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
- Genesis 24:1 tn Heb “days.”
- Genesis 24:1 tn Heb “Abraham.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
- 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).
- 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.
- Genesis 24:3 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.
- Genesis 24:3 tn Heb “because you must not take.”
- Genesis 24:4 tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”
- Genesis 24:4 tn Heb “and take.”
- Genesis 24:5 tn Heb “to go after me.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:6 tn Heb “guard yourself.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:7 tn Or “the land of my birth.”
- Genesis 24:7 tn Heb “and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying.”
- Genesis 24:7 tn Or “his messenger.”
- Genesis 24:7 tn Heb “before you and you will take.”
- Genesis 24:8 tn Heb “ to go after you.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:9 tn Heb “and he swore to him concerning this matter.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:10 tn Heb “and he arose and went.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:11 tn Heb “well of water.”
- Genesis 24:11 tn Heb “at the time of evening.”
- 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).
- Genesis 24:12 tn Heb “act in loyal love with” or “show kindness to.”
- Genesis 24:13 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
- Genesis 24:13 tn Heb “the men.”
- 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.
- 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.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:17 tn Heb “and the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:18 tn Heb “and she hurried and lowered.”
- Genesis 24:19 tn Heb “when she had finished giving him a drink.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:20 tn Heb “and she hurried and emptied.”
- Genesis 24:21 tn Heb “to know.”
- 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).
- Genesis 24:22 sn A beka weighed about 5-6 grams (0.2 ounce).
- 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).
- Genesis 24:22 tn The words “and gave them to her” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied (cf. Gen 24:30).
- 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.
- Genesis 24:24 tn Heb “whom she bore to Nahor.” The referent (Milcah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:25 tn Heb The words “for you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
- Genesis 24:27 tn Heb “his faithfulness and his commitment.”
- Genesis 24:27 tn Heb “As for me—in the way the Lord led me.”
- Genesis 24:27 tn Here “house” is an adverbial accusative of termination.
- Genesis 24:27 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Genesis 24:28 tn Heb “according to.”
- Genesis 24:29 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause introduces the audience to Laban, who will eventually play an important role in the unfolding story.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:30 tn Heb “and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:31 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial.
- Genesis 24:32 tn Heb “the man”; the referent (Abraham’s servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 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).
- Genesis 24:32 tn Heb “and [one] gave.” The verb without an expressed subject may be translated as passive.
- Genesis 24:32 tn Heb “and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”
- Genesis 24:33 tn Heb “and food was placed before him.”
- Genesis 24:33 tn Heb “my words.”
- 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.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:35 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 24:36 tn Heb “to my master.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:36 tn Heb “after her old age.”
- Genesis 24:36 tn Heb “and he.” The referent (the servant’s master, Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 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.”
- Genesis 24:39 tn The imperfect is used here in a modal sense to indicate desire.
- Genesis 24:39 tn Heb “after me.”
- 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”).
- 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).
- Genesis 24:42 tn Heb “if you are making successful my way on which I am going.”
- Genesis 24:42 tn The words “may events unfold as follows” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:43 tn Heb “the spring of water.”
- Genesis 24:43 tn Heb “and it will be.”
- 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.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:47 tn Heb “whom Milcah bore to him.” The referent (Nahor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 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).
- 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.
- Genesis 24:50 tn Heb “From the Lord the matter has gone out.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:51 tn Following the imperatives, the jussive with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
- Genesis 24:51 tn Heb “as the Lord has spoken.”
- Genesis 24:53 tn Heb “the servant”; the noun has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:54 tn Heb “And they ate and drank, he and the men who [were] with him and they spent the night.”
- Genesis 24:54 tn Heb “Send me away to my master.”
- Genesis 24:55 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 24:56 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
- Genesis 24:56 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
- Genesis 24:57 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”
- Genesis 24:58 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.
- Genesis 24:60 tn Heb “and said to her.”
- 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).
- 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.
- Genesis 24:61 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”
- Genesis 24:61 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:62 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.
- Genesis 24:62 tn Heb “from the way of.”
- 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.
- Genesis 24:62 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.
- Genesis 24:62 tn Or “the South [country].”sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.
- Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:63 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).
- Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”
- Genesis 24:63 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:64 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”
- Genesis 24:65 tn Heb “and she said to.”
- Genesis 24:65 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- 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.
- Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
- Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
- Genesis 24:67 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.
创世记 24
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
亚伯拉罕遣仆人为以撒娶妻
24 亚伯拉罕老迈了，年事已高，耶和华在一切事上都赐福给他。 2 亚伯拉罕对他家中最老的，管理他所有产业的那仆人说：“请把你的手放在我的大腿底下。 3 我要你指着耶和华天地的 神起誓，不可从我现在居住的迦南人中，为我的儿子娶他们的女子为妻。 4 你却要到我的故乡、我的亲族那里去，为我的儿子以撒娶妻。” 5 仆人问亚伯拉罕：“如果那女子不愿跟我到这地方来，我必须把你的儿子带回你原出之地去吗？” 6 亚伯拉罕对他说：“你要谨慎，切不可带我的儿子回到那里去。 7 耶和华天上的 神，就是领我离开我的父家和我亲族之地，曾经对我说话，又向我起誓的那位说：‘我必把这地赐给你的后裔。’他必在你前面差派他的使者，你就可以从那里为我的儿子娶妻。 8 如果那女子不愿跟你来，我叫你所起的这誓就与你无关了。只是不可带我的儿子回到那里去。” 9 于是，仆人把手放在他主人亚伯拉罕的大腿下，为这事向亚伯拉罕起誓。
10 那仆人从他主人的骆驼里取了十匹骆驼，带着主人各样的美物，起程往两河之间的亚兰去，到了拿鹤的城。 11 黄昏时分，女人出来打水的时候，那仆人就叫骆驼跪在城外的水井旁边， 12 然后祷告说：“耶和华我主人亚伯拉罕的 神啊，求你今日使我遇见好机会，施慈爱给我的主人亚伯拉罕。 13 我现在站在水泉旁边，城内居民的女儿正出来打水。 14 我对哪一个少女说：‘请你放下水瓶来，让我喝点水。’如果她回答：‘请喝，我也给你的骆驼喝。’愿那少女就作你选定给你仆人以撒的妻子。这样，我就知道你施慈爱给我的主人了。” 15 话还没有说完，不料，利百加肩头上扛着水瓶出来了。利百加是彼土利所生的。彼土利是亚伯拉罕兄弟拿鹤的妻子密迦的儿子。 16 那少女容貌非常美丽，还是个处女，没有男人亲近过她。她下到水泉那里，打满了水瓶，又上来。 17 仆人就跑去迎着她，说：“请你把瓶里的水给我喝一点。” 18 那少女回答：“我主请喝。”就急忙把水瓶拿下来，托在手上给他喝。 19 他喝足了，少女就说：“我也要为你的骆驼打水，直到牠们都喝足了。” 20 于是急忙把水瓶里的水倒在槽里，又跑到井旁去打水，给他所有的骆驼打上水来。 21 那人一句话也不说，只注视着她，要知道耶和华使他的道路亨通不亨通。 22 骆驼喝足了，那人就拿出一个重近六克的金鼻环，戴在她的鼻子上，又拿出两个重一百一十四克的金手镯，套在她的手上， 23 然后问她：“请你告诉我，你是谁的女儿？你父亲的家里有地方给我们住宿没有？” 24 她回答：“我是密迦给拿鹤所生的儿子彼土利的女儿。” 25 她又说：“我们有很多粮草和饲料，也有住宿的地方。” 26 那人就跪下敬拜耶和华， 27 说：“耶和华我主人亚伯拉罕的 神是应当称颂的，因为他不断以慈爱和信实待我的主人；耶和华也一路引导我，到了我主人的兄弟家里。”
