Genesis 24

A Wife for Isaac

1Now Abraham was old, advanced in age; and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in every way. 2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who ruled over all that he owned, “Please place your hand under my thigh, 3and I will make you swear by Yahweh, 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 land and to my kin, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5And the servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I indeed take your son back to the land from where you came?” 6Then Abraham said to him, “Beware lest you take my son back there! 7Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kin, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before 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 from this oath of mine; only do not take my son back there.” 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

10Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and he went with all kinds of good things of his master’s in his hand. So he arose and went to #24:10 Heb Aram-naharaim; lit Aram of the two riversMesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when the women go out to draw water. 12And he said, “O Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please cause this to happen before me today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. 13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, 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 she says, ‘Drink, and I will give water to your camels to drink also’—may she be the one whom You have decided for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master.”

Rebekah Goes with Abraham’s Servant

15And before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, was coming out with her jar on her shoulder. 16Now the young woman was very beautiful in appearance, a virgin, and no man had #24:16 Or relations withknown her; and 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.” 18And she said, “Drink, my lord”; and 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 draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.” 20So she hurried and emptied her jar into the watering channel and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her #24:21 Lit keeping silentin silence, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey successful or not.

22Now it happened that when the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a #24:22 A shekel was approx. 0.4 oz. or 11 gmhalf-shekel and two bracelets for her #24:22 Lit handswrists weighing ten shekels in gold, 23and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there a place for us to lodge in your father’s house?” 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, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and a place to lodge in.” 26Then the man bowed low and worshiped Yahweh. 27And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, Yahweh 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. 30Now it happened, when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s #24:30 Lit handswrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “#24:30 Lit Thus the manThis is what the man said to me,” he came out to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31And he said, “Come in, blessed of Yahweh! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?” 32So the man came into 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. 33Then food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have spoken my words.” And he said, “Speak!” 34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35And Yahweh has greatly blessed my master, so he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and male slaves and female slaves, and camels and donkeys. 36Now Sarah my master’s wife 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. 37And 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 #24:37 Lit dwelllive; 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, 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, ‘Yahweh, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and will make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. 41Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives. Now 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, ‘O Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful; 43behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and may it be that the #24:43 Or virginmaiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; 44and she will say to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”; she is the woman whom Yahweh has decided upon for my master’s son.’

45“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah was coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46Then she hurried and lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give water to your camels to drink’; so I drank, and she also gave water to the camels to drink. 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 Yahweh; and I blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the true way to take the daughter of my master’s #24:48 Lit brotherrelative for his son. 49So now if you are going to show lovingkindness and truth with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right or to the left.”

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The matter comes from Yahweh; so we cannot speak 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, as Yahweh has spoken.”

52Now it happened that when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground #24:52 Lit tobefore Yahweh. 53The 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. And then they arose in the morning, and 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, or even ten; afterward she will go.” 56And he said to them, “Do not delay me, since Yahweh has made my way successful. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57And they said, “We will call the young woman and ask about #24:57 Lit her mouthher wishes.” 58Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59Thus 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 seed possess

The gate of those who hate him.”

61Then Rebekah arose with her young women, and they mounted the camels and went after the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went.

Rebekah Becomes Isaac’s Wife

62Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi, for he #24:62 Lit was dwellingwas living in the land of the #24:62 South countryNegev. 63And Isaac went out to #24:63 Or stroll; meaning uncertainmuse in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. 64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac and dismounted from the camel. 65Then 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 #24:65 Or shawlveil and covered herself. 66And the servant recounted to 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. Thus, Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

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Genesis 24

Courting of Rebekah

1Now Abraham was old, advanced in years, and Adonai blessed Abraham in everything.

2Then Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household who managed everything that belonged to him, “Now put your hand under my thigh,

3so that I may make you take an oath by Adonai, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling.

4On the contrary, to my land and to my relatives you must go and get a wife for my son Isaac.

5But the servant said to him, “Suppose the woman were unwilling to follow after me to this land? Should I then have your son go back to the land you came from?

6Abraham said to him, “See to it that you don’t return my son there.

7Adonai, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from my native land and who spoke to me and made a pledge to me saying, ‘To your seed I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you and you will take a wife for my son from there.

8If the woman is not willing to follow after you, then you will be free from this oath of mine. Nevertheless, you must not return my son there.”

9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he made a pledge to him concerning this matter.

10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left with all the best of his master’s things in his hand. Then he arose and went to Aram-Naharaim, to Nahor’s city.

