24 2 Abraham causeth his servant to swear to take a wife for Isaac in his own kindred. 12 The servant prayeth to God. 33 His fidelity toward his master. 50 The friends of Rebekah commit the matter to God. 58 They ask her consent, and she agreeth. 

Now Abraham was old, and [a]stricken in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

Therefore Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, which had the rule over all that he had, (A)[b]Put now thine hand under my thigh,

And I will make thee [c]swear by the Lord God of the heaven, and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell:

But thou shalt go unto my [d]country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

And the servant said to him, What if the woman will not come with me to this land? shall I bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

To whom Abraham answered, Beware that thou bring not my son [e]thither again.

¶ The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land where I was born, and that spake unto me, and that swear unto me, saying, (B)Unto thy seed will I give this land, he shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

Nevertheless if the woman will not follow thee, then shalt thou be [f]discharged of this mine oath: only bring not my son thither again.

Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him for this matter.

10 ¶ So the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed: (for he had all his master’s goods in his hand:) and so he arose, and went to [g]Aram Naharaim, unto the [h]city of Nahor.

11 And he made his camels to [i]lie down without the city by a well of water, at eventide about the time that the women come out to draw water.

12 And he said, O [j]Lord God of my master Abraham, I beseech thee, [k]send me good speed this day, and show mercy unto 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 [l]Grant therefore that the maid, to whom I say: Bow down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink: if she say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: may be she that thou hast ordained for thy servant Isaac: and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed mercy on my master.

15 ¶ And now yet he had left speaking, behold, [m]Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor Abraham’s brother, and her Pitcher upon her shoulder.

16 (And the maid was very fair to look upon, a virgin and unknown of man) and she [n]went down to the well, and filled her pitcher and came up.

17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher.

18 And she said, Drink [o]sir: and she hasted, 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 thy camels also until they [p]have drunken enough.

20 And she poured out her pitcher into the trough speedily, and ran again unto 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 left drinking, the man took a golden [q][r]abillement of [s]half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of gold:

23 And he said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, Is there room in thy 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 bare unto Nahor.

25 Moreover she said unto him, We have litter also and provender enough, 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, which hath not withdrawn his mercy [t]and his truth from my master: for when I was in the way, the Lord brought me to my master’s brethren’s house.

28 And the maid ran and told them of her mother’s house according to these words.

29 ¶ Now Rebekah had a brother called Laban, and Laban ran unto 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 unto me, then he went to the man, and lo, [u]he stood by the camels at the well.

31 And he said, Come in thou blessed of the Lord: wherefore standest thou without, seeing I have prepared the house, and room for the camels?

32 ¶ Then the man came into the house, and [v]he unsaddled the [w]camels, and brought litter and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.

33 Afterward the meat was set before him: but he said, I [x]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 hath [y]blessed my master wonderfully, that he is become great: for he hath given him sheep, and beeves, and silver, and gold, and men servants, and maid servants, and camels, and asses.

36 And Sarah my master’s wife hath borne a son to my master, when she was old, and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

37 Now my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the [z]Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

38 But thou shalt go unto my [aa]father’s house and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

39 Then I said unto my master, What if the woman will not follow me?

40 Who answered me, The Lord, before who I walk, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy journey, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred and my father’s house.

41 Then shalt thou be discharged of [ab]mine oath, when thou comest to my kindred: and if they give thee not one, thou shalt be free from mine oath.

42 So I came this day to the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou now prosper my [ac]journey which I go,

43 Behold, (C)I stand by the well of water when a virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink,

44 And she said to me, Drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels, let her be the wife, which the Lord hath [ad]prepared for thy master’s son.

45 And before I had made an end of speaking in mine [ae]heart, behold, Rebekah came forth and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the well, and drew water. Then I said unto her, Give me drink, I pray thee.

46 And she made haste, and took down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also.

47 Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she answered, The daughter of Bethuel Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him. Then I put the abillement upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands:

48 [af]And I bowed down and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had brought me the [ag]right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.

49 Now therefore, if ye will deal [ah]mercifully and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me, that I may turn me to the [ai]right hand or to the left.

50 Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, [aj]This thing is proceeded of the Lord: we cannot therefore say unto thee, neither evil nor good.

