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34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 35 “The Lord has greatly blessed my master and made him a rich man. He has given him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys. 36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore him a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to him. 37 My master made me promise with a vow to obey his command. He said, ‘Do not choose a wife for my son from the young women in the land of Canaan. 38 Instead, go to my father's people, to my relatives, and choose a wife for him.’ 39 And I asked my master, ‘What if she will not come with me?’ 40 He answered, ‘The Lord, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family. 41 There is only one way for you to be free from your vow: if you go to my relatives and they refuse you, then you will be free.’

42 “When I came to the well today, I prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please give me success in what I am doing. 43 Here I am at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I will ask her to give me a drink of water from her jar. 44 If she agrees and also offers to bring water for my camels, may she be the one that you have chosen as the wife for my master's son.’ 45 Before I had finished my silent prayer, Rebecca came with a water jar on her shoulder and went down to the well to get water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels. 47 I asked her, ‘Who is your father?’ And she answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 I knelt down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me straight to my master's relative, where I found his daughter for my master's son. 49 Now, if you intend to fulfill your responsibility toward my master and treat him fairly, please tell me; if not, say so, and I will decide what to do.”

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “Since this matter comes from the Lord, it is not for us to make a decision. 51 Here is Rebecca; take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord himself has said.” 52 When the servant of Abraham heard this, he bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 53 Then he brought out clothing and silver and gold jewelry, and gave them to Rebecca. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and to her mother.

54 Then Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me go back to my master.”

55 But Rebecca's brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.”

56 But he said, “Don't make us stay. The Lord has made my journey a success; let me go back to my master.”

57 They answered, “Let's call her and find out what she has to say.” 58 So they called Rebecca and asked, “Do you want to go with this man?”

“Yes,” she answered.

59 So they let Rebecca and her old family servant go with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they gave Rebecca their blessing in these words:

“May you, sister, become the mother of millions!
May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!”

61 Then Rebecca and her young women got ready and mounted the camels to go with Abraham's servant, and they all started out.

62 Isaac had come into the wilderness of[a] “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me” and was staying in the southern part of Canaan. 63 He went out in the early evening to take a walk in the fields and saw camels coming. 64 When Rebecca saw Isaac, she got down from her camel 65 and asked Abraham's servant, “Who is that man walking toward us in the field?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her scarf and covered her face.

66 The servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent that his mother Sarah had lived in, and she became his wife. Isaac loved Rebecca, and so he was comforted for the loss of his mother.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 24:62 Some ancient translations into the wilderness of; Hebrew from coming.

34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.(A) 35 The Lord has blessed(B) my master abundantly,(C) and he has become wealthy.(D) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.(E) 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,(F) and he has given him everything he owns.(G) 37 And my master made me swear an oath,(H) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,(I) 38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’(J)

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

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

42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success(Q) to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring.(R) If a young woman(S) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”(T) 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.’(U)

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

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

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

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

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

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

52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.(AN) 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing(AO) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts(AP) 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(AQ) to my master.”

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

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

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

“I will go,”(AV) she said.

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

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

61 Then Rebekah and her attendants(BB) 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,(BC) for he was living in the Negev.(BD) 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate,[b](BE) and as he looked up,(BF) he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel(BG) 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(BH) and covered herself.

66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent(BI) of his mother Sarah,(BJ) and he married Rebekah.(BK) So she became his wife, and he loved her;(BL) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.(BM)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 24:55 Or she
  2. Genesis 24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.