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Genesis 24

24
A Wife for Isaac
1By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, 3and I will have you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, 4but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
6Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there. 7The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. 8And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”
9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.#24:10 That is, Mesopotamia; Aram-naharaim means Aram of the two rivers, likely the region between the Euphrates and Balih Rivers in northwestern Mesopotamia. 11As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.
12“O Lord, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
Rebekah Is Chosen
15Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
17So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
18“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” 20And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.
21Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the Lord had made his journey a success.
22And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka,#24:22 A beka is half a shekel, or approximately 0.2 ounces or 5.7 grams. and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.#24:22 10 shekels is approximately 4 ounces or 114 grams. 23“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” 25Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”
26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring. 30As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.
31“Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” 32So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.
33Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.”
So Laban said, “Please speak.”
34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied. 35“The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. 36My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
39Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
40And he told me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house. 41And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
42So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success! 43Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ 44and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.
45And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.
47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 48Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord; and I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.
49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”
50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we have no choice in the matter. 51Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decreed.”
52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother. 54Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”
55But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
56But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”
57So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
58They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”
“I will go,” she replied.
59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become the mother
of thousands upon thousands.
May your offspring possess
the gates of their enemies.”
61Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
Isaac Marries Rebekah
62Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
64And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel 65and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”
“It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. 66Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

Bereshis 24

24
1And Avraham was zaken (old), and well stricken in age; and Hashem berach (had blessed) Avraham in all things.
2And Avraham said unto his eved zekan of his bais, hamoshel (that ruled) over all that he had, Put, now, thy yad under my thigh;
3And I will make thee swear by Hashem Elohei HaShomayim and Elohei Ha'Aretz, that thou shalt not take an isha unto beni of the Banot HaKena'ani, among whom I dwell:
4But thou shalt go unto my eretz, and to my moledet, and take an isha unto beni Yitzchak.
5And the eved said unto him, What if the isha will not be willing to follow me unto HaAretz Hazot: must I needs bring binecha back unto ha'aretz from where thou camest?
6And Avraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not beni to there!
7 Hashem Elohei HaShomayim, which took me from bais avi, and from the eretz of my moledet, and which spoke unto me, and that swore unto me, saying, Unto thy zera will I give HaAretz Hazot; He shall send His Malach before thee, and thou shalt take an isha unto beni from there.
8But if the isha will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be released from this my shevu'ah (oath): only do not bring back beni there.
9And the eved put his yad under yerech Avraham adonav, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10And the eved took asarah gemalim of the gemalei adonav, and departed; for all the goods of adonav were in his yad: and he arose, and went to Aram Naharayim (Mesopotamia), unto the Ir Nachor.
11And he made his gemalim to kneel down outside the Ir near a be'er hamayim at the time of erev, at the time that women go out to draw mayim.
12And he said Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, now, send me success this yom, and show chesed unto adoni Avraham.
13Hinei, I stand here by the ayin hamayim; and the banot anshei haIr come out to draw mayim;
14And let it come to pass, that the na'arah to whom I shall say, Let down thy jug, now, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy gemalim drink also; let the same be she that Thou hast appointed for Thy eved Yitzchak; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast showed chesed unto adoni.
15And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, hinei, Rivkah came out, who was born to Betuel Ben Milcah, eshet Nachor, achi Avraham, with her jug upon her shoulder.
16And the na'arah was tovat mareh me'od, a betulah, neither had any ish known her: and she went down to haayenah (the spring), and filled her jug, and came up.
17And the eved hurried to meet her, and said, Let me, now, drink a little mayim of thy jug.
18And she said, Drink, adoni: and she hasted, and let down her jug upon her yad, and gave him drink.
