38 but you shall go to my father's house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The Lord, (A)before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and (B)prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house. 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’

42 “I came today to the spring and said, (C)‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you (D)are prospering the way that I go, 43 behold, I am standing (E)by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” 44 (F)and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master's son.’

45 “Before I had finished (G)speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ (H)So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 (I)Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, (J)the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way[a] to take (K)the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. 49 Now then, if you are going to (L)show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot (M)speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, (N)as the Lord has spoken.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 24:48 Or faithfully

38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’(A)

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

40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,(C) will send his angel with you(D) and make your journey a success,(E) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.(F) 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.’(G)

42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success(H) to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring.(I) If a young woman(J) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”(K) 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.’(L)

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

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

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

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel(S) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’(T)

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

50 Laban and Bethuel(AA) answered, “This is from the Lord;(AB) we can say nothing to you one way or the other.(AC) 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.(AD)

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