Genesis 24:29-51

New International Version

²⁹ Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,^(A) and he hurried out to the man at the spring. ³⁰ As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms,^(B) and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. ³¹ “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,”^(C) he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

³² So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder^(D) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.^{(E) 33} Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”

“Then tell us,” Laban said.

³⁴ So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.^{(F) 35} The Lord has blessed^(G) my master abundantly,^(H) and he has become wealthy.^(I) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.^{(J) 36} My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,^(K) and he has given him everything he owns.^{(L) 37} And my master made me swear an oath,^(M) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,^{(N) 38} but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’^(O)

³⁹ “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’^(P)

⁴⁰ “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,^(Q) will send his angel with you^(R) and make your journey a success,^(S) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.^{(T) 41} You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’^(U)

⁴² “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success^(V) to the journey on which I have come. ⁴³ See, I am standing beside this spring.^(W) If a young woman^(X) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”^{(Y) 44} and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’^(Z)

⁴⁵ “Before I finished praying in my heart,^(AA) Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder.^(AB) She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’^(AC)

⁴⁶ “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’^(AD) So I drank, and she watered the camels also.^(AE)

⁴⁷ “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’^(AF)

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel^(AG) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’^(AH)

“Then I put the ring in her nose^(AI) and the bracelets on her arms,^{(AJ) 48} and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord.^(AK) I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,^(AL) who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.^{(AM) 49} Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness^(AN) to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

⁵⁰ Laban and Bethuel^(AO) answered, “This is from the Lord;^(AP) we can say nothing to you one way or the other.^{(AQ) 51} Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.^(AR)”