28 那少女就跑回去，把这些事都告诉了她母亲家里的人。 29 利百加有一个哥哥，名叫拉班。 30 他看见了妹妹的鼻环和手上的手镯，又听见了妹妹利百加说：“那人对我这样这样说”，就跑去见外面水泉旁边的那人。他来到那人跟前的时候，见他仍然站在骆驼旁边的水泉那里。 31 拉班说：“你这蒙耶和华赐福的，请进来吧，为甚么站在外面呢？我已经收拾好了房间，也为骆驼预备了地方。” 32 那人就进了拉班的家。拉班卸了骆驼，拿粮草和饲料给骆驼吃，又拿水给那人和与他同来的人洗脚。 33 然后在他面前摆上食物，但那人说：“除非等我说完了我的事，我不会吃。”拉班说：“请说。” 34 那人说：“我是亚伯拉罕的仆人。 35 耶和华厚厚地赐福我主人，他就昌大起来；耶和华又赐给他羊群、牛群、金银、仆婢、骆驼和驴。 36 我主人的妻子撒拉年老的时候，给我主人生了一个儿子。我主人也把他一切所有的都给了这个儿子。 37 我主人要我起誓，说：‘你不可从我现在居住的迦南地中，为我的儿子娶迦南的女子为妻。 38 你要到我的父家，和我的族人那里去，为我的儿子娶一个妻子。’ 39 我问我主人：‘如果那女子不愿跟我回来呢？’ 40 他回答：‘我行事为人都在他面前的耶和华，必差派他的使者与你同去，使你的道路亨通，你就可以从我的族人和我的父家，给我的儿子娶一个妻子。 41 只要你到了我的族人那里去，我叫你起的誓就与你无关；他们若不把女子交给你，我叫你起的誓也与你无关。’ 42 我今天到了水泉那里，就说：‘耶和华我主人亚伯拉罕的 神啊，你若叫我所走的道路亨通， 43 那么，我现在站在水泉旁边，但愿有一个少女出来打水，我要对她说：“请你把瓶里的水给我喝一点。” 44 她若对我说：“你请喝，我还要打水给你的骆驼喝。”愿那女子就作耶和华给我主人的儿子所选定的妻子。’ 45 我心里的话还没有说完，利百加就肩头扛着水瓶出来了，她下到水泉那里去打水；我就对她说：‘请给我水喝。’ 46 她急忙从肩上拿下水瓶来，说：‘请喝，我还要给你的骆驼喝。’我喝了，她也打水给我的骆驼喝。 47 于是我问她，说：‘你是谁的女儿？’她回答：‘我是密迦给拿鹤所生的儿子彼土利的女儿。’我就把鼻环戴在她的鼻子上，把手镯套在她的两手上。 48 然后我跪下敬拜耶和华，称颂耶和华我主人亚伯拉罕的 神，因为他引导我走恰当的路，使我得到我主人的兄弟的孙女，作我主人的儿子的妻子。 49 现在你们若愿意以慈爱和信实待我的主人，就请告诉我。如果不愿意，也请你们告诉我；使我可以知道怎样行。”
50 拉班和彼土利回答，说：“这事既然出于耶和华，我们就不能对你说好说歹。 51 看哪，利百加就在你面前，你可以把她带去，照着耶和华所说的，作你主人儿子的妻子。” 52 亚伯拉罕的仆人听到了他们这些话，就俯伏在地敬拜耶和华。 53 那仆人拿出金器、银器和衣服送给利百加，又把贵重的礼物送给她的哥哥和她的母亲。 54 然后，仆人和与他同来的人才吃喝，并且住了一夜。他们早晨起来，仆人就说：“请打发我回到我主人那里去吧！” 55 利百加的哥哥和母亲说：“让这女孩子和我们同住多几天，或是十天，然后她可以离去。” 56 仆人回答他们：“你们不要挽留我，耶和华既然使我的道路亨通，就请打发我回到我主人那里去。” 57 他们说：“我们可以把那女孩子叫来，问问她的意思。” 58 他们把利百加叫了来，问她：“你愿意与这人同去吗？”她回答：“我愿意去。” 59 于是，他们把自己的妹妹利百加，她的乳母和亚伯拉罕的仆人，以及同来的人，都打发走了。 60 他们给利百加祝福，对她说：
“我们的妹妹啊，
愿你作千万人之母；
愿你的后裔，
占领仇敌的城门。”
以撒迎娶利百加
61 利百加和她的众使女就起来，骑上骆驼，跟着那人走；那仆人就带着利百加走了。 62 那时，以撒刚从庇耳．拉海．莱回来，他原本是住在南地的。 63 黄昏的时候，以撒出来田间默想。他举目观看，忽然看见来了些骆驼。 64 利百加举目观看，看见了以撒，就下了骆驼， 65 问那仆人：“在田间走来迎接我们的这人是谁？”仆人回答：“他是我的主人。”利百加就拿面纱蒙在面上。 66 仆人把所作的一切事，都告诉以撒。 67 以撒领利百加进了他母亲撒拉的帐棚，并且娶了她。利百加就作了以撒的妻子。以撒爱利百加。以撒自从他母亲去世后，这才得了安慰。
