B'resheet (Gen) 24

1By now Avraham was old, advanced in years; and Adonai had blessed Avraham in everything. 2Avraham said to the servant who had served him the longest, who was in charge of all he owned, “Put your hand under my thigh; 3because I want you to swear by Adonai, God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from among the women of the Kena‘ani, among whom I am living; 4but that you will go to my homeland, to my kinsmen, to choose a wife for my son Yitz’chak.” 5The servant replied, “Suppose the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land. Must I then bring your son back to the land from which you came?” 6Avraham said to him, “See to it that you don’t bring my son back there. 7Adonai, the God of heaven — who took me away from my father’s house and away from the land I was born in, who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘I will give this land to your descendants’ — he will send his angel ahead of you; and you are to bring a wife for my son from there. 8But if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from your obligation under my oath. Just don’t bring my son back there.” 9The servant put his hand under the thigh of Avraham his master and swore to him concerning the matter.

(iii) 10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and all kinds of gifts from his master, got up and went to Aram-Naharayim, to Nachor’s city. 11Toward evening, when the women go out to draw water, he had the camels kneel down outside the city by the well. 12He said, “Adonai, God of my master Avraham, please let me succeed today; and show your grace to my master Avraham. 13Here I am, standing by the spring, as the daughters of the townsfolk come out to draw water. 14I will say to one of the girls, ‘Please lower your jug, so that I can drink.’ If she answers, ‘Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well,’ then let her be the one you intend for your servant Yitz’chak. This is how I will know that you have shown grace to my master.”

15Before he had finished speaking, Rivkah the daughter of B’tu’el son of Milkah the wife of Nachor Avraham’s brother, came out with her jug on her shoulder. 16The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, never having had sexual relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jug and came up. 17The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug to drink.” 18“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and immediately lowered her jug onto her arm and let him drink. 19When she was through letting him drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have drunk their fill.” 20She quickly emptied her jug into the trough, then ran again to the well to draw water, and kept on drawing water for all his camels. 21The man gazed at her in silence, waiting to find out whether Adonai had made his trip successful or not.

22When the camels were done drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing one-fifth of an ounce and two gold bracelets weighing four ounces 23and asked, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24She answered, “I am the daughter of B’tu’el the son Milkah bore to Nachor,” 25adding, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room for staying overnight.” 26The man bowed his head and prostrated himself before Adonai. (iv) 27Then he said, “Blessed be Adonai, God of my master Avraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master; because Adonai has guided me to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” 28The girl ran off and told her mother’s household what had happened.

29-30Rivkah had a brother named Lavan. When he saw the nose-ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists besides, and when he heard his sister Rivkah’s report of what the man had said to her, he ran out to the spring and found the man standing there by the camels. 31“Come on in,” he said, “you whom Adonai has blessed! Why are you standing outside when I have made room in the house and prepared a place for the camels?” 32So the man went inside, and while the camels were being unloaded and provided straw and fodder, water was brought for him to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him.

33But when a meal was set before him, he said, “I won’t eat until I say what I have to say.” Lavan said, “Speak.” 34He said, “I am Avraham’s servant. 35Adonai 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. 36Sarah my master’s wife bore my master a son when she was old, and he has given him everything he has. 37My 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; 38rather, you are to go to my father’s house, to my kinsmen, to choose a wife for my son.’ 39I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman isn’t willing to follow me.’ 40Avraham 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; 41this 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.’

42“So today, I came to the spring and said, ‘Adonai, God of my master Avraham, if you are causing my trip to succeed in its purpose, 43then, here I am, standing by the spring. I will say to one of the girls coming out to draw water, “Let me have a sip of water from your jug.” 44If she answers, “Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well,” then let her be the woman you intend for my master’s son.’ 45And even before I had finished speaking to my heart, there came Rivkah, going out with her jug on her shoulder; she went down to the spring and drew water. When I said to her, ‘Please let me have a drink,’ 46she immediately lowered the jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she had the camels drink too.

47“I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ and she answered, ‘The daughter of B’tu’el son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ Then I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists, 48bowed my head, prostrated myself before Adonai and blessed Adonai, God of my master Avraham, for having led me in the right way to obtain my master’s brother’s [grand]daughter for his son.

49“So now if you people intend to show grace and truth to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me, so that I can turn elsewhere.”

50Lavan and B’tu’el replied, “Since this comes from Adonai, we can’t say anything to you either bad or good. 51Rivkah is here in front of you; take her and go. Let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Adonai has said.” 52When Avraham’s servant heard what they said, he prostrated himself on the ground to Adonai. (v) 53Then 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. 54He 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.” 55Her brother and mother said, “Let the girl stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that, she will go.” 56He answered them, “Don’t delay me, since Adonai has made my trip successful, but let me go back to my master.” 57They said, “We will call the girl and see what she says.” 58They called Rivkah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” and she replied, “I will.”

