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Genesis 24
New English Translation

The Wife for Isaac

24 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years,[a] and the Lord had blessed him[b] in everything. 2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one[c] in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh[d] 3 so that I may make you solemnly promise[e] by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire[f] a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives[g] to find[h] a wife for my son Isaac.”

5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is not willing to come back with me[i] to this land? Must I then[j] take your son back to the land from which you came?”

6 “Be careful[k] never to take my son back there!” Abraham told him.[l] 7 “The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives,[m] promised me with a solemn oath,[n] ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ He will send his angel[o] before you so that you may find[p] a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to come back with you,[q] you will be free[r] from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!” 9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes.[s]

10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal.[t] He journeyed[u] to the region of Aram Naharaim[v] and the city of Nahor. 11 He made the camels kneel down by the well[w] outside the city. It was evening,[x] the time when the women would go out to draw water. 12 He prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, guide me today.[y] Be faithful[z] to my master Abraham. 13 Here I am, standing by the spring,[aa] and the daughters of the people[ab] who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’[ac] In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.”[ad]

15 Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah[ae] with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor).[af] 16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever been physically intimate with her.[ag] She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. 17 Abraham’s servant[ah] ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering[ai] her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. 19 When she had done so,[aj] she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want.” 20 She quickly emptied[ak] her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. 21 Silently the man watched her with interest to determine[al] if the Lord had made his journey successful[am] or not.

22 After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka[an] and two gold wrist bracelets weighing ten shekels[ao] and gave them to her.[ap] 23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked.[aq] “Tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.[ar] 25 We have plenty of straw and feed,” she added,[as] “and room for you[at] to spend the night.”

26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praised be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love[au] for my master! The Lord has led me[av] to the house[aw] of my master’s relatives!”[ax]

28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about[ay] these things. 29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.)[az] Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring[ba] and heard his sister Rebekah say,[bb] “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing[bc] by the camels near the spring. 31 Laban said to him,[bd] “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord![be] Why are you standing out here when I have prepared[bf] the house and a place for the camels?”

32 So Abraham’s servant[bg] went to the house and unloaded[bh] the camels. Straw and feed were given[bi] to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet.[bj] 33 When food was served,[bk] he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.”[bl] “Tell us,” Laban said.[bm]

34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy.[bn] The Lord[bo] has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him[bp] when she was old,[bq] and my master[br] has given him everything he owns. 37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find[bs] a wife for my son.’ 39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go[bt] with me?’[bu] 40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked,[bv] will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 41 You will be free from your oath[bw] if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful,[bx] may events unfold as follows:[by] 43 Here I am, standing by the spring.[bz] When[ca] the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’

45 “Before I finished praying in my heart,[cb] along came Rebekah[cc] with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’[cd] I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter[ce] of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.”[cf]

50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing.[cg] Our wishes are of no concern.[ch] 51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become[ci] the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.”[cj]

52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53 Then he[ck] brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight.[cl]

When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.”[cm] 55 But Rebekah’s[cn] brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me—the Lord[co] has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return[cp] to my master.” 57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.”[cq] 58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want[cr] to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”

59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 They blessed Rebekah with these words:[cs]

“Our sister, may you become the mother[ct] of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds[cu] of their enemies.”

61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with[cv] the man. So Abraham’s servant[cw] took Rebekah and left.

62 Now[cx] Isaac came from[cy] Beer Lahai Roi,[cz] for[da] he was living in the Negev.[db] 63 He[dc] went out to relax[dd] in the field in the early evening.[de] Then he looked up[df] and saw that[dg] there were camels approaching. 64 Rebekah looked up[dh] and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked[di] Abraham’s servant,[dj] “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied.[dk] So she took her veil and covered herself.

