THE FIRST BOOK OF
MOSES,
called
G E N E S I S
Genesis 24 ©
Abraham, being old and rich, takes an oath of his eldest servant, and sends him to Mesopotamia, to his kindred, to fetch his son Isaac a wife, vs. 1. The servant, being well instructed and furnished, departs and performs the business faithfully and piously, 10. And through a wonderful providence of the Lord, obtaining very successfully Rebecca forthwith with full consent of her friends, 50. He thereupon returns thence with Rebecca, and brings her to Isaac, 61. Who receives, marries and loves her, 67.
AND Abraham was 1old, and 2well stricken in age: and the LORD had 3blessed Abraham in all things.
And Abraham said unto 4his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, 5Put,a I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, thatb thou shalt not take a wife unto my son 6of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
But thou shalt go unto 7my country, and to 8my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
9And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the 10woman will not be willing 11to follow me unto this land: must I needs 12bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
And Abraham said unto him, 13Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
¶Thec LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thyd seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be 14clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
¶And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for 15all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to 16Mesopotamia, unto the 17city of Nahor.
And he 18made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, 19send 20me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
21And let it come to pass, that the damsele 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 drink also: let the same be she that thou hast 22appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
¶And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, whof was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
And the damsel was very 23fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had 24any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
And the man 25wondering at her 26held his peace, to witg whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden 27earring of 28half a 29shekel weight, and two 30bracelets for 31her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
32And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?
And she said unto him, Iham the daughter of Bethuel 33the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provenderi enough, and room to lodge in.
And the man 34bowed down his head, and 35worshipped the LORD.
And he said, 36Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute 37my master of his mercy and his 38truth: 39I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s 40brethren.
And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.
¶And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
And he said, Come in, 41thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have 42prepared the house, and room for the camels.
¶And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water 43to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.
And there 44was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And 45he said, Speak on.
And he said, I am Abraham’s 46servant.
And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become 47great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master 48when she was old: and unto him hath 49he given all that he hath.
And my master made me swear, saying, 50Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
51But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom 52I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
Then shalt thou be 53clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.
And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
And 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 made the camels drink also.
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring 54upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me 55in the right way to take my master’s 56brother’s daughter unto his son.
And now if ye will 57deal kindly and 58truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; 59that I may 60turn to the right hand, or to the left.
Then 61Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth 62from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee 63bad or good.
Behold, Rebekah is before thee, 64take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
And the servant brought forth 65jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment,j and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother 66precious things.
And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us 67a few days, at the least ten; after that she 68shall go.
And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
And they said, 69We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
And they sent away Rebekah 70their sister, and 71her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
And 72they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, 73be thou the mother of thousands of 74millions, and let 75thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
¶And Rebekah arose, and 76her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and 77the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
And Isaac came from the way of 78the wellk Lahai-roi; for he dwelt 79in the south country.
And Isaac went out 80to meditate in the field 81at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, 82she lighted off the camel.
For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and 83covered herself.
And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s 84tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted 85after his mother's death.