19And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw for thy gemalim also, until they have done drinking.
20And she hasted, and emptied her jug into the trough, and ran back unto the be'er to draw, and drew for all his gemalim.
21And the ish gazed at her and held his peace, so as to have da'as whether Hashem had made his derech prosperous or not.
22And it came to pass, just as the gemalim had done drinking, that the ish took a nezem zahav (gold ring) by weight a beka, and two tzemidim (bracelets) by weight ten [shekels of] gold for her wrists;
23And said, Whose bat art thou? Tell me, now: is there makom in the bais of thy av for us to spend the night?
24And she said unto him, I am Bat Betuel Ben Milcah, the ben which she bore unto Nachor.
25She said moreover unto him, We have both teven (straw) and mispo (fodder) enough, and makom (room) to spend the night.
26And the ish bowed his head, worshiped Hashem.
27And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, who hath not left destitute of His chesed and His emes; I being on the derech, Hashem led me to the bais achei adoni.
28And the na'arah ran, and told them of her bais em these things.
29And Rivkah had an ach, shmo Lavan; Lavan ran out unto the ish, unto the ayin.
30And it came to pass, when he saw the nezem and tzemidim upon the wrists of his achot, and when he heard the words of Rivkah his achot, saying, Thus spoke the ish unto me; that he came unto the ish; and, hinei, he stood by the gemalim at the ayin.
31And he said, Come in, Baruch Hashem; why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the bais, and makom for the gemalim.
32And the ish came into the bais; and he unloaded his gemalim, and gave teven (straw) and mispo (fodder) for the camels, and mayim to wash his raglayim, and the raglei haanashim that were with him.
33And there was set ochel before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have stated my business. And he said, Speak on.
34And he said, I am eved Avraham.
35And Hashem hath blessed adoni me'od; and he is become prospered: and He hath given him tzon, and bakar, and kesef, and zahav, and avadim, and shefachot, and gemalim, and chamorim.
36And Sarah eshet adoni bore ben to adoni when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37And adoni made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take an isha for beni of the Banot HaKena'ani, in whose land I dwell;
38But thou shalt go unto bais avi, to my mishpokhot, and take an isha unto beni.
39And I said unto adoni, What if the isha will not follow me.
40And he said unto me, Hashem, before Whom I walk, will send His Malach with thee, and prosper thy derech; and thou shalt take an isha for beni of my mishpokhot, and of my bais avi;
41Then shalt thou be released from this my oath, when thou comest to my mishpokhot; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be released from my oath.
42And I came this day unto the ayin, and said, Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, if now Thou do prosper my derech which I go;
43Hinei, I stand by the ayin hamayim; and it shall come to pass, that when haAlmah#24:43 haAlmah used here as synonym for na'arah-betulah, Gn 24:16; see Isa 7:14, Introduction cometh forth to draw mayim, and I say to her, Give me, now, a little mayim of thy jar to drink;
44And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy gemalim; let the same be the isha whom Hashem hath appointed for ben adoni.
45And before I had done davening in mine lev, hinei, Rivkah came forth with her jar on her shoulder; and she went down unto ha'ayenah, and drew: and I said unto her, Let me drink, now.
46And she made haste, and let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy gemalim drink also: so I drank, and she made the gemalim drink also.
47And I asked her, and said, Whose bat art thou? And she said, Bat Betuel Ben Nachor, the ben whom Milcah bore unto him: and I put the nezem upon her face, and the tzemidim upon her wrists.
48And I bowed down my head, and worshiped Hashem, and I said a brocha to Hashem Elohei adoni Avraham, which had led me on the derech emes to take bat achi adoni for bno.
49And now if ye will do chesed and emes to adoni, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to yamin, or to smol.
50Then Lavan and Betuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from Hashem; we cannot speak unto thee rah or tov.
51Hinei, Rivkah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be isha for ben adoneicha, just as Hashem hath spoken.
52And it came to pass, that, when eved Avraham heard their words, he worshiped Hashem, bowing himself to the ground.
53And the eved brought forth kelei kesef, and kelei zahav, and begadim, and gave them to Rivkah; he gave also to her ach and to her em migdanot (costly gifts).
54And they did eat and drink, he and the anashim that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the boker, and he said, Send me away unto adoni.
55And her ach and her em said, Let the na'arah abide with us ten days or so; after that she shall go.
56And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing Hashem hath prospered my derech; send me away that I may go to adoni.
57And they said, We will call the na'arah, and inquire at her mouth.
58And they called Rivkah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this ish? And she said, I will go.
59And they sent away Rivkah their achot, and her nurse, and eved Avraham, and his anashim.
60And they said a brocha over Rivkah, and said unto her, Thou art achoteinu, may thou be increased to thousands upon thousands and may thy zera possess the sha'ar of those which hate them.
61And Rivkah arose, and her na'arot, and they rode upon the gemalim, and followed the ish: and the eved took Rivkah, and went his way.
62And Yitzchak had come from Be'er Lachai Roi; for he dwelt in the eretz hanegev.
63And Yitzchak went out to meditate in the sadeh at erev: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, hinei, the gemalim (camels) were coming.
64And Rivkah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Yitzchak, she got down from the gamal.
65For she had said unto the eved, Who is that ish that walketh in the sadeh to meet us? And the eved had said, He is adoni: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.
66And the eved told Yitzchak all things that he had done.
67And Yitzchak brought her into the ohel of Sarah immo, and took Rivkah, and she became his isha; and he loved her: and Yitzchak was comforted after the [mot] immo.