66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah[dl] into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her[dm] as his wife and loved her.[dn] So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.[do]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 24:1 tn Heb “days.”
  2. Genesis 24:1 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
  3. Genesis 24:2 tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).
  4. Genesis 24:2 sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh—the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.
  5. Genesis 24:3 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.
  6. Genesis 24:3 tn Heb “because you must not take.”
  7. Genesis 24:4 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”
  8. Genesis 24:4 tn Heb “and take.”
  9. Genesis 24:5 tn Heb “to go after me.”
  10. Genesis 24:5 tn In the Hebrew text the construction is emphatic; the infinitive absolute precedes the imperfect. However, it is difficult to reflect this emphasis in an English translation.
  11. Genesis 24:6 tn Heb “guard yourself.”
  12. Genesis 24:6 tn The introductory clause “And Abraham said to him” has been moved to the end of the opening sentence of direct discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  13. Genesis 24:7 tn Or “the land of my birth.”
  14. Genesis 24:7 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”
  15. Genesis 24:7 tn Or “his messenger.”
  16. Genesis 24:7 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”
  17. Genesis 24:8 tn Heb “ to go after you.”
  18. Genesis 24:8 sn You will be free. If the prospective bride was not willing to accompany the servant back to Canaan, the servant would be released from his oath to Abraham.
  19. Genesis 24:9 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”
  20. Genesis 24:10 tn Heb “and every good thing of his master was in his hand.” The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, explaining that he took all kinds of gifts to be used at his discretion.
  21. Genesis 24:10 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”
  22. Genesis 24:10 tn The words “the region of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.sn Aram Naharaim means in Hebrew “Aram of the Two Rivers,” a region in northern Mesopotamia.
  23. Genesis 24:11 tn Heb “well of water.”
  24. Genesis 24:11 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”
  25. Genesis 24:12 tn Heb “make it happen before me today.” Although a number of English translations understand this as a request for success in the task (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV) it is more likely that the servant is requesting an omen or sign from God (v. 14).
  26. Genesis 24:12 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”
  27. Genesis 24:13 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
  28. Genesis 24:13 tn Heb “the men.”
  29. Genesis 24:14 sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.
  30. Genesis 24:14 tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’—her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”
  31. Genesis 24:15 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out!” Using the participle introduced with הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator dramatically transports the audience back into the event and invites them to see Rebekah through the servant’s eyes.
  32. Genesis 24:15 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out—[she] who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham—and her jug [was] on her shoulder.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  33. Genesis 24:16 tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man had not known her.” The first two terms נַעֲרָה (naʿarah) and בְּתוּלָה (betulah) can refer to young girls, either unmarried or married; see Judges 9:3 and Joel 1:8, respectively, for examples of a married נַעֲרָה (naʿarah) and בְּתוּלָה (betulah). While the term בְּתוּלָה (betulah) does not have to mean “virgin” it can refer to a girl who is a virgin. Further, in legal literature it is used as a technical term for “virgin” (Exod 22:16-17; Deut 22:19, 23, 28). Akkadian behaves similarly in that the cognate term batultu, meaning an adolescent girl but not necessarily a “virgin,” is used to mean “virgin” in Neo-Assyrian laws and Neo-Babylonian marriage contracts (CAD B 173-174). This passage is not legal literature, so the meaning “virgin” is clarified by an additional clause. The expression “to know” is a euphemism for sexual relations, and the English euphemism “be intimate with” is close in meaning to the Hebrew. The Semitic languages may have lacked a term that specifically meant “virgin” and so promoted other terms to indicate a virgin, whether by the context of the type of literature (e.g. legal literature) or by the addition of explanatory clauses.
  34. Genesis 24:17 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  35. Genesis 24:18 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”
  36. Genesis 24:19 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  37. Genesis 24:20 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”
  38. Genesis 24:21 tn Heb “to know.”
  39. Genesis 24:21 tn The Hebrew term צָלָה (tsalah), meaning “to make successful” in the Hiphil verbal stem, is a key term in the story (see vv. 40, 42, 56).
  40. Genesis 24:22 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).
  41. Genesis 24:22 sn A shekel weighed about 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce) although weights varied locally, so these bracelets weighed about 4 ounces (115 grams).
  42. Genesis 24:22 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied (cf. Gen 24:30).
  43. Genesis 24:23 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  44. Genesis 24:24 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  45. Genesis 24:25 tn Heb “and she said, ‘We have plenty of both straw and feed.’” The order of the introductory clause has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  46. Genesis 24:25 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
  47. Genesis 24:27 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”
  48. Genesis 24:27 tn Heb “As for me—in the way the Lord led me.”
  49. Genesis 24:27 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.
  50. Genesis 24:27 tn Heb “brothers.”
  51. Genesis 24:28 tn Heb “according to.”
  52. Genesis 24:29 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.
  53. Genesis 24:30 tn Heb “And it was when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on the arms of his sister.” The word order is altered in the translation for the sake of clarity.
