Genesis 24
24
Abraham Instructs His Servant
1By now Abraham was old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2So Abraham said to the senior servant of his household who was in charge of all that he owned, “Take a solemn oath. 3I want you to swear by the Lord God of heaven and earth that you will not get my son a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I’m living. 4Instead, you will go to the land of my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
5The servant asked him, “What if the woman doesn’t want to come back to this land with me? Should I take your son all the way back to the land you came from?”
6“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said to him. 7“The Lord God of heaven took me from my father’s home and the land of my family. He spoke to me and swore this oath: ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’
“God will send his angel ahead of you, and you will get my son a wife from there. 8If the woman doesn’t want to come back with you, then you’ll be free from this oath that you swear to me. But don’t take my son back there.” 9So the servant did as his master Abraham commanded and swore the oath to him concerning this.
10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, taking with him all of his master’s best things. He traveled to Aram Naharaim, Nahor’s city.
Abraham’s Servant Finds a Wife for Isaac
11The servant had the camels kneel down outside the city by the well. It was evening, when the women would go out to draw water. 12Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today. Show your kindness to Abraham. 13Here I am standing by the spring, and the girls of the city are coming out to draw water. 14I will ask a girl, ‘May I please have a drink from your jar?’ If she answers, ‘Have a drink, and I’ll also water your camels,’ let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This way I’ll know that you’ve shown your kindness to my master.”
15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16The girl was a very attractive virgin. No man had ever had sexual intercourse with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back.
17The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a drink of water.”
18“Drink, sir,” she said. She quickly lowered her jar to her hand and gave him a drink. 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I’ll also keep drawing water for your camels until they’ve had enough to drink.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the water trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21The man was silently watching her to see whether or not the Lord had made his trip successful.
22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a fifth of an ounce and two gold bracelets weighing four ounces. 23He asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me whether there is room in your father’s house for us to spend the night.”
24She answered him, “I’m the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah and Nahor. 25We have plenty of straw and feed ⌞for your camels⌟ and room for you to spend the night.”
26The man knelt, bowing to the Lord with his face touching the ground. 27He said, “Praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. The Lord hasn’t failed to be kind and faithful to my master. The Lord has led me on this trip to the home of my master’s relatives.”
28The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. 30He saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and heard her tell what the man had said to her. Immediately, Laban ran out to the man by the spring.#24:30 The last part of verse 29 (in Hebrew) has been placed in verse 30 to express the complex Hebrew sentence structure more clearly in English. He came to the man, who was standing with the camels by the spring. 31He said, “Come in, you whom the Lord has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have straightened up the house and made a place for the camels.”
32So the man went into the house. The camels were unloaded and given straw and feed. Then water was brought for him and his men to wash their feet. 33When the food was put in front of him, he said, “I won’t eat until I’ve said what I have to say.”
“Speak up,” Laban said.
34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he said. 35“The Lord has blessed my master, and he has become wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. 36My master’s wife Sarah gave him a son in her old age, and my master has given that son everything he has. 37My master made me swear this oath: ‘Don’t get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I’m living. 38Instead, go to my father’s home and to my relatives, and get my son a wife.’
39“I asked my master, ‘What if the woman won’t come back with me?’
40“He answered me, ‘I have been living the way the Lord wants me to. The Lord will send his angel with you to make your trip successful. You will get my son a wife from my relatives and from my father’s family. 41Then you will be free from your oath to me. You will also be free of your oath to me if my relatives are not willing to do this when you go to them.’
42“When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘Lord God of my master Abraham, please make my trip successful. 43I’m standing by the spring. I’ll say to the young woman who comes out to draw water, “Please give me a drink of water.” 44If she says to me, “Not only may you have a drink, but I will also draw water for your camels,” let her be the woman the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
45“Before I had finished praying, Rebekah came with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water.
“So I asked her, ‘May I have a drink?’ 46She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Have a drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.
47“Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
“She answered, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor and Milcah.’
“I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48I knelt, bowing down to the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. The Lord led me in the right direction to get the daughter of my master’s relative for his son. 49Tell me whether or not you’re going to show my master true kindness so that I will know what to do.”
50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord. We can’t say anything to you one way or another. 51Here’s Rebekah! Take her and go! She will become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has said.”
52When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the Lord. 53The servant took out gold and silver jewelry and clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and 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, “Let me go back to my master.”
55Her brother and mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us ten days or so. After that she may go.”
56He said to them, “Don’t delay me now that the Lord has made my trip successful. Let me go back to my master.”
57So they said, “We’ll call the girl and ask her.”
58They called for Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”
She said, “Yes, I’ll go.”
59So they let their sister Rebekah and her nurse go with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60They gave Rebekah a blessing:
“May you, our sister, become the mother of many thousands of children.
May your descendants take possession of their enemies’ cities.”
61Then Rebekah and her maids left. Riding on camels, they followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and left.
Isaac and Rebekah Are Married
62Isaac had just come back from Beer Lahai Roi, since he was living in the Negev. 63Toward evening Isaac went out into the field to meditate. When he looked up, he saw camels coming. 64When Rebekah saw Isaac, she got down from her camel. 65She asked the servant, “Who is that man over there coming through the field to meet us?”
“That is my master,” the servant answered. Then she took her veil and covered herself. 66The servant reported to Isaac everything he had done. 67Isaac took her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He married Rebekah. She became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Genesis 24
24
1And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] was old, [and] well stricken in age: and the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) had Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] in all things.
