Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

³⁴ He said, “I am Avraham’s servant. ³⁵ Adonai has greatly blessed my master, so that he has grown wealthy. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. ³⁶ Sarah my master’s wife bore my master a son when she was old, and he has given him everything he has. ³⁷ My master made me swear, saying, ‘You are not to choose a wife for my son from among the women of the Kena‘ani, among whom I am living; ³⁸ rather, you are to go to my father’s house, to my kinsmen, to choose a wife for my son.’ ³⁹ I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman isn’t willing to follow me.’ ⁴⁰ Avraham answered me, ‘Adonai, in whose presence I live, will send his angel with you to make your trip successful; and you are to pick a wife for my son from my kinsmen in my father’s house; ⁴¹ this will release you from your obligation under my oath. But if, when you come to my kinsmen, they refuse to give her to you, this too will release you from my oath.’

⁵⁰ Lavan and B’tu’el replied, “Since this comes from Adonai, we can’t say anything to you either bad or good. ⁵¹ Rivkah is here in front of you; take her and go. Let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Adonai has said.” ⁵² When Avraham’s servant heard what they said, he prostrated himself on the ground to Adonai. (v) ⁵³ Then the servant brought out silver and gold jewelry, together with clothing, and gave them to Rivkah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and mother. ⁵⁴ He and his men then ate and drank and stayed the night.

In the morning they got up; and he said, “Send me off to my master.” ⁵⁵ Her brother and mother said, “Let the girl stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that, she will go.” ⁵⁶ He answered them, “Don’t delay me, since Adonai has made my trip successful, but let me go back to my master.” ⁵⁷ They said, “We will call the girl and see what she says.” ⁵⁸ They called Rivkah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” and she replied, “I will.”

⁵⁹ So they sent their sister Rivkah away, with her nurse, Avraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰ They blessed Rivkah with these words: “Our sister, may you be the mother of millions, and may your descendants possess the cities of those who hate them.” ⁶¹ Then Rivkah and her maids mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rivkah and went on his way.

⁶² Meanwhile, Yitz’chak, one evening after coming along the road from Be’er-Lachai-Ro’i — he was living in the Negev — ⁶³ went out walking in the field; and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. ⁶⁴ Rivkah too looked up; and when she saw Yitz’chak, she quickly dismounted the camel. ⁶⁵ She said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” When the servant replied, “It’s my master,” she took her veil and covered herself.

⁶⁶ The servant told Yitz’chak everything he had done. ⁶⁷ Then Yitz’chak brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent and took Rivkah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus was Yitz’chak comforted for the loss of his mother.

⁷ Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command. On the contrary, it is an old command, which you have had from the beginning; the old command is the message which you have heard before. ⁸ Yet I am writing you a new command, and its reality is seen both in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. ⁹ Anyone who claims to be in this light while hating his brother is still in the dark. ¹⁰ The person who keeps loving his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him that could make him trip. ¹¹ But the person who hates his brother is in the dark — yes, he is walking in the dark, and he doesn’t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.