11Then he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time for the going out to draw water.

12“Adonai, the God of Abraham my master,” he said, “please make something happen before me today, and show loyalty to Abraham my master.

13Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are going out to draw water.

14Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please tip your jar so that I may drink,’ and she will say, ‘Drink—and I’ll also water your camels’—let her be the one You have appointed for your servant Isaac. So by this I’ll know that You have shown graciousness to my master.”

15Now before he had finished speaking, behold there was Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother) going out with her jar on her shoulder.

16Now the young woman was very good looking, a girl of marriageable age, and she was a virgin. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

17Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me sip a little water from your jar.”

18So she said, “Drink, my lord,” and she quickly lowered her jar onto her hand and gave him a drink.

19Now when she finished giving him a drink, she said, “I’ll also draw water for your camels until they’ve finished drinking.”

20So she quickly poured out her jug into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew water for all his camels,

21while the man continued to pay close attention to her, keeping silent in order to know whether or not Adonai had made his way successful.

22Now after the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a nose ring of gold weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets on her hands weighing ten shekels of gold.

23“Whose daughter are you?” he said. “Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

24She said to him, “I’m the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”

25She also said to him, “There’s both straw and plenty of feed with us, as well as room to spend the night.”

26Then the man bowed down and worshipped Adonai,

27and he said, “Blessed be Adonai, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His loyalty and His truth toward my master. As for me, Adonai has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s house these things.

29Now Rebekah had a brother and his name was Laban, and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring.

30As soon as he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, “Thus the man said to me,” he went to the man. There he was, standing by the camels at the spring.

31So he said, “Come in, blessed of Adonai. Why are you standing outside when I’ve tidied up the house and there is room for the camels?”

32So the man came to the house and he unloaded the camels. Straw and feed were given to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

33Food was placed before him to eat, but he said, “I won’t eat until I’ve stated my business.” So he said, “Speak.”

34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he said.

35Adonai has blessed my master very much so that he has become great, and He has given to him flocks of sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male slaves and female slaves, camels and donkeys.

36Now Sarah, my master’s wife, gave birth to a son for my master after she was old, and He gave him everything he owns.

37Then my master made me take an oath, saying, ‘You must not take a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I’m dwelling.’

38Instead you must go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’

39But I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman won’t come back with me?’

40So he said to me, ‘Adonai, before whom I’ve walked continually, will send His angel with you, and He will make your way successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s household.

41Then you’ll be free from my oath—if you come to my family and if they don’t give her to you—then you’ll be free from my oath.’

42So I came today to the spring and I said, ‘Adonai, the God of Abraham my master, if You are really going to make my way upon which I am walking successful,

43look, I’m standing by the spring of water. So let it be that the unmarried girl who is going out to draw water, to whom I’ll say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jug,”

44and she’ll say to me, “You drink, and I’ll also draw water for your camels”—let her be the woman whom Adonai appoints for my master’s son!’

45I had not yet finished speaking to my heart, and behold there was Rebekah going out—her jug was on her shoulder and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

46And she quickly lowered her jug off of her and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ Then I placed the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands.

48I bowed down and worshipped Adonai and blessed Adonai, the God of my master Abraham, who guided me on the true way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

49So now, if you’re really going to show loyalty and truth to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me and I’ll turn to the right or to the left.”

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and they said, “The matter proceeds from Adonai. We cannot speak to you bad or good.

51Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, and let her become a wife for our master’s son, just as Adonai has spoken.”

52Now when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground to Adonai.

53Then the servant brought out articles of silver and gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brothers and to her mother.

54Then they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me off to my master.”

55But her brother with her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days—or ten. Afterwards she may go.”

56But he said to them, “Don’t delay me, since Adonai has made my way successful. Send me off so that I can go to my master.”

57So they said, “We’ll call the young woman and let’s ask her opinion.”

58Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

59So they sent Rebekah their sister off with her nanny, and Abraham’s servant and his men,

60and they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your seed possess the gate of those who hate him.”

61Then Rebekah got up, with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed after the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

62Now Isaac had come from visiting Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the land of the Negev.

63Isaac went out to meditate strolling in the field at dusk. Then he lifted up his eyes and saw, behold, camels were coming.

64Rebekah also lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac. Then she fell off her camel.

65Then she said to the servant, “Who is that man there who is walking in the field—to meet us?” The servant said, “He is my master.” So she took the veil and covered herself.

66Then the servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.

67Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, took Rebekah and she became his wife—and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after the loss of his mother.

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