Genesis 24

1 Now Abraham had grown old, was well advanced in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way.ISV — Genesis 24:1

2 So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, “Make this solemn oath to me ^{a24:2 Lit. Place your hand under my thigh; i.e., to make a solemn promise based on the sanctity of the family and commitment to the family line}ISV — Genesis 24:2

3 as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won’t acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I’m living.ISV — Genesis 24:3

4 Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac.”ISV — Genesis 24:4

5 “What if the woman doesn’t want to come back with me to this land?” the servant asked. “Shouldn’t I have your son go to the land from which you came?”ISV — Genesis 24:5

6 “Make sure not to take my son there,” Abraham replied.ISV — Genesis 24:6

7 “The LORD God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and from my family’s land, who spoke to me and promised me ‘I will give this land to your descendants,’ will send his angel ahead of you, and you are to acquire a wife for my son from there.ISV — Genesis 24:7

8 If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you’ll be free from this oath to me. Just don’t take my son back there!”ISV — Genesis 24:8

9 So the servant made a solemn oath ^{b24:9 Lit. servant placed his hand under Abraham’s thigh; i.e., to make a solemn promise based on the sanctity of the family and commitment to the family line} to his master Abraham regarding this matter.ISV — Genesis 24:9

10 Then Abraham’s servant took ten camels from his master’s herd of ^{c24:10 The Heb. lacks herd of} camels and left on his journey with all kinds of gifts from his master’s inventory. Eventually, he traveled as far as Aram-naharaim, Nahor’s home town.ISV — Genesis 24:10

11 As evening approached, he had the camels kneel outside the town at the water well, right about the time when women customarily went out to draw water.ISV — Genesis 24:11

12 That’s when he prayed, “LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham.ISV — Genesis 24:12

13 I’ve stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water.ISV — Genesis 24:13

14 May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, ‘Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,’ responds, ‘Have a drink, and I’ll water your camels as well.’ May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I’ll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master.”ISV — Genesis 24:14

15 Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared. She was a daughter of Milcah’s son Bethuel. (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.) She approached the well, carrying a jug on her shoulder.ISV — Genesis 24:15

16 The woman was very beautiful, young, and had not had sexual relations with a man. Going down to the spring, she filled her jug and turned for home.ISV — Genesis 24:16

17 Then Abraham’s servant ran to meet her and asked her, “Please, let me have a sip of water from your jug.”ISV — Genesis 24:17

18 “Drink, sir!” she replied as she quickly lowered her jug on her arm to offer him a drink.ISV — Genesis 24:18

19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she also said, “I’ll also draw water ^{d24:19 The Heb. lacks water} for your camels until they’ve had enough to drink.”ISV — Genesis 24:19

20 She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and ran to the well to draw again until she had drawn enough water ^{e24:20 The Heb. lacks enough water} for all ten of the servant’s ^{f24:20 Lit. of his} camels.ISV — Genesis 24:20

21 The man stared at her in silence, waiting to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.ISV — Genesis 24:21

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a half shekel and two bracelets for her wrists, weighing 10 shekels and presented them to her. ^{g24:22 The Heb. lacks and presented them to her}ISV — Genesis 24:22

23 He asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”ISV — Genesis 24:23

24 “I am the daughter of Bethuel,” she answered. “He’s the son of Milcah and Nahor.ISV — Genesis 24:24

25 And yes,” she continued, “we have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place to spend the night.”ISV — Genesis 24:25

26 At this, the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD.ISV — Genesis 24:26

27 “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn’t held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master’s relatives!”ISV — Genesis 24:27

28 The young woman then ran ahead and informed her mother’s household what had happened.ISV — Genesis 24:28

29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to the man and met him ^{h24:29 The Heb. lacks and met him} at the spring.ISV — Genesis 24:29

30 And so it was, as soon as he saw the nose ring and bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and as soon as he heard what his sister Rebekah was saying about what the man had spoken to her, ^{i24:30 Lit. saying, “This is what the man spoke to me!”} he went out to the man who was still standing by the camels at the spring!ISV — Genesis 24:30

31 “Come on,” Laban ^{j24:31 Lit. he} said. “The LORD has blessed you! So why are you standing out here when I’ve prepared some space in the house and a place for the camels?”ISV — Genesis 24:31

32 So the servant went to the house and unbridled the camels. They provided straw and feed for the camels and water for washing his feet and those of the men with him.ISV — Genesis 24:32

33 But when they had prepared a meal and set it in front of him, he said, “I’m not eating until I’ve spoken.” “Speak up!” Laban ^{k24:33 Lit. He} exclaimed.ISV — Genesis 24:33

34 “I’m Abraham’s servant,” he said.ISV — Genesis 24:34

35 “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become wealthy. He has provided him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.ISV — Genesis 24:35

36 My master’s wife Sarah gave birth to my master’s son in her old age, and Abraham ^{l24:36 Lit. he} has given him everything that belongs to him.ISV — Genesis 24:36

