The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 24 -

Nowe Abraham was olde, and striken in yeeres, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

Therefore Abraham saide vnto his eldest seruant of his house, which had the rule ouer all that he had, Put nowe thine hand vnder my thigh,

And I will make thee sweare by ye Lord God of the heauen, and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife vnto my sonne of the daughters of the Canaanites among who I dwel.

But thou shalt go vnto my countrey, and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sone Izhak.

And the seruant saide to him, What if the woman will not come with me to this land? shall I bring thy sonne againe vnto the lande from whence thou camest?

To whom Abraham answered, Beware that thou bring not my sonne thither againe.

The Lord God of heauen, who tooke me from my fathers house, and from the land where I was borne, and that spake vnto me, and that sware vnto me, saying, Vnto thy seede wil I giue this land, he shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife vnto my sonne from thence.

Neuertheles if the woman wil not follow thee, then shalt thou bee discharged of this mine othe: onely bring not my sonne thither againe.

Then the seruant put his hand vnder the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him for this matter.

So the seruant tooke ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed: (for he had all his masters goods in his hand:) and so he arose, and went to Aram Naharaim, vnto the citie of Nahor.

And he made his camels to lye downe without the citie by a well of water, at euentide about the time that the women come out to draw water.

And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I beseech thee, send me good speede this day, and shew mercy vnto my master Abraham.

Lo, I stand by the well of water, whiles the mens daughters of this citie come out to drawe water.

Graunt therefore that ye maide, to whom I say, Bowe downe thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drinke: if she say, Drinke, and I will giue thy camels drinke also: may be she that thou hast ordeined for thy seruant Izhak: and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed mercy on my master.

Rebekah Is Chosen

And nowe yer he had left speaking, beholde, Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, sonne of Milcah the wife of Nahor Abrahams brother, and her pitcher vpon her shoulder.

(And the maide was very faire to looke vpon, a virgine and vnknowen of man) and she went downe to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came vp.

Then the seruant ranne to meete her, and said, Let me drinke, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher.

And she said, Drinke sir: and she hasted, and let downe her pitcher vpon her hand and gaue him drinke.

And when she had giuen him drinke, she said, I will drawe water for thy camels also vntill they haue drunken inough.

And she powred out her pitcher into the trough speedily; and ranne againe vnto the well to drawe water, and she drewe for all his camels.

So the man wondred at her, and helde his peace, to knowe whether the Lord had made his iourney prosperous or not.

And when the camels had left drinking, the man tooke a golden abillement of halfe a shekell weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of golde:

And he said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, Is there roume in thy fathers house for vs to lodge in?

Then she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the sonne of Milcah whom she bare vnto Nahor.

Moreouer she said vnto him, We haue litter also and prouender ynough, and roume to lodge in.

And the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the Lord,

And said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, which hath not withdrawen his mercie and his trueth from my master: for when I was in the way, the Lord brought me to my masters brethrens house.

And the maide ranne and tolde them of her mothers house according to these wordes.

Now Rebekah had a brother called Laban, and Laban ranne vnto the man to the well.

For when he had seene the earings and the bracelets in his sisters hands, and when he heard the wordes of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus said the man vnto me, then he went to the man, and loe, he stoode by the camels at the well.

And he saide, Come in thou blessed of the Lord: wherefore standest thou without, seeing I haue prepared the house, and roume for ye camels?

Then the man came into the house, and he vnsadled the camels, and brought litter and prouender for the camels, and water to wash his feete, and the mens feete that were with him.

Afterward the meate was set before him: but he saide, I will not eate, vntill I haue saide my message: And he said, Speake on.

Then he said, I am Abrahams seruant,

And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, that he is become great: for he hath giuen him sheepe, and beeues, and siluer, and golde, and men seruants, and maide seruants, and camels, and asses.

And Sarah my masters wife hath borne a sonne to my master, when she was olde, and vnto him hath he giuen all that he hath.

Now my master made me sweare, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my sonne of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

But thou shalt go vnto my fathers house and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sonne.

Then I saide vnto my master, What if the woman will not follow me?

Who answered me, The Lord, before who I walke, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy iourney, and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne of my kinred and my fathers house.

