rebecca arose, and her maids, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rebecca, and went away.
62And Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi; for he was dwelling in the south country. 63And Isaac had gone out to meditate in the fields toward the beginning of evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were coming. 64And Rebecca lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac, and she sprang off the camel. 65And she had said to the servant, Who is the man that is walking in the fields to meet us? And the servant said, That is my master! Then she took the veil, and covered herself. 66And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 67And Isaac led her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after the death of his mother.
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.