59So they sent their sister Rivkah away, with her nurse, Avraham’s servant and his men. 60They 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.” 61Then Rivkah and her maids mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rivkah and went on his way.

62Meanwhile, Yitz’chak, one evening after coming along the road from Be’er-Lachai-Ro’i — he was living in the Negev — 63went out walking in the field; and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64Rivkah too looked up; and when she saw Yitz’chak, she quickly dismounted the camel. 65She 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.

66The servant told Yitz’chak everything he had done. 67Then 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.

Genesis 24

1¶ And Abraham was old and well stricken in age, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

2And Abraham said unto his eldest slave of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,

3and I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of the heavens 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;

4but thou shalt go unto my country and to my kindred and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

5And the slave said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land, must I therefore bring thy son again unto the land from which thou didst come?

6And Abraham said unto him, Beware that thou not bring my son there again.

7The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred and who spoke unto me and swore 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 there.

8And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be free from this my oath; only do not bring my son there again.

9Then the slave put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning that matter.

10¶ And the slave took ten camels of the camels of his master and departed with the best of what his master had in his hand; and he arose and went to Aram-naharaim, unto the city of Nahor.

11And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

12And he said, O Lord, God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, to have a good encounter this day and show mercy unto my master Abraham.

13Behold, I stand here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out for water:

14And 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 to drink also; let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy slave Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown mercy unto my master.

15And 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.

16And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known; and she went down to the fountain and filled her pitcher and was coming back up.

17Then the slave ran to meet her and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18And she said, Drink, my lord, and she hastened to let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink.

19And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also until they have finished drinking.

20And she hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water and drew for all his camels.

21And the man marveled at her in silence, to see whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not.

22And it came to pass as the camels had finished drinking that the man took a golden pendant of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold

23and said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee; is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?

24And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she gave birth unto Nahor.

25She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and fodder enough and room to lodge in.

26Then the man bowed down his head and worshipped the Lord.

27And he said, Blessed be the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who has not lifted his mercy and his truth from my master, the Lord leading me in the way to the house of my master’s brethren.

28And the damsel ran and told those 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 to the fountain.

30And it came to pass when he saw the pendant and the bracelets upon his sister’s hands, she said, Thus spoke the man unto me; then he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the fountain.

31And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; why dost thou stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and the place for the camels.

32Then the man came into the house, and Laban ungirded his camels and gave straw and fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the men’s feet that were with him.

33And they set food before him to eat, but he said, I will not eat until I have told my errand. And he said unto him, Speak on.

34And he said, I am Abraham’s slave.

35And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold and menslaves and maidslaves and camels and asses.

36And Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old, unto whom he has given all that he has.

37And 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;

38but thou shalt go unto my father’s house and to my kindred and take from there a wife for my son.

39And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.

40And 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 lineage and of my father’s house;

41then shalt thou be free from this my oath, when thou hast come unto my lineage; and if they give her not unto thee, thou shalt be free from my oath.

42And I came this day unto the fountain and said, O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if now thou dost prosper my way by which I go,

43behold, I stand by the fountain of water; let it come to pass, therefore, that the virgin who comes forth to draw water unto whom I say, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

44and if she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels, let the same be the woman whom the Lord has prepared for my master’s son.

45And before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down unto the fountain and drew water, and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.

46And 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 gave to drink unto the camels also.

47And I asked her and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore unto him. Then I put the pendant over her nose and the bracelets upon her hands.

48And I bowed down my head and worshipped the Lord and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of the truth to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.

49And now if ye will deal in mercy and truth with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from the Lord; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

51Behold, Rebekah is before thee; take her and go and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord has spoken.

52And it came to pass that when Abraham’s slave heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

53And the slave brought forth vessels of silver and vessels of gold and raiment and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.

54¶ And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and slept; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

55Then her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

56And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord has prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

57Then they said, We will call the damsel and enquire at her mouth.

58And they called Rebekah and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59So they sent away Rebekah, their sister, and her nurse and Abraham’s slave and his men.

60And they blessed Rebekah and said unto her, Thou art our sister; be thou the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those who hate them.

61And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels and followed the man; and the slave took Rebekah and went away.

62¶ And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the land of the Negev.

63And Isaac had gone out to pray in the field at the evening hour; and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

64And Rebekah also lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

65For she had asked the slave, What man is this that walks in the field to meet us? And the slave had said, This is my master; therefore she took a veil and covered herself.

66Then the slave told Isaac all the things that he had done.

67And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent and took Rebekah as his wife; and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

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B'resheet (Gen) 24

Genesis 24