Genesis 24
King James Version
24 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
7 The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, 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.
8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?
24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.
27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.
28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.
29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.
33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the 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 say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master's son.
45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.
49 And now if ye will 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, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.
63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Genesis 24
Contemporary English Version
A Wife for Isaac
24 Abraham was now a very old man. The Lord had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did. 2 One day, Abraham called in his most trusted servant and said to him, “Solemnly promise me 3 in the name of the Lord, who rules heaven and earth, that you won't choose a wife for my son Isaac from the people here in the land of Canaan. 4 Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for him from among my relatives.”
5 But the servant asked, “What if the young woman I choose refuses to leave home and come here with me? Should I send Isaac there to look for a wife?”
6 “No!” Abraham answered. “Don't ever do that, no matter what. 7 The Lord who rules heaven brought me here from the land where I was born and promised that he would give this land to my descendants forever. When you go back there, the Lord will send his angel ahead of you to help you find a wife for my son. 8 If the woman refuses to come along, you don't have to keep this promise. But don't ever take my son back there.” 9 So the servant gave Abraham his word that he would do everything he had been told to do.
10 Soon after that, the servant loaded ten of Abraham's camels with valuable gifts. Then he set out for the city in northern Syria,[a] where Abraham's brother Nahor lived.
11 When he got there, he let the camels rest near the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when the women came out for water. 12 The servant prayed:
You, Lord, are the God my master Abraham worships. Please keep your promise to him and let me find a wife for Isaac today. 13 The young women of the city will soon come to this well for water, 14 and I'll ask one of them for a drink. If she gives me a drink and then offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen and that you have kept your promise to my master.
15-16 While he was still praying, a beautiful unmarried young woman came by with a water jar on her shoulder. She was Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. Rebekah walked past Abraham's servant, then went over to the well, and filled her water jar. When she started back, 17 Abraham's servant ran to her and said, “Please let me have a drink of water.”
18 “I'll be glad to,” she answered. Then she quickly took the jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. 19-20 After he had finished, she said, “Now I'll give your camels all the water they want.” She quickly poured out water for them, and she kept going back for more, until his camels had drunk all they wanted. 21 Abraham's servant did not say a word, but he watched everything Rebekah did, because he wanted to know for certain if this was the woman the Lord had chosen.
22 The servant had brought along an expensive gold ring and two large gold bracelets. When Rebekah had finished bringing the water, he gave her the ring for her nose[b] and the bracelets for her arms. 23 Then he said, “Please tell me who your father is. Does he have room in his house for me and my men to spend the night?”
24 She answered, “My father is Bethuel, the son of Nahor and Milcah. 25 We have a place where you and your men can stay, and we also have enough straw and feed for your camels.”
26 Then the servant bowed his head and prayed, 27 “I thank you, Lord God of my master Abraham! You have led me to his relatives and kept your promise to him.”
28 Rebekah ran straight home and told her family everything. 29-30 Her brother Laban heard her tell what the servant had said, and he saw the ring and the bracelets she was wearing. So Laban ran out to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well. 31 Then Laban said, “The Lord has brought you safely here. Come home with me. There's no need for you to keep on standing outside. I have a room ready for you in our house, and there's also a place for your camels.”
32 Abraham's servant went home with Laban, where Laban's servants unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then they brought water into the house, so Abraham's servant and his men could wash their feet. 33 After that, they brought in food. But the servant said, “Before I eat, I must tell you why I have come.”
“Go ahead and tell us,” Laban answered.