51 Behold, Rebekah is [ak]before thee, take her and go, that she may be thy master’s son’s wife, even as the Lord hath [al]said.

52 And when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself toward the earth unto the Lord.

53 Then the servant took forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave to Rebekah: also unto her brother and to her mother he gave gifts.

54 Afterward they did eat and drink, both he, and the men that were with him, and tarried all night, and when they rose up in the morning, he said, (D)Let me depart unto my master.

55 Then her brother and her mother answered, Let the maid abide with us, at the least [am]ten days: then shall she go.

56 But he said unto them, Hinder you me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my journey: send me away, that I may go to my master.

57 Then they said, We will call the maid, and ask [an]her consent.

58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her: Wilt thou go with this man? And [ao]she answered, I will go.

59 So they let Rebekah their sister go, and her nurse, with Abraham’s servant and his men.

60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, grow into thousand thousand’s, and thy seed possess the [ap]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 (E)Beer Lahai Roi, (for he dwelt in the South country.)

63 And Isaac went out to [aq]pray in the field toward the evening: who lift up his eyes and looked, and behold, the camels came.

64 Also Rebekah lift up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted down from the camel.

65 (For she had said to the servant, Who is yonder man, that cometh in the field to meet us? and the servant had said, It is my master) So she took [ar]a veil, and covered her.

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 [as]comforted after his mother’s death.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 24:1 Hebrew, come into days.
  2. Genesis 24:2 Which ceremony declared, the servant’s obedience towards his master, and the master’s power over the servant.
  3. Genesis 24:3 This showeth that an oath may be required in a lawful cause.
  4. Genesis 24:4 He would not that his son should marry out of the godly family: for the inconveniences that come by marrying with the ungodly are set forth in sundry places of the Scriptures.
  5. Genesis 24:6 Lest he should lose the inheritance promised.
  6. Genesis 24:8 Hebrew, innocent.
  7. Genesis 24:10 Or, Mesopotamia, or, Syria of the two floods: to wit, of Tigris and Euphrates.
  8. Genesis 24:10 That is, to Haran.
  9. Genesis 24:11 Hebrew, to bow their knees.
  10. Genesis 24:12 He groundeth his prayer upon God’s promise made to his master.
  11. Genesis 24:12 Or, cause me to meet.
  12. Genesis 24:14 The servant moved by God’s spirit desired to be assured by a sign, whether God prospered his journey or no.
  13. Genesis 24:15 God giveth good success to all things that are undertaken for the glory of his name and according to his word.
  14. Genesis 24:16 Here is declared that God ever heareth the prayers of his, and granteth their requests.
  15. Genesis 24:18 Hebrew, my Lord.
  16. Genesis 24:19 Hebrew, have made an end of drinking.
  17. Genesis 24:22 Or, earring.
  18. Genesis 24:22 God permitted many things both in apparel and other things which are now forbid: specially when they appertain not to our mortification.
  19. Genesis 24:22 The golden shekel is here meant and not that of silver.
  20. Genesis 24:27 He boasteth not his good fortune (as do the wicked) but acknowledgeth that God hath dealt mercifully with his master in keeping promise.
  21. Genesis 24:30 For he waited on God’s hand, who had now heard his prayer.
  22. Genesis 24:32 To wit, Laban.
  23. Genesis 24:32 The gentle entertainment of strangers used among the godly fathers.
  24. Genesis 24:33 The fidelity that servants owe to their masters, causeth them to prefer their master’s business to their own necessity.
  25. Genesis 24:35 To bless, signifieth here to enrich, or increase with substance, as the text in the same verse declareth.
  26. Genesis 24:37 The Canaanites were accursed, and therefore the godly could not join with them in marriage.
  27. Genesis 24:38 Meaning among his kinsfolk, as verse 40.
  28. Genesis 24:41 Which by mine authority I caused thee to make.
  29. Genesis 24:42 Or, way.
  30. Genesis 24:44 Or, showed.
  31. Genesis 24:45 Signifying that this prayer was not spoken by the mouth, but only meditated in his heart.
  32. Genesis 24:48 He showeth what is our duty, when we have received any benefit of the Lord.
  33. Genesis 24:48 Hebrew, in the way of truth.
  34. Genesis 24:49 If you will freely and faithfully give your daughter to my master’s son.
  35. Genesis 24:49 That is, that I may provide elsewhere.
  36. Genesis 24:50 So soon as they perceive that it is God’s ordinance they yield.
  37. Genesis 24:51 Or, at thy commandment.
  38. Genesis 24:51 Or, ordained.
  39. Genesis 24:55 Hebrew, days, or ten.
  40. Genesis 24:57 This showeth that parents have not authority to marry their children without consent of the parties.
  41. Genesis 24:58 Hebrew, her mouth.
  42. Genesis 24:60 That is, let it be victorious over his enemies: which blessing is fully accomplished in Jesus Christ.
  43. Genesis 24:63 This was the exercise of the godly fathers to meditate God’s promises, and to pray for the accomplishment thereof.
  44. Genesis 24:65 The custom was that the spouse was brought to her husband, her head being covered, in token of shamefastness and chastity.
  45. Genesis 24:67 Or, had left mourning for his mother.

