Genesis 24

1 Now Abraham was old, far along in his days, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in everything. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all he owned, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 4 Instead you shall go to my own country, where I was born, and to my own tribe, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 And the servant said to him, “But what if the woman is not willing to come back with me to this land? Shall I take your son back to the land you came from?” 6 And Abraham said to him, “Watch yourself — never take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, who took me from my father’s house and from the land where I was born, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to you and to your seed’ — he will send his messenger before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. [d] 8 And if the woman is not willing to come with you into this land, then you are free of this oath. Only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels, and some of all his master’s good things with him, and rose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. [a] 11 Toward evening, at the hour when the young women go out to draw water, he let his camels rest outside the city by the well of water. 12 And he said, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make my way prosper before me today, and show mercy to my master Abraham. 13 Look — I am standing by the well of water, and the daughters of the people of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Let it be this way: the young woman to whom I say, ‘Tip your water jar, so that I may drink,’ and who says, ‘Drink — and I will water your camels too, until they have all finished drinking’ — let her be the one you have prepared for your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that you have shown mercy to my master Abraham.” 15 And before he had even finished speaking in his mind — look: Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her water jar on her shoulders. 16 The girl was very beautiful. She was a virgin — no man had known her. She went down to the well, filled her jar, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 And she said, “Drink, sir.” And she quickly lowered the jar to her arm and gave him a drink, 19 until he had finished drinking. Then she said, “I will draw water for your camels too, until they have all drunk.” 20 And she hurried and emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw again — and she drew water for all the camels. 21 The man watched her closely, and kept silent, waiting to learn whether the Lord had prospered his way or not. 22 When all the camels had finished drinking, the man took gold earrings weighing a drachma each — about a fifth of an ounce — and put two bracelets on her wrists, ten gold pieces in weight — about four ounces of gold. [b] 23 And he asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me — is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 And she said to him, “We have plenty of straw and feed, and a place to rest.” 26 Then the man, glad at heart, worshiped the Lord, 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not let his righteousness and his truth fail my master. The Lord has led me straight to the house of my master’s brother.”

28 And the girl ran to her mother’s house and told them all these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and Laban ran out to the man at the well. 30 For when he saw the earrings and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard the words of his sister Rebekah — “This is what the man said to me” — he went to the man as he stood with the camels by the well, 31 and said to him, “Come in! Blessed be the Lord! Why are you standing outside? I have made the house ready, and a place for the camels.” 32 So the man came into the house and unloaded the camels. There was straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him. 33 Loaves were set before them to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.” And they said, “Speak on.”

34 And he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great: God has given him sheep and calves, silver and gold, servants and servant girls, camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah, my master’s wife, bore my master one son after he had grown old — and he has given him everything he has. 37 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. 38 You shall go to my father’s house and to my tribe, and take from there a wife for my son.’ 39 And I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not come with me?’ 40 And he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have been well-pleasing, will send his messenger with you and prosper your journey, and you shall take a wife for my son from my tribe and from my father’s house. 41 Then you will be clear of my curse: if you come to my tribe and they will not give her to you, you will be clear of my oath.’ 42 So today I came to the well, and I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you are prospering the journey I am on — 43 look, I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let it be that the young woman to whom I say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jar,” 44 and who says to me, “Drink — and I will draw water for your camels too” — let her be the wife the Lord has prepared for his servant Isaac. And by this I will know that you have shown mercy to my master Abraham.’ 45 And before I had finished speaking in my mind, straightaway Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulders, and went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink — and I will water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered my camels. 47 And I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ Then I put the earrings on her, and the bracelets on her wrists, 48 and glad at heart, I worshiped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who prospered me on a true road — to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 Now then: if you will show mercy and righteousness to my master, tell me. And if not, tell me that too, so that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

50 And Laban and Bethuel answered, “This matter has come from the Lord. We cannot answer you bad or good. 51 Look — Rebekah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has said.” 52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53 And the servant brought out jewels of silver and gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah; and he gave gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men with him ate and drank, and they spent the night. And when he rose in the morning, he said, “Send me on my way, so that I may go to my master.” 55 But her brothers and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us about ten days, and after that she shall go.” 56 And he said to them, “Do not hold me back — the Lord has prospered my journey. Send me on my way, so that I may go to my master.” 57 And they said, “Let us call the young woman and ask what she says.” 58 So they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent off Rebekah their sister, with her belongings, and Abraham’s servant and his men. [b2] 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

61 Then Rebekah rose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and went with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. 62 Now Isaac had traveled through the wilderness to the Well of the Vision, for he was living in the land toward the south. [c] 63 And Isaac went out into the plain toward evening, to meditate. And lifting up his eyes, he saw camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac, and slipped down quickly from the camel, 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the plain to meet us?” And the servant said, “That is my master.” And she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 And Isaac went into his mother’s house, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted concerning Sarah his mother.