  54. Genesis 24:30 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”
  55. Genesis 24:30 tn Heb “and look, he was standing.” The disjunctive clause with the participle following the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) invites the audience to view the scene through Laban’s eyes.
  56. Genesis 24:31 tn Heb “and he said.” The referent (Laban) has been specified and the words “to him” supplied in the translation for clarity.
  57. Genesis 24:31 sn Laban’s obsession with wealth is apparent; to him it represents how one is blessed by the Lord. Already the author is laying the foundation for subsequent events in the narrative, where Laban’s greed becomes his dominant characteristic.
  58. Genesis 24:31 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.
  59. Genesis 24:32 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  60. Genesis 24:32 tn Some translations (e.g., NEB, NASB, NRSV) understand Laban to be the subject of this and the following verbs or take the subject of this and the following verbs as indefinite (referring to an unnamed servant; e.g., NAB, NIV).
  61. Genesis 24:32 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.
  62. Genesis 24:32 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”
  63. Genesis 24:33 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”
  64. Genesis 24:33 tn Heb “my words.”
  65. Genesis 24:33 tc Some ancient textual witnesses have a plural verb, “and they said.”tn Heb “and he said, ‘Speak.’” The referent (Laban) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  66. Genesis 24:35 tn Heb “become great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Abraham’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are not excluded.
  67. Genesis 24:35 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  68. Genesis 24:36 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  69. Genesis 24:36 tn Heb “after her old age.”
  70. Genesis 24:36 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  71. Genesis 24:38 tn Heb “but to the house of my father you must go and to my family and you must take a wife for my son.”
  72. Genesis 24:39 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.
  73. Genesis 24:39 tn Heb “after me.”
  74. Genesis 24:40 tn The verb is the Hitpael of הָלַךְ (halakh), meaning “live one’s life” (see Gen 17:1). The statement may simply refer to serving the Lord or it may have a more positive moral connotation (“serve faithfully”).
  75. Genesis 24:41 tn Heb “my oath” (twice in this verse). From the Hebrew perspective the oath belonged to the person to whom it was sworn (Abraham), although in contemporary English an oath is typically viewed as belonging to the person who swears it (the servant).
  76. Genesis 24:42 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
  77. Genesis 24:42 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
  78. Genesis 24:43 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
  79. Genesis 24:43 tn Heb “and it will be.”
  80. Genesis 24:45 tn Heb “As for me, before I finished speaking to my heart.” The adverb טֶרֶם (terem) indicates the verb is a preterite; the infinitive that follows is the direct object.
  81. Genesis 24:45 tn Heb “Look, Rebekah was coming out.” As in 24:15, the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) is used here for dramatic effect.
  82. Genesis 24:47 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  83. Genesis 24:48 tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (ʾakh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).
  84. Genesis 24:49 tn Heb “and I will turn to the right or to the left.” The expression apparently means that Abraham’s servant will know where he should go if there is no further business here.
  85. Genesis 24:50 tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”
  86. Genesis 24:50 tn Heb “We are not able to speak to you bad or good.” This means that Laban and Bethuel could not say one way or the other what they wanted, for they viewed it as God’s will.
  87. Genesis 24:51 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
  88. Genesis 24:51 tn Heb “as the Lord has spoken.”
  89. Genesis 24:53 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  90. Genesis 24:54 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”
  91. Genesis 24:54 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”
  92. Genesis 24:55 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  93. Genesis 24:56 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
  94. Genesis 24:56 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
  95. Genesis 24:57 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”
  96. Genesis 24:58 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.
  97. Genesis 24:60 tn Heb “and said to her.”
  98. Genesis 24:60 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”sn May you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands. The blessing expresses their prayer that she produce children and start a family line that will greatly increase (cf. Gen 17:16).
  99. Genesis 24:60 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.
  100. Genesis 24:61 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”
  101. Genesis 24:61 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  102. Genesis 24:62 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.
  103. Genesis 24:62 tn Heb “from the way of.”
  104. Genesis 24:62 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, beʾer lakhay roʾi) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” See Gen 16:14.
  105. Genesis 24:62 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.
  106. Genesis 24:62 tn Or “the South [country].”sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.
  107. Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  108. Genesis 24:63 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).
  109. Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”
  110. Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.
  111. Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.
  112. Genesis 24:64 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”
  113. Genesis 24:65 tn Heb “and she said to.”
  114. Genesis 24:65 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  115. Genesis 24:65 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  116. Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
  117. Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  118. Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
  119. Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.
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Genesis 24
New International Version

