Genesis 24

1Abraham was old, advanced in years, and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in everything.

2Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house who governed all he possessed, "Please place your hand under my thigh."

3I will make you swear by Yahweh, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.

4But go to my land and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

5The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land; shall I bring your son back to the land from which you came?"

6Abraham said to him, "Take care not to bring my son back there."

7Yahweh, God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and the land of my birth, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, "To your offspring 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 refuses to go with you, then you will be free from this oath of mine—only do not bring my son back there.

9The servant put his hand under his master Abraham's thigh and swore to him about this matter.

10The servant took ten of his master's camels and set out, with all his master's good things in his hand. He arose and went to Aram-Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.

11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

12He said, "Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and do kindness to my master Abraham."

13See, I 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 say, "Please tilt your pitcher down so I can drink," and who replies, "Drink, and I'll also water your camels"—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac; by this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.

15Before he finished speaking, there was Rebekah coming out, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, Nahor's wife, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.

16The young woman was strikingly beautiful, a virgin no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.

17The servant ran to meet her and said, "Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher."

18She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, lowered her pitcher onto her hand, and gave him drink.

19She finished watering him and said, "I will also draw for your camels until they finish drinking."

20She hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

21The man gazed at her in wonder, staying silent to know whether Yahweh had prospered his way or not.

22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold earring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten shekels of gold.

23He said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, does your father's house have room for us to spend the night?"

24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."

25She said to him, "We have plenty of both straw and provender, and also room to lodge."

26The man bowed his head and prostrated himself to Yahweh.

27He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and his faithfulness toward my master; as for me, Yahweh led me along the way to the house of my master's brothers."

28The young woman ran and told her mother's house these matters.

29Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring.

30When he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands and heard the words of Rebekah his sister saying, "This is what the man said to me," he came to the man, and behold, he stood by the camels at the spring.

31He said, "Come in, blessed by Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels."

32The man entered the house and unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for 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 will not eat until I have told my business." He said, "Speak."

34He answered, “I am Abraham's servant.”

35Yahweh has blessed my master abundantly and made him great, and he has given him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, male servants, female servants, camels, and donkeys.

36Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.

37My master adjured me, saying, "You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell."

38but go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.

39I said to my master, "Perhaps the woman will not follow me."

40He said to me, “Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and make your way successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.”

41Then you will be released from my oath when you come to my kin, but if they do not give her to you, you will be released from my oath.

42I came to the spring today and said, "Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, if now you prosper my way on which I go."

43See, I am standing by the spring of water, and may the young woman who comes out to draw water be the one to whom I say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.”

44And she says to me, “Drink too, and I will also draw for your camels”—she is the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.

45Before I finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; she went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, "Please let me drink."

46She hurried and lowered her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, "Drink, and I'll water your camels too." So I drank, and she watered the camels as well.

47I questioned her: "Whose daughter are you?" She replied, "The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore him." Then I placed the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands.

48I bowed my head and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me along the faithful path to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

49Now if you will show favor and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right or to the left.

50Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The matter has come forth from Yahweh; we cannot speak to you evil or good."

51See, Rebekah stands before you. Take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, as Yahweh has spoken.

52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the earth to Yahweh.

53The servant brought out silver articles, gold articles, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

54He and the men with him ate and drank, then spent the night. They arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me to my master."

55Her brother and her mother answered, "Let the young woman stay with us for days or ten; after that you go."

56He said to them, "Do not delay me, since Yahweh has prospered my way; send me away, and I will go to my master."

57They said, "Let us call the young woman and ask her."

58They called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."

59They sent Rebekah their sister, her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.

60They blessed Rebekah abundantly and said to her, “Our sister, you—may you become mother to thousands of myriads, and may your offspring possess the gate of their enemies.”

61Rebekah rose with her young women, mounted the camels, and went after the man. The servant took Rebekah and departed.

62Isaac came from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the land of the Negev.

63Isaac came out to meditate in the field toward evening, and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, camels approaching.

64Rebekah raised her eyes, saw Isaac, and got down from the camel.

65She said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "He is my master." She took the veil and covered herself.

66The servant recounted to Isaac everything he had done.

67Isaac brought her into Sarah his mother's tent, took Rebekah, and she became his wife; he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.