34 The servant explained:
I am Abraham's servant. 35 The Lord has been good to my master and has made him very rich. He has given him many sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and donkeys, as well as a lot of silver and gold, and many slaves. 36 Sarah, my master's wife, didn't have any children until she was very old. Then she had a son, and my master has given him everything. 37 I solemnly promised my master that I would do what he said. And he told me, “Don't choose a wife for my son from the women in this land of Canaan. 38 Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for my son from among my relatives.”
39 I asked my master, “What if the young woman refuses to come with me?”
40 My master answered, “I have always obeyed the Lord, and he will send his angel to help you find my son a wife from among my own relatives. 41 But if they refuse to let her come back with you, then you are freed from your promise.”
42 When I came to the well today, I silently prayed, “You, Lord, are the God my master Abraham worships, so please lead me to a wife for his son 43 while I am here at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I'll ask her to give me a drink. 44 If she gives me a drink and offers to get some water for my camels, I'll know she is the one you have chosen.”
45 Even before I had finished praying, Rebekah came by with a water jar on her shoulder. When she had filled the jar, I asked her for a drink. 46 She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and said, “Have a drink. Then I'll get water for your camels.” So I drank, and after that she got some water for my camels. 47 I asked her who her father was, and she answered, “My father is Bethuel the son of Nahor and Milcah.” At once I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 Then I bowed my head and gave thanks to the God my master Abraham worships. The Lord had led me straight to my master's relatives, and I had found a wife for his son.
49 Now please tell me if you are willing to do the right thing for my master. Will you treat him fairly, or do I have to look for another young woman?
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “The Lord has done this. We have no choice in the matter. 51 Take Rebekah with you; she can marry your master's son, just as the Lord has said.” 52 Abraham's servant bowed down and thanked the Lord. 53 Then he gave clothing, as well as silver and gold jewelry, to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and her mother.
54 Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, then spent the night there. The next morning they got up, and the servant told Rebekah's mother and brother, “I would like to go back to my master now.”
55 “Let Rebekah stay with us for a week or ten days,” they answered. “Then she may go.”
56 But he said, “Don't make me stay any longer. The Lord has already helped me find a wife for my master's son. Now let us return.”
57 They answered, “Let's ask Rebekah what she wants to do.” 58 They called her and asked, “Are you willing to leave with this man at once?”
“Yes,” she answered.
59 So they agreed to let Rebekah and an old family servant woman[c] leave immediately with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 They gave Rebekah their blessing and said, “We pray that God will give you many children and grandchildren and that he will help them defeat their enemies.” 61 Afterwards, Rebekah and the young women who were to travel with her prepared to leave. Then they got on camels and left with Abraham's servant and his men.
62 At that time Isaac was living in the southern part of Canaan near a place called “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.”[d] 63-65 One evening he was walking[e] out in the fields, when suddenly he saw a group of people approaching on camels. So he started toward them. Rebekah saw him coming; she got down from her camel, and asked, “Who is that man?”
“He is my master Isaac,” the servant answered. Then Rebekah covered her face with her veil.[f]
66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
67 Isaac took Rebekah into the tent[g] where his mother had lived before she died, and Rebekah became his wife. He loved her and was comforted over the loss of his mother.
Footnotes
- 24.10 northern Syria: The Hebrew text has “Aram-Naharaim,” probably referring to the land around the city of Haran (see also 25.20; 28.2,6; 31.18,20; 33.18; 35.23-26; 46.8-15 where CEV translates “Paddan-Aram” as “northern Syria”; and 48.7 where CEV translates “Paddan” as “northern Syria”).
- 24.22 ring for her nose: Nose-rings were popular jewelry items, as were earrings.
- 24.59 old family servant woman: Probably Deborah, who had taken care of Rebekah from the time she was born (see 35.8).
- 24.62 Who Sees Me: Or “I Have Seen.”
- 24.63-65 walking: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 24.63-65 covered … veil: Since the veiling of a bride was part of the wedding ceremony, this probably means that she was willing to become the wife of Isaac.
- 24.67 took … tent: This shows that Rebekah is now the wife of Isaac and the successor of Sarah as the leading woman in the tribe.
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