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,(A) and the Lord had blessed(B) him in every way.(C) 2 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) 3 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) 4 but will go to my country and my own relatives(M) and get a wife for my son Isaac.(N)”

5 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)”

6 “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”(Q) Abraham said. 7 “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. 8 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) 9 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.
Close ADB1905

Genesis 24
Ang Dating Biblia (1905)

24 At si Abraham ay matanda na, at lipas na sa panahon: at pinagpala ng Panginoon si Abraham sa lahat ng mga bagay.

2 At sinabi ni Abraham sa kaniyang alilang katiwala, sa pinakamatanda sa kaniyang bahay na namamahala ng lahat niyang tinatangkilik: Ipinamamanhik ko sa iyo na ilagay mo ang iyong kamay sa ilalim ng aking hita:

3 At ikaw ay aking pasusumpain, alangalang sa Panginoon sa Dios ng langit at Dios ng lupa, na hindi mo papag-aasawahin ang aking anak sa mga anak ng mga Cananeo na siyang aking pinakikitahanan:

4 Kundi ikaw ay paroroon sa aking lupain, at sa aking kamaganakan, at papag-aasawahin mo roon ang aking anak na si Isaac.

5 At sinabi sa kaniya ng lingkod, Sakaling hindi iibigin ng babae na sumama sa akin sa lupaing ito: dapat ko bang ibalik ang anak mo sa lupaing pinanggalingan mo?

6 At sinabi sa kaniya ni Abraham, Ingatan mong huwag ibalik doon ang aking anak.

7 Ang Panginoon, ang Dios ng langit, na kumuha sa akin sa bahay ng aking ama, at sa lupaing aking tinubuan, at sa akin ay nagsalita, at sa akin ay sumumpa, na nagsasabi, Sa iyong binhi, ibibigay ko ang lupaing ito: ay magsusugo siya ng kaniyang anghel sa unahan mo, at papag-aasawahin mo roon ang aking anak.

8 At kung ang babae ay ayaw sumama sa iyo, ay maliligtas ka rito sa aking sumpa; huwag mo lamang pabalikin ang aking anak doon.

9 At inilagay ng alilang katiwala ang kaniyang kamay sa ilalim ng hita ni Abraham na kaniyang panginoon, at sumumpa sa kaniya tungkol sa bagay na ito.

10 At kumuha ang alilang katiwala ng sangpung kamelyo sa mga kamelyo ng kaniyang panginoon, at yumaon; na dala ang pinakamabuti sa lahat ng pag-aari ng kaniyang panginoon: at tumindig at napasa Mesopotamia, sa bayan ni Nachor.

