Genesis 24
Revised Geneva Translation
24 Now Abraham was old and stricken in years; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 Therefore Abraham said to his eldest servant of his house (who had the rule over all that he had), “Put now your hand under my thigh;
3 and I will make you swear by the LORD God of Heaven, and God of the Earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
4 “But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son, Isaac.”
5 And the servant said to him, “What if the woman will not come with me to this land? Shall I take your son back to the land from where you came?”
6 To whom Abraham answered, “Beware that you do not take my son there again.
7 “The LORD God of Heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land where I was born; and Who spoke to me, and Who swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I will give this land’, He shall send His Angel before you; and you shall take a wife for my son from there.
8 “Nevertheless, if the woman will not follow you, then you shall be discharged of this, my oath. Only do not bring my son there again.”
9 Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his master, and swore to him over this matter.
10 So the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and departed (for he had all his master’s goods in his hand). So he arose and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
11 And he made his camels lie down outside the city, by a well of water, in the evening, about the time that the women come out to draw water.
12 And he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, I beg You, send me good speed this day; and show mercy to my master, Abraham.
13 “Lo, I stand by the well of water while the men’s daughters of this city come out to draw water.
14 “Grant, therefore, that the maid to whom I say, ‘Please bow down your pitcher, so that I may drink’, if she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels drink’, may she be the one You have ordained for Your servant, Isaac. And thereby I shall know that You have shown mercy on my master.”
15 And now — before he had left speaking — behold, Rebekah came out (the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother) with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 And the maid was very fair to look upon, a virgin and unknown by man. And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
18 And she said, “Drink, sir.” And she hurried and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink.
19 And when she had given him drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have drunk enough.”
20 And she speedily poured out her pitcher into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water; and she drew for all his camels.
21 So the man wondered at her, and held his peace, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And when the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden earring of half a shekel in weight, and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten shekels of gold.
23 And he said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in?”
24 Then she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
25 Moreover, she said to him, “We have straw, also, and enough provision and room to lodge in.”
26 And the man bowed himself and worshipped the LORD,
27 and said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master, Abraham; Who has not withdrawn His mercy and His truth from my master. When I was on the way, the LORD brought me to my master’s brother’s house.”
28 And the maid ran and told those of her mother’s house, according to these words.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother called Laban. And Laban ran to the man, to the well.
30 For when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “Thus said the man to me…”, then he went to the man; and lo, he stood by the camels at the well.
31 And he said, “Come in you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside, seeing I have prepared the house and room for the camels?”
32 Then the man came into the house; and he unsaddled the camels and brought straw and provision for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the men’s feet who were with him.
33 Afterward, the food was set before him. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said my message.” And he said, “Speak on.”
34 Then he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35 “And the LORD has blessed my master wonderfully, so that he has become great. For He has given him sheep, and cattle, and silver, and gold, and men servants, and maid servants, and camels, and donkeys.
36 “And Sarah, my master’s wife, has borne a son to my master when she was old. And to him he has given all that he has.
37 “Now 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 dwell).
38 ‘But you shall go to my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.’
39 “Then I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
40 “Who answered me, ‘The LORD, before Whom I walk, will send His Angel with you, and prosper your journey; and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred and my father’s house.
41 ‘Thus shall you be discharged of my oath: If you come to my kindred and they do not give you one, you shall be free from my oath.’
42 “So I came this day to the well, and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master, Abraham, if You now prosper my journey on which I go,
43 ‘behold, I stand by the well of water when a virgin comes forth to draw water. And I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink.”
44 “And she says to me, ‘Drink, and I will also draw for your camels’, let her be the wife which the LORD has prepared for your master’s son.’
45 “And before I had made an end of speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. And she went down to the well, and drew water. Then I said to her, ‘Please give me drink.’
46 “And she quickly took down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels drink.
47 “Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she answered, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son (whom Milcah bore to him).’ Then I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 “And I bowed down and worshipped the LORD and blessed the LORD God of my master, Abraham, Who had brought me the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son.
49 “Now, therefore, if you will deal mercifully and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and said, “This thing has proceeded from the LORD. Therefore, we cannot say to you evil or good.
51 “Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, so that she may be your master’s son’s wife, even as the LORD has said.”
52 And when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself toward the Earth, to the LORD.
53 Then the servant took forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54 Afterward, they ate and drank — he, and the men who were with him — and remained all night. And when they rose up in the morning, he said, “Let me depart to my master.”
55 Then her brother and her mother answered, “Let the maid remain with us at least ten days; then she shall go.”
56 But he said to them, “Do not hinder me, seeing the LORD has prospered my journey. Send me away, so that I may go to my master.”
57 Then they said, “We will call the maid and ask her consent.”
58 And they called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she answered, “I will go.”
59 So they let their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, go with Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “You are our sister. Grow into thousand thousand’s; and your seed possess the gate of his enemies.”
61 Then Rebekah arose, and her maids, and rode upon the camels, and followed the man; and the servant took Rebekah and departed.
62 Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi (for he dwelt in the South country).
63 And Isaac went out to pray in the field, toward the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, the camels came.
64 Also, Rebekah lifted up her eyes. And when she saw Isaac, she dismounted the camel.
65 (For she had said to the servant, “Who is yonder man who comes in the field to meet us?” And the servant had said, “It is my master.”) So she took a veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
67 Afterward, Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah, his mother. And he took Rebekah. And she was his wife. And he loved her. So, Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
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