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
- Genesis 24:7 Or seed
- Genesis 24:10 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
- Genesis 24:22 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
- Genesis 24:22 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams
- Genesis 24:55 Or she
- Genesis 24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
Geneza 24
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română
Căsătoria lui Isaac cu Rebeca
24 Avraam era acum bătrân, înaintat în vârstă, iar Domnul îl binecuvântase în toate lucrurile. 2 El i-a zis celui mai bătrân dintre sclavii din gospodăria sa, cel care îngrijea de tot ceea ce avea el:
– Pune-ţi mâna sub coapsa mea 3 şi jură-mi pe Domnul, Dumnezeul cerului şi al pământului, că nu vei lua o soţie pentru fiul meu dintre fiicele canaaniţilor, în mijlocul cărora locuiesc, 4 ci că te vei duce în ţara mea, la rudele mele, şi de acolo vei lua o soţie pentru fiul meu Isaac.
5 – Poate femeia nu va vrea să vină cu mine în această ţară, a răspuns sclavul; trebuie atunci să-l duc pe fiul tău în ţara din care ai venit?
6 – Să nu cumva să-l duci pe fiul meu acolo, i-a spus Avraam. 7 Domnul, Dumnezeul cerului, Cel Care m-a scos din casa tatălui meu şi din patria mea, Care mi-a vorbit şi mi-a jurat spunând: „Seminţei[a] tale îi voi da această ţară!“, îl va trimite pe Îngerul Său înaintea ta, iar tu vei lua de acolo o soţie pentru fiul meu. 8 Dar dacă femeia nu va dori să te urmeze, vei fi dezlegat de acest jurământ al meu; numai să nu-l duci pe fiul meu acolo. 9 Sclavul şi-a pus mâna sub coapsa stăpânului său, Avraam, şi i-a jurat în legătură cu acest lucru.
10 El a luat zece dintre cămilele stăpânului său şi tot felul de daruri alese şi a plecat fără întârziere spre Aram-Naharayim[b], spre cetatea lui Nahor. 11 A lăsat cămilele să se aşeze în afara cetăţii, lângă izvorul de apă – era spre seară, la ceasul când femeile veneau să scoată apă – 12 apoi s-a rugat: „Doamne, Dumnezeul stăpânului meu Avraam, Te rog, împlineşte-mi astăzi dorinţa şi arată-Ţi îndurarea faţă de stăpânul meu, Avraam. 13 Acum stau lângă acest izvor de apă, iar fiicele oamenilor din cetate vor veni să scoată apă. 14 Fie ca fata căreia îi voi spune: «Te rog, dă-mi vasul tău ca să beau» şi care îmi va răspunde: «Bea! şi-ţi voi adăpa şi cămilele», aceea să fie fata pe care ai ales-o pentru slujitorul Tău Isaac. Prin aceasta voi cunoaşte că Ţi-ai arătat îndurarea faţă de stăpânul meu.“
15 Înainte ca el să-şi fi terminat rugăciunea, a ieşit cu vasul pe umăr Rebeca; ea era fiica lui Betuel, fiul Milcăi, soţia lui Nahor, fratele lui Avraam. 16 Fata era foarte frumoasă; era fecioară şi nici un bărbat n-o cunoscuse. Ea a coborât la izvor, şi-a umplut vasul şi apoi s-a întors. 17 Sclavul a alergat să o întâlnească şi i-a zis:
– Te rog, dă-mi puţină apă din vasul tău.
18 – Bea, domnul meu, a răspuns ea.
Şi a coborât repede vasul pe mână şi i-a dat să bea.
19 După ce i-a dat de băut, ea a spus:
– Voi scoate apă şi pentru cămilele tale, până vor termina de băut.