11 At kaniyang pinaluhod ang mga kamelyo sa labas ng bayan, sa tabi ng balon ng tubig, ng dakong palubog na ang araw, na kapanahunan nang paglabas ng mga babae upang umigib ng tubig.

12 At sinabi, Oh Panginoon, Dios ng aking panginoong si Abraham, ipinamamanhik ko sa iyong pagkalooban mo ako ng mabuting kapalaran ngayon, at ikaw ay magmagandang loob sa aking panginoong kay Abraham.

13 Narito, ako'y nakatayo sa tabi ng bukal ng tubig: at ang mga anak na babae ng mga tao sa bayan, ay nagsilabas upang umigib ng tubig:

14 At mangyari nga na ang dalagang aking pagsabihan, Ibaba mo, isinasamo ko sa iyo, ang iyong banga upang ako'y uminom; at siya'y magsabi, Uminom ka, at paiinumin ko pati ng iyong mga kamelyo: maging siyang iyong itinalaga sa iyong lingkod na kay Isaac: at sa ganito ay malalaman kong nagmagandang loob ka sa aking panginoon.

15 At nangyari, na bago natapos ang pananalita niya, ay narito si Rebeca na ipinanganak kay Bethuel, na anak ni Milca, na asawa ni Nachor na kapatid ni Abraham na lumalabas na pasan ang kaniyang banga sa kaniyang balikat.

16 At ang babae ay may magandang anyo, dalaga, na hindi pa nasisipingan ng lalake: at lumusong sa bukal, at pinuno ang kaniyang banga, at umahon.

17 At tumakbong sinalubong siya ng alilang katiwala na sinabi, Makikiinom ako ng kaunting tubig sa iyong banga.

18 At sinabi niya, Uminom ka, panginoon ko: at nagmadaling ibinaba ang banga sa kaniyang kamay, at pinainom siya.

19 At pagkatapos na kaniyang mapainom, ay sinabi, Iyiigib ko naman ang iyong mga kamelyo, hanggang sa makainom na lahat.

20 At ibinuhos na dalidali ang kaniyang banga sa inuman, at tumakbong muli sa balon upang umigib at iniigib ang lahat niyang kamelyo.

21 At siya'y tinitigan ng lalake; na hindi umiimik, upang maalaman kung pinagpala ng Panginoon ang kaniyang paglalakbay o hindi.

22 At nangyari, nang makainom ang mga kamelyo, na kumuha ang lalake ng isang singsing na ginto, na may kalahating siklo sa timbang, at dalawang pulsera upang ilagay sa kaniyang mga kamay, na may timbang na sangpung siklong ginto;

23 At sinabi, Kaninong anak ka? sabihin mo sa akin, ipinamamanhik ko sa iyo. May lugar ba sa bahay ng iyong ama na aming matutuluyan?

24 At sinabi niya sa kaniya, Anak ako ni Bethuel, na anak ni Milca, na ipinanganak niya kay Nahor.

25 Sinabi rin niya sa kaniya, Mayroon din naman kaming saganang dayami at pagkain sa hayop, at dakong matutuluyan.

26 At lumuhod ang lalake at sumamba sa Panginoon.

27 At siya'y nagsabi, Purihin ang Panginoon, ang Dios ng aking panginoong si Abraham, na hindi inilayo ang kaniyang habag at ang kaniyang pagtatapat, sa aking panginoon: tungkol sa akin, ay pinatnugutan ako ng Panginoon sa daan hanggang sa bahay ng mga kapatid ng aking panginoon.

28 At tumakbo ang dalaga at isinaysay sa sangbahayan ng kaniyang ina ang ayon sa mga salitang ito.

29 At mayroon si Rebeca na isang kapatid na nagngangalang Laban: at tinakbo ni Laban ang lalake sa labas, sa bukal.

30 At nangyari, pagkakita ng singsing, at ng mga pulsera sa mga kamay ng kaniyang kapatid, at pagkarinig ng mga salita ni Rebeca na kaniyang kapatid, na sinasabi, Gayon sinalita sa akin ng lalake; na naparoon siya sa lalake; at narito, ito'y nakatayo sa siping ng mga kamelyo, sa bukal.