37 My master made me swear this oath: ‘You are not to select a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in this land where I live.ISV — Genesis 24:37

38 Instead, you are to go to my father’s household, to my relatives, and choose a wife for my son there.’ISV — Genesis 24:38

39 “So I asked my master, ‘What if the woman won’t come back with me?’ISV — Genesis 24:39

40 “Abraham ^{m24:40 Lit. He} told me, ‘The LORD, who is with me wherever I go, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. So you are to choose a wife for my son from my family, from my father’s household.ISV — Genesis 24:40

41 Only then will you be released from fulfilling ^{n24:41 The Heb. lacks fulfilling} my oath. However, when you come to my family, if they don’t give her to you, you’ll be released from fulfilling ^{o24:41 The Heb. lacks fulfilling} my oath.’ISV — Genesis 24:41

42 “So today I arrived at the spring and prayed, ‘LORD God of my master Abraham, if you wish to make the journey that I have traveled successful,ISV — Genesis 24:42

43 here I am standing by the spring. May it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water, from whom I request a little water from her ^{p24:43 Lit. your} jug to drink,ISV — Genesis 24:43

44 if she tells me to drink and also draws water for the ^{q24:44 Lit. your} camels, may she be the woman that the LORD has chosen for my master’s son.’ISV — Genesis 24:44

45 “Before I had finished praying, along came Rebekah with her jug on her shoulder! She went to the spring and drew some water. I asked her to please let me have a drink.ISV — Genesis 24:45

46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder ^{r24:46 The Heb. lacks shoulder} and told me, ‘Have a drink while I also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also gave my camels water ^{s24:46 The Heb. lacks water} to drink.ISV — Genesis 24:46

47 “That’s when I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ “She replied, ‘I’m the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore for him.’ “So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists.ISV — Genesis 24:47

48 I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request ^{t24:48 Lit. to take} the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.ISV — Genesis 24:48

49 So now, if you wish to show gracious love and truth toward my master, tell me so. But if not, tell me, so that I may go elsewhere.” ^{u24:49 Lit. turn to the right or the left}ISV — Genesis 24:49

50 “Since this has come from the LORD,” Laban and Bethuel both replied, “we cannot speak one way or another. ^{v24:50 Lit. speak bad or good}ISV — Genesis 24:50

51 So here’s Rebekah—she’s right in front of you. Take her and go, so she can become a wife for your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”ISV — Genesis 24:51

52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they had said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.ISV — Genesis 24:52

53 Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.ISV — Genesis 24:53

54 He and the men with him ate and drank, and then they spent the night. When they got up the next morning, the servant ^{w24:54 Lit. he} requested, “Send me off to my master.”ISV — Genesis 24:54

55 But her brother and mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days—at least ten—and after that she may go.”ISV — Genesis 24:55

56 “Please don’t delay me,” the servant ^{x24:56 Lit. he} answered them. “The LORD has made my journey successful. Send me off so I can return to my master.”ISV — Genesis 24:56

57 But they said, “We’ll call the young lady and see what she has to say about this.” ^{y24:57 The Heb. lacks about this}ISV — Genesis 24:57

58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.ISV — Genesis 24:58

59 So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, ^{z24:59 Lit. nurse; or cook} Abraham’s servant, and his men.ISV — Genesis 24:59

60 As they were leaving, they all blessed Rebekah by ^{aa24:59 The Heb. lacks by} saying, “Our sister, may you become the mother of tens of millions! ^{bb24:60 Lit. of thousands upon ten thousands} May your descendants take over the city gates ^{cc24:60 i.e. the centers of power in their cities} of those who hate them.” ^{dd24:60 Lit. him}ISV — Genesis 24:60

61 Then Rebekah and her young servant women got up, mounted their camels, and followed Abraham’s servant, who took Rebekah and went on his way.ISV — Genesis 24:61

62 Later on, as Isaac was returning one evening from Beer-lahai-roi ^{ee24:62 Lit. The Well of the Living One Who Looks After Me, cf. Gen. 16:13-14} (he had been living in the Negev ^{ff24:62 i.e. the southern regions of the Sinai peninsula; cf. Josh 10:40} ),ISV — Genesis 24:62

63 Isaac ^{gg24:63 Lit. he} went out walking ^{hh24:63 Or meditating} in a field. He looked up, and all of a sudden there were some camels coming.ISV — Genesis 24:63

64 Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camelISV — Genesis 24:64

65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man coming in the field to meet us?” “That’s my master,” the servant told her. So she reached for a veil and covered herself.ISV — Genesis 24:65

66 Then the servant informed Isaac about everything he had done.ISV — Genesis 24:66

67 Later, Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah and married her. Isaac loved her, and that’s how he was comforted following the loss of ^{ii24:67 The Heb. lacks the loss of} his mother.ISV — Genesis 24:67