20 A golit repede vasul în adăpătoare, a alergat din nou la izvor ca să scoată apă şi a scos apă pentru toate cămilele lui. 21 Bărbatul o privea fără să spună nimic, pentru ca să cunoască dacă Domnul i-a făcut reuşită călătoria sau nu. 22 După ce cămilele au terminat de băut, bărbatul i-a dat fetei un inel[c] de aur, cântărind o jumătate de şechel[d] şi două brăţări de aur, cântărind zece şecheli[e]. 23 Apoi a întrebat-o:
– A cui fiică eşti? Spune-mi, te rog, este loc în locuinţa tatălui tău pentru noi, ca să înnoptăm acolo?
24 – Sunt fiica lui Betuel, fiul Milcăi, pe care aceasta i l-a născut lui Nahor, a răspuns ea. 25 Avem paie şi hrană din belşug, precum şi loc de înnoptat, a continuat ea.
26 Atunci bărbatul s-a plecat, s-a închinat Domnului 27 şi a zis: „Binecuvântat să fie Domnul, Dumnezeul stăpânului meu, Avraam, Care nu Şi-a îndepărtat îndurarea şi credincioşia de la stăpânul meu. În ceea ce mă priveşte, Domnul m-a condus pe cale, până la locuinţa rudelor stăpânului meu.“
28 Fata a alergat şi le-a spus celor din familia mamei ei aceste lucruri. 29 Rebeca avea un frate pe care-l chema Laban; acesta a alergat la acel bărbat, la izvor. 30 De îndată ce a văzut inelul şi brăţările în mâinile surorii sale şi a auzit-o spunând: „Aşa mi-a vorbit bărbatul acela“, el s-a dus la acel bărbat pe care l-a găsit stând cu cămilele lângă izvor. 31 I-a zis: „Vino, binecuvântatul Domnului! De ce stai afară când eu am pregătit locuinţa şi un loc pentru cămile?“
32 Bărbatul a intrat în casă, iar Laban a cerut să fie descărcate lucrurile de pe cămile şi să li se dea acestora paie şi nutreţ; apoi el i-a dat bărbatului apă, ca să-şi poată spăla picioarele, atât el, cât şi bărbaţii care erau cu el. 33 I s-a pus de mâncare, ca să mănânce, dar el a spus:
– Nu voi mânca până nu voi spune ce am de spus.
– Spune! i-a zis Laban.
34 – Eu sunt sclavul lui Avraam, a spus el. 35 Domnul l-a binecuvântat mult pe stăpânul meu, iar el a ajuns un om bogat; i-a dat oi şi vite, aur şi argint, sclavi şi sclave, cămile şi măgari. 36 Sara, soţia stăpânului meu, i-a născut acestuia un fiu la bătrâneţe, iar el i-a dat lui tot ceea ce are. 37 Stăpânul meu m-a pus să jur, zicându-mi: „Să nu iei o soţie pentru fiul meu dintre fiicele canaaniţilor, în a căror ţară locuiesc, 38 ci să te duci la familia tatălui meu, la clanul meu, şi de acolo să iei o soţie pentru fiul meu!“ 39 Eu i-am spus stăpânului meu: „Poate femeia nu mă va urma.“ 40 Dar el mi-a răspuns: „Domnul, înaintea Căruia am umblat, Îşi va trimite Îngerul cu tine şi-ţi va face reuşită călătoria, iar tu vei lua o soţie pentru fiul meu din clanul meu, din familia tatălui meu. 41 Dar dacă vei merge la clanul meu, iar ei nu ţi-o vor da, vei fi dezlegat de jurământul meu.“ 42 Când am venit astăzi la izvor, m-am rugat: „Doamne, Dumnezeul stăpânului meu, Avraam, de-mi vei fi prielnic în călătoria pe care am făcut-o, 43 iată, stau lângă acest izvor de apă; fie ca fata care va ieşi să scoată apă, căreia îi voi spune: «Te rog, dă-mi să beau puţină apă din vasul tău» 44 şi care îmi va răspunde: «Bea! şi voi scoate apă şi pentru cămilele tale», aceea să fie soţia pe care Domnul a ales-o pentru fiul stăpânului meu.