31 At sinabi niya, Pumasok ka, pinagpala ng Panginoon; bakit ka nakatayo sa labas? sapagka't inihanda ko ang bahay, at ang dako ng mga kamelyo.

32 At pumasok ang lalake sa bahay, at kinalagan ang mga kamelyo; at binigyan ni Laban ng dayami at pagkain ang mga kamelyo, at ng tubig upang ipaghugas ng kaniyang mga paa, at ng mga paa ng mga taong kasama niya.

33 At siya'y hinainan nila ng pagkain: datapuwa't kaniyang sinabi, Hindi ako kakain hanggang hindi ko nasasabi ang aking sadya. At sinabi ni Laban, Magsalita ka.

34 At kaniyang sinabi, Alilang katiwala ako ni Abraham.

35 At pinagpalang mainam ng Panginoon ang aking panginoon; at siya'y naging dakila: at siya'y binigyan ng kawan at bakahan, at ng pilak at ng ginto, at ng mga aliping lalake, at babae, at ng mga kamelyo, at ng mga asno.

36 At si Sara na asawa ng aking panginoon, ay nagkaanak ng lalake sa aking panginoon, nang siya'y matanda na: at siyang pinagbigyan ni Abraham ng kaniyang lahat na inaari.

37 At pinapanumpa ako ng aking panginoon, na sinasabi, Huwag mong papag-aasawahin ang aking anak sa mga anak na babae ng mga Cananeo na siyang lupaing aking tinatahanan:

38 Kundi paroroon ka sa bahay ng aking ama at sa aking kamaganakan, at papag-aasawahin mo roon ang aking anak.

39 At sinabi ko sa aking panginoon, Sakaling hindi iibigin ng babaing sumama sa akin.

40 At kaniyang sinabi sa akin, Ang Panginoon na sa harap niya'y lumalakad ako, ay susuguin niyang kasama mo ang kaniyang anghel, at kaniyang pagpapalain ang iyong lakad, at papag-aasawahin mo ang aking anak sa aking kamaganakan, at sa angkan ng aking ama:

41 Kung magkagayo'y makakakawala ka sa aking sumpa, pagka ikaw ay dumating sa aking kamaganakan; at kung hindi nila ibigay sa iyo, ay makakakawala ka sa aking sumpa.

42 At dumating ako ng araw na ito, sa bukal, at aking sinabi, Oh Panginoon, na Dios ng aking panginoong si Abraham, kung ngayo'y pinagpapala mo ang aking lakad na nilalakad ko:

43 Narito, nakatayo ako sa tabi ng bukal ng tubig; at mangyari, na ang dalagang lumabas na umigib na aking pagsasabihan, Makikiinom ako sa iyo ng kaunting tubig sa iyong banga;

44 At siya'y magsasabi sa akin, Uminom ka, at iyigib ko pati ng iyong mga kamelyo: ay siyang maging babaing itinalaga ng Panginoon sa anak ng aking panginoon.

45 At bago ko nasalita sa sarili, narito si Rebeca, na lumalabas na pasan ang kaniyang banga sa kaniyang balikat; at lumusong sa bukal at umigib: at aking sinabi sa kaniya, Makikiinom ako sa iyo.

46 At dalidali niyang ibinaba ang kaniyang banga sa kaniyang balikat, at nagsabi, Uminom ka, at paiinumin ko pati ng iyong mga kamelyo: sa gayo'y uminom ako, at pinainom niya pati ng mga kamelyo,

47 At siya'y aking tinanong, at aking sinabi, Kaninong anak ka? at kaniyang sinabi, Anak ako ni Bethuel, na anak ni Nachor, na ipinanganak sa kaniya ni Milca: at inilagay ko ang hikaw sa kaniyang ilong, at ang mga pulsera sa kaniyang mga kamay.