2And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray youi, youri hand under my thigh:
3And I will make youi swear by the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), the God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of heaven, and the God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of the earth, that youi shall not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Kena’ani (low/humbled ones; merchants), among whom I dwell:
4But youi shall go unto my country, and to my family, and take a wife unto my son Yitz’chak [Laughter].
5And the servant said unto him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring youri son again unto the land from which youi came?
6And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] said unto him, Beware youi that youi bring not my son there again.
7The Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my family, and which spoke unto me, and that swore unto me, saying, Unto youri seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before youi, and youi shall take a wife unto my son from there.
8And if the woman will not be willing to follow youi, then youi shall be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son there again.
9And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] his master, and swore to him concerning that matter.
10And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master [were] in his hand: and he arose, and went to Aram-Naharayim [Aram (Mesopotamia/Aram (Syria) [exalted]) [Elevated Between the Two Rivers]] (between two rivers), unto the city of Nokhor (a snort, a snorting; charred, scorched).
11And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12And he said, O Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of my master Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], I pray youi, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will].
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 girl to whom I shall say, Let down youri pitcher, I pray youi, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give youri camels drink also: [let the same be] she [that] youi have appointed for youri servant Yitz’chak [Laughter]; and thereby shall I know that youi have showed kindness unto my master.
15And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) came out, who was born to B’tu’el (meaning disputed), son of Milkah (Counsel; Queen), the wife of Nokhor (a snort, a snorting; charred, scorched), Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16And the girl [was] very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man 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 youi, drink a little water of youri pitcher.
18And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw [water] for youri camels also, until they have done drinking.
20And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw [water], and drew for all his camels.
21And the man wondering at her held his peace, that is to say whether the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) had made his journey prosperous or not.
22And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten [shekels] weight of gold;
23And said, Whose daughter [are] youi? tell me, I pray youi: is there room [in] youri father’s house for us to lodge in?
24And she said unto him, I [am] the daughter of B’tu’el (meaning disputed) the son of Milkah (Counsel; Queen), which she bore unto Nokhor (a snort, a snorting; charred, scorched).
25She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender (food for livestock or cattle) enough, and room to lodge in.
26And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).
27And he said, Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) [be] the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) God-Elohe [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of my master Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], who has not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I [being] in the way, the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) led me to the house of my master’s brethren.
28And the girl ran, and told [them of] her mother’s house these things.
29And Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) had a brother, and his name [was] Lavan (to be white; white guy): and Lavan ran out unto the man, unto the well.
30And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) his sister, saying, In the following manner spoke the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
31And he said, Come in, youi Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate); for what reason [do] youi stand outside? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
32And the man came into the house: and he unloaded his camels, and gave straw and provender (food for livestock or cattle) for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that [were] with him.
33And there was set [meat] before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.
34And he said, I [am] Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] servant.
35And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) my master greatly; and he is become great: and he has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and donkeys.
36And Sarah [Princess] my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old: and unto him has he given all that he has.
37And my master made me swear, saying, Youi shall not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Kena’ani (low/humbled ones; merchants), in whose land I dwell:
38But youi shall go unto my father’s house, and to my family, and take a wife unto my son.
39And I said unto my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me.
40And he said unto me, The Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), before whom I walk, will send his angel with youi, and prosper youri way; and youi shall take a wife for my son of my family, and of my father’s house:
41Then shall youi be clear from [this] my oath, when youi come to my family; and if they give not youi [one], youi shall be clear from my oath.
42And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of my master Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], if now youi do prosper my way which I go:
43Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin comes forth to draw [water], and I say to her, Give me, I pray youi, a little water of youri pitcher to drink;
44And she say to me, Both drink youi, and I will also draw for youri camels: [let] the same [be] the woman whom the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has appointed out for my master’s son.
45And before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew [water]: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray youi.
46And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her [shoulder], and said, Drink, and I will give youri camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter [are] youi? And she said, The daughter of B’tu’el, Nokhor’s (a snort, a snorting; charred, scorched) son, whom Milkah (Counsel; Queen) bore unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), and Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) God-Elōhīm [The Living Word - The Many Powered] of my master Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
49And now if youf will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50Then Lavan (to be white; white guy) and B’tu’el answered and said, The thing proceeds from the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate): we cannot speak unto youi bad or good.
51Behold, Rivkah [is] before youi, take [her], and go, and let her be youri master’s son’s wife, as the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has spoken.
52And it came to pass, that, when Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), [bowing himself] to the earth.
53And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave [them] to Rivkah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54And they did eat and drink, he and the men that [were] with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
55And her brother and her mother said, Let the girl abide with us [a few] days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) has prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57And they said, We will call the girl, and enquire at her mouth.
58And they called Rivkah, and said unto her, Will youi go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59And they sent away Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) their sister, and her nurse, and Avraham’s [exalted father/Fly They Will] servant, and his men.
60And they Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) Rivkah, and said unto her, Youi [are] our sister, be youi [the mother] of thousands of millions, and let youri seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61And Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured) arose, and her female servants, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rivkah, and went his way.
62And Yitz’chak [Laughter] came from the way of the well Be’er-Lachai-Ro’i [The Well Of The Living One Who Sees Me]; for he dwelt in the south country.
63And Yitz’chak [Laughter] went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels [were] coming.
64And Rivkah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Yitz’chak [Laughter], she lighted off the camel.
65For she [had] said unto the servant, What man [is] this that walks in the field to meet us? And the servant [had] said, It [is] my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66And the servant told Yitz’chak [Laughter] all things that he had done.
67And Yitz’chak [Laughter] brought her into his mother Sarah’s [Princess] tent, and took Rivkah (Tied Up; Secured), and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Yitz’chak [Laughter] was comforted after his mother’s [death].
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