Then shalt thou be discharged of mine othe, when thou commest to my kinred: and if they giue thee not one, thou shalt be free from mine othe.

So I came this day to the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou nowe prosper my iourney which I goe,

Behold, I stand by the well of water: when a virgine commeth forth to drawe water, and I say to her, Giue me, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher to drinke,

And she say to me, Drinke thou, and I will also drawe for thy camels, let her be ye wife, which the Lord hath prepared for my masters sonne.

And before I had made an end of speaking in mine heart, beholde, Rebekah came foorth, and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went downe vnto the well, and drewe water. Then I said vnto her, Giue me drinke, I pray thee.

And she made haste, and tooke downe her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drinke, and I will giue thy camels drinke also. So I dranke, and she gaue the camels drinke also.

Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she answered, The daughter of Bethuel Nahors sonne, whom Milcah bare vnto him. Then I put the abillement vpon her face, and the bracelets vpon her hands:

And I bowed downe and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had brought me the right way to take my masters brothers daughter vnto his sone.

Now therefore, if ye will deale mercifully and truely with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me that I may turne me to the right hand or to the left.

Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, This thing is proceeded of the Lord: we cannot therefore say vnto thee, neither euill nor good.

Beholde, Rebehak is before thee, take her and goe, that she may be thy masters sonnes wife, euen as the Lord hath said.

And when Abrahams seruant heard their wordes, he bowed himselfe toward the earth vnto the Lord.

Then the seruant tooke foorth iewels of siluer, and iewels of golde, and raiment, and gaue to Rebekah: also vnto her brother and to her mother he gaue gifts.

Afterward they did eate and drinke, both he, and the men that were with him, and taried all night. and when they rose vp in the morning, he said, Let me depart vnto my master.

Then her brother and her mother answered, Let the maide abide with vs, at the least ten dayes: then shall she goe.

But he said vnto them, Hinder you me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my iourney: send me away, that I may goe to my master.

Then they said, We will call the maide, and aske her consent.

And they called Rebekah, and saide vnto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she answered, I will go.

So they let Rebekah their sister goe, and her nourse, with Abrahams seruant and his men.

And they blessed Rebekah, and sayde vnto her, Thou art our sister, growe into thousande thousands, and thy seede possesse the gate of his enemies.

Then Rebekah arose, and her maydes, and rode vpon the camels, and followed the man. and the seruant tooke Rebekah, and departed.

Isaac Marries Rebekah

Nowe Izhak came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi, (for he dwelt in the South countrey)

And Izhak went out. to pray in the fielde toward the euening: who lift vp his eyes and looked, and behold, the camels came.

Also Rebekah lift vp her eyes, and when she saw Izhak, she lighted downe from the camel.

(For shee had sayde to the seruant, Who is yonder man, that commeth in the fielde to meete vs? and the seruant had said, It is my master) So she tooke a vaile, and couered her.

And the seruant tolde Izhak all things, that he had done.

Afterward Izhak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he tooke Rebekah, and she was his wife, and he loued her: So Izhak was comforted after his mothers death.

Abraham was old, and well advanced in age. The LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.

I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.

But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?”

Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again.

The LORD, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring—he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.”

The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

The servant took ten of his master’s camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master’s with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.

He said, “LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,’—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

Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.

The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.

The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”

She said, “Drink, my lord.” She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him a drink.

When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking.”

She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

As the camels had done drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel

(a)

weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,

and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay?”

She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”

She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.”

The man bowed his head, and worshiped the LORD.

He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”

The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words.

Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.

When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,” he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

He said, “Come in, you blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”

The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.” Laban said, “Speak on.”

He said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

The LORD has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. The LORD has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.

My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,

but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’

I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’

He said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father’s house.

Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don’t give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’

I came today to the spring, and said, ‘The LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—

behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”

then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’

Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.

I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.

I bowed my head, and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son.

Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”

Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from the LORD. We can’t speak to you bad or good.

Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”

When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD.

The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.

They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”

Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.”

He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”

They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.”

They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men.

They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them.”

Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Isaac Marries Rebekah

Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.

Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels coming.

Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel.

She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” She took her veil, and covered herself.

The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.

Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Footnotes

(a)24:22 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.