48 At aking iniyukod ang aking ulo, at sumamba ako sa Panginoon at pumuri sa Panginoon, na Dios ng aking panginoong si Abraham, na pumatnubay sa akin sa daang matuwid upang kunin ang anak ng kapatid ng aking panginoon, para sa kaniyang anak.

49 At ngayon, kung inyong mamagandahing loob at mamatapatin sa aking panginoon ay sabihin ninyo sa akin: at kung hindi, ay sabihin din ninyo sa akin; upang pumihit ako sa kanan o sa kaliwa.

50 Nang magkagayo'y sumagot si Laban at si Bethuel, at sinabi, Sa Panginoon nagmumula ito: kami ay hindi makapagsasabi sa iyo ng masama o ng mabuti.

51 Narito, si Rebeca ay nasa harap mo, dalhin mo, at yumaon ka, at siya'y maging asawa ng anak ng iyong panginoon, na gaya ng sinalita ng Panginoon.

52 At nangyari, na pagkarinig ng alilang katiwala ni Abraham ng kaniyang mga salita, ay nagpatirapa sa lupa sa harap ng Panginoon.

53 At naglabas ang alilang katiwala ng mga hiyas na pilak at mga hiyas na ginto, at mga damit, at mga ibinigay kay Rebeca: nagbigay rin siya ng mga mahalagang bagay sa kaniyang kapatid na lalake at sa kaniyang ina.

54 At nangagsikain at nangagsiinom siya at ang mga taong kasama niya, at doon nagparaan ng magdamag, at sila'y nagsibangon ng umaga at kaniyang sinabi, Suguin ninyo ako sa aking panginoon.

55 At sinabi ng kaniyang kapatid na lalake, at ng kaniyang ina, Matira ang dalaga sa aming ilang araw, sangpung araw man lamang; pagkatapos ay paroroon siya.

56 At sinabi niya sa kanila, Huwag ninyo akong pigilin, yamang pinagpala ng Panginoon ang aking lakad; papagpaalamin na ninyo ako, upang ako'y umuwi sa aking panginoon.

57 At kanilang sinabi, Tatawagin namin ang dalaga at uusisain namin sa kaniyang bibig.

58 At kanila ngang tinawag si Rebeca, at kanilang sinabi sa kaniya, Sasama ka ba sa lalaking ito? At sinabi niya, Sasama ako.

59 At kanilang pinapagpaalam si Rebeca na kanilang kapatid, at ang kaniyang yaya, at ang alilang katiwala ni Abraham, at ang kaniyang mga tao.

60 At kanilang binasbasan si Rebeca, at sinabi nila sa kaniya, Kapatid namin, maging ina ka nawa ng yutayuta, at kamtin ng iyong binhi ang pintuang-bayan niyaong mga napopoot sa kanila.

61 At tumindig si Rebeca, at ang kaniyang mga abay, at nangagsisakay sa mga kamelyo, at nangagsisunod sa lalake; at dinala ng alilang katiwala si Rebeca at yumaon.

62 At si Isaac ay nanggaling sa daang Beer-lahai-roi; sapagka't siya'y natira sa lupaing Timugan.

63 At lumabas si Isaac sa parang upang magmunimuni ng dakong hapon: at kaniyang itiningin ang kaniyang mga mata, at kaniyang nakita, at, narito, may dumarating na mga kamelyo.

64 Itiningin naman ni Rebeca ang kaniyang mga mata at nang makita niya si Isaac, ay bumaba sa kamelyo.

65 At sinabi ni Rebeca sa alilang katiwala, Sino yaong taong naglalakad sa parang na sumasalubong sa atin? At sinabi ng alilang katiwala, Yaon ang aking panginoon: at kinuha niya ang kaniyang lambong, at siya'y nagtakip.

66 At isinaysay ng alilang katiwala kay Isaac ang lahat ng kaniyang ginawa.

67 At dinala siya ni Isaac sa tolda ni Sara na kaniyang ina, at ipinagsama si Rebeca, at naging kaniyang asawa: at kaniya namang sininta: at naaliw si Isaac, pagkamatay ng kaniyang ina.

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