“ 45 Înainte ca eu să fi terminat rugăciunea în inima mea, Rebeca a ieşit cu vasul ei pe umăr, s-a coborât la izvor şi a scos apă. Eu i-am zis: „Te rog, dă-mi să beau!“ 46 Ea a coborât repede vasul de pe umăr şi mi-a răspuns: „Bea! şi-ţi voi adăpa şi cămilele.“ Eu am băut, iar ea a adăpat şi cămilele. 47 După aceea am întrebat-o: „A cui fiică eşti?“ Ea mi-a răspuns: „Sunt fiica lui Betuel, fiul lui Nahor, pe care Milca i l-a născut acestuia.“ Eu i-am pus inelul în nas şi brăţările pe mâini. 48 Apoi m-am plecat, m-am închinat Domnului şi L-am binecuvântat pe Domnul, Dumnezeul stăpânului meu, Avraam, Care m-a condus pe calea cea dreaptă, ca s-o iau pe nepoata fratelui stăpânului meu pentru fiul său. 49 Astfel dar, dacă vreţi să arătaţi bunătate şi credincioşie faţă de stăpânul meu, spuneţi-mi; dacă nu, spuneţi-mi, ca să mă pot îndrepta fie la dreapta, fie la stânga.
50 Atunci Laban şi Betuel au răspuns:
– Acest lucru vine de la Domnul; nu-ţi putem spune nici rău, nici bine. 51 Iată, Rebeca este înaintea ta! Ia-o şi du-te! Ea să fie soţia fiului stăpânului tău, aşa cum a spus Domnul.
52 Când sclavul lui Avraam a auzit cuvintele lor, s-a prosternat înaintea Domnului. 53 Apoi a scos bijuterii de argint şi de aur, precum şi îmbrăcăminte şi i le-a dat Rebecăi; de asemenea, el le-a dăruit lucruri preţioase şi fratelui, şi mamei ei. 54 După aceea, el şi bărbaţii care erau cu el au mâncat, au băut şi au rămas acolo peste noapte. Când s-au trezit dimineaţa, el le-a spus celor de-ai casei:
– Lăsaţi-mă să mă întorc la stăpânul meu.
55 Fratele şi mama fetei i-au răspuns:
– Fata să mai rămână cu noi măcar zece zile; după aceea va putea pleca.
56 Dar el le-a zis:
– Nu mă opriţi acum, căci Domnul mi-a făcut reuşită călătoria; lăsaţi-mă să plec, ca să mă întorc la stăpânul meu.
57 – Să chemăm fata şi să o întrebăm, au răspuns ei.
58 Au chemat-o pe Rebeca şi au întrebat-o:
– Vrei să mergi cu acest bărbat?
– Da, a răspuns ea.
59 Ei au lăsat-o pe sora lor Rebeca, precum şi pe doica ei să plece împreună cu sclavul lui Avraam şi cu oamenii săi. 60 Ei au binecuvântat-o şi i-au zis:
„Sora noastră, fie ca să ajungi
mama a mii de mii
şi fie ca sămânţa[f] ta să stăpânească
cetăţile duşmanilor lor.“
61 Apoi Rebeca şi servitoarele ei s-au sculat, au încălecat pe cămile şi au plecat după acel bărbat. Astfel, sclavul a luat-o pe Rebeca şi a plecat.
62 Isaac se întorsese de la Beer Lahai-Roi[g], pentru că locuia în Neghev[h]. 63 El a ieşit într-o seară pe câmp ca să mediteze[i] şi, ridicându-şi privirea, a văzut venind nişte cămile. 64 Rebeca şi-a ridicat şi ea privirea, iar când l-a văzut pe Isaac, s-a dat jos de pe cămilă 65 şi l-a întrebat pe sclav:
– Cine este acel bărbat care vine pe câmp să ne întâlnească?
– Este stăpânul meu, a răspuns sclavul.