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,(A) and the Lord had blessed(B) him in every way.(C) He said to the senior servant(D) in his household, the one in charge of all that he had,(E) “Put your hand under my thigh.(F) I want you to swear(G) by the Lord, the God of heaven(H) and the God of earth,(I) that you will not get a wife for my son(J) from the daughters of the Canaanites,(K) among whom I am living,(L) but will go to my country and my own relatives(M) and get a wife for my son Isaac.(N)

The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?(O) Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?(P)

“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”(Q) Abraham said. “The Lord, the God of heaven,(R) who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land(S) and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring[a](T) I will give this land’(U)—he will send his angel before you(V) so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath(W) of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”(X) So the servant put his hand under the thigh(Y) of his master(Z) Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels(AA) loaded with all kinds of good things(AB) from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim[b](AC) and made his way to the town of Nahor.(AD) 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well(AE) outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.(AF)

12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham,(AG) make me successful(AH) today, and show kindness(AI) to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.(AJ) 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink,(AK) and I’ll water your camels too’(AL)—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.(AM) By this I will know(AN) that you have shown kindness to my master.”

15 Before he had finished praying,(AO) Rebekah(AP) came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel(AQ) son of Milkah,(AR) who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.(AS) 16 The woman was very beautiful,(AT) a virgin;(AU) no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”(AV)

18 “Drink,(AW) my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels(AX) too,(AY) until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.(AZ) 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.(BA)

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring(BB) weighing a beka[c] and two gold bracelets(BC) weighing ten shekels.[d] 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?(BD) Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?(BE)

24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.(BF) 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder,(BG) as well as room for you to spend the night.”

26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,(BH) 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord,(BI) the God of my master Abraham,(BJ) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness(BK) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey(BL) to the house of my master’s relatives.”(BM)

28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.(BN) 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,(BO) 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,(BP) 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,”(BQ) 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(BR) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.(BS) 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.(BT) 35 The Lord has blessed(BU) my master abundantly,(BV) and he has become wealthy.(BW) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.(BX) 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,(BY) and he has given him everything he owns.(BZ) 37 And my master made me swear an oath,(CA) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,(CB) 38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’(CC)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.(DG) 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing(DH) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts(DI) to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way(DJ) to my master.”

55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so;(DK) then you[e] may go.”

56 But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success(DL) to my journey. Send me on my way(DM) so I may go to my master.”

57 Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.”(DN) 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,”(DO) she said.

59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way,(DP) along with her nurse(DQ) and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed(DR) Rebekah and said to her,

“Our sister, may you increase
    to thousands upon thousands;(DS)
may your offspring possess
    the cities of their enemies.”(DT)

61 Then Rebekah and her attendants(DU) got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi,(DV) for he was living in the Negev.(DW) 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate,[f](DX) and as he looked up,(DY) he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel(DZ) 65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil(EA) and covered herself.

66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent(EB) of his mother Sarah,(EC) and he married Rebekah.(ED) So she became his wife, and he loved her;(EE) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.(EF)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 24:7 Or seed
  2. Genesis 24:10 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  3. Genesis 24:22 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
  4. Genesis 24:22 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams
  5. Genesis 24:55 Or she
  6. Genesis 24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.