Ea şi-a luat vălul şi s-a acoperit. 66 Sclavul i-a istorisit lui Isaac toate lucrurile pe care le făcuse. 67 Apoi Isaac a dus-o pe Rebeca în cortul mamei sale, Sara, şi s-a căsătorit cu ea; ea a devenit soţia lui, iar el a iubit-o. Astfel a fost mângâiat Isaac după moartea mamei sale.
Footnotes
- Geneza 24:7 Vezi nota de la 12:7
- Geneza 24:10 Sau: Aram al celor două râuri, localizat în NV Mesopotamiei
- Geneza 24:22 Inel purtat în nas sau în urechi, care făcea parte din podoabele unui bărbat, ale unei femei sau ale unui idol
- Geneza 24:22 Sau: o beka; aproximativ 6 gr
- Geneza 24:22 Aproximativ 0,1 kg
- Geneza 24:60 Vezi nota de la 12:7
- Geneza 24:62 Vezi nota de la 16:14
- Geneza 24:62 Vezi nota de la 12:9
- Geneza 24:63 Sensul termenului ebraic este nesigur
Genesis 24
New King James Version
A Bride for Isaac
24 Now Abraham (A)was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord (B)had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 So Abraham said (C)to the oldest servant of his house, who (D)ruled over all that he had, “Please, (E)put your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you (F)swear[a] by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that (G)you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4 (H)but you shall go (I)to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord God of heaven, who (J)took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, (K)‘To your [b]descendants I give this land,’ (L)He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then (M)you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, (N)for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to (O)the city of Nahor. 11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time (P)when women go out to draw water. 12 Then he (Q)said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please (R)give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, here (S)I stand by the well of water, and (T)the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And (U)by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
15 And it happened, (V)before he had finished speaking, that behold, (W)Rebekah,[c] who was born to Bethuel, son of (X)Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16 Now the young woman (Y)was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.”
18 (Z)So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether (AA)the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden (AB)nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us [d]to lodge?”
24 So she said to him, (AC)“I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”
26 Then the man (AD)bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. 27 And he said, (AE)“Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken (AF)His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord (AG)led me to the house of my master’s brethren.” 28 So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was (AH)Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. 30 So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. 31 And he said, “Come in, (AI)O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
32 Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and (AJ)provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to (AK)wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, (AL)“I will not eat until I have told about my errand.”
And he said, “Speak on.”
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord (AM)has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master’s wife (AN)bore a son to my master when she was old; and (AO)to him he has given all that he has. 37 Now my master (AP)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 (AQ)but you shall go to my father’s house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 (AR)And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 (AS)But he said to me, ‘The Lord, (AT)before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and [e]prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house. 41 (AU)You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
42 “And this day I came to the well and said, (AV)‘O Lord God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go, 43 (AW)behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out 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 draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’
45 (AX)“But before I had finished (AY)speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. 47 Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48 (AZ)And I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to (BA)take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now if you will (BB)deal kindly and truly with 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, (BC)“The thing comes from the Lord; we cannot (BD)speak to you either bad or good. 51 (BE)Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.”
52 And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that (BF)he worshiped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth. 53 Then the servant brought out (BG)jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave (BH)precious things to her brother and to her mother.
54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, (BI)“Send me away to my master.”
55 But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”
56 And he said to them, “Do not [f]hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.”
57 So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?”
And she said, “I will go.”
59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister (BJ)and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her:
“Our sister, may you become
(BK)The mother of thousands of ten thousands;
(BL)And may your descendants possess
The gates of those who hate them.”
61 Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.
62 Now Isaac came from the way of (BM)Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63 And Isaac went out (BN)to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. 64 Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac (BO)she dismounted from her camel; 65 for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?”
The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he (BP)took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac (BQ)was comforted after his mother’s death.
Footnotes
- Genesis 24:3 take an oath
- Genesis 24:7 Lit. seed
- Genesis 24:15 Rebecca, Rom. 9:10
- Genesis 24:23 to spend the night
- Genesis 24:40 make your way successful
- Genesis 24:56 delay
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română (Holy Bible, New Romanian Translation) Copyright © 2006 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

