Genesis 24:30 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Abraham’s servant finds a wife for Isaac

1 By that time Abraham was very old. The LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. 2 The best servant in his house was in charge of everything Abraham had. Abraham said to him, ‘Put your hand under my thigh. 3 The LORD is the God of heaven and the God of earth. I want you to make a promise to me in his name. I’m living among the people of Canaan. But I want you to promise me that you won’t get a wife for my son from their daughters. 4 Instead, promise me that you will go to my country and to my own relatives. Get a wife for my son Isaac from there.’ 5 The servant asked Abraham, ‘What if the woman doesn’t want to come back with me to this land? Then should I take your son back to the country you came from?’ 6 ‘Make sure you don’t take my son back there,’ Abraham said. 7 ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, took me away from my father’s family. He brought me out of my own land. He made me a promise. He said, “I will give this land to your family after you.” The LORD will send his angel ahead of you. So you will be able to get a wife for my son from there. 8 The woman may not want to come back with you. If she doesn’t, you will be free from your promise. But don’t take my son back there.’ 9 So the servant put his hand under Abraham’s thigh. He promised to do what his master wanted. 10 The servant chose ten of his master’s camels and left. He loaded the camels with all kinds of good things from his master. He started out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He stopped near the well outside the town. There he made the camels get down on their knees. It was almost evening, the time when women go out to get water. 12 Then he prayed, ‘LORD, you are the God of my master Abraham. Make me successful today. Be kind to my master Abraham. 13 I’m standing beside this spring. The daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out here to get water. 14 I will speak to a young woman. I’ll say to her, “Please lower your jar so I can have a drink.” Suppose she says, “Have a drink of water, and I’ll get some for your camels too.” Then let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. That’s how I’ll know you have been kind to my master.’ 15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out. She was carrying a jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Milkah’s son Bethuel. Milkah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 The young woman was very beautiful. No man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring. She filled her jar and came up again. 17 The servant hurried to meet her. He said, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar.’ 18 ‘Have a drink, sir,’ she said. She quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she said, ‘I’ll get water for your camels too. I’ll keep doing it until they have had enough to drink.’ 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the stone tub. Then she ran back to the well to get more water. She got enough for all his camels. 21 The man didn’t say a word. He watched her closely. He wanted to learn whether the LORD had given him success on the journey he had made. 22 The camels finished drinking. Then the man took out a gold nose ring. It weighed about 6 grams. He also took out two gold bracelets. They weighed about 120 grams. 23 Then he asked, ‘Whose daughter are you? And please tell me something else. Is there room in your father’s house for us? Can we spend the night there?’ 24 She answered, ‘I’m the daughter of Bethuel. He’s the son Milkah had by Nahor.’ 25 She continued, ‘We have plenty of straw and feed for your camels. We also have room for you to spend the night.’ 26 Then the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD. 27 He said, ‘I praise the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. The LORD hasn’t stopped being kind and faithful to my master. The LORD has led me on this journey. He has brought me to the house of my master’s relatives.’ 28 The young woman ran home. She told her mother’s family what had happened. 29 Rebekah had a brother named Laban. He hurried out to the spring to meet the man. 30 Laban had seen the nose ring. He had seen the bracelets on his sister’s arms. And he had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. So Laban went out to the man. He found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31 ‘The LORD has given you his blessing,’ he said. ‘So come with me. Why are you standing out here? I’ve prepared my house for you. I also have a place for the camels.’ 32 So the man went to the house. The camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought for the camels. And water was brought for him and his men to wash their feet. 33 Then food was placed in front of him. But he said, ‘I won’t eat until I’ve told you what I have to say.’ ‘Then tell us,’ Laban said. 34 So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become rich. The LORD has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold. He has also given him male and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s wife Sarah had a son by him when she was old. He has given that son everything he owns. 37 My master made me promise him. He said, “I’m living in the land of the people of Canaan. But promise me that you won’t get a wife for my son from their daughters. 38 Instead, go to my father’s family and to my own relatives. Get a wife for my son there.” 39 ‘Then I asked my master, “What if the woman won’t come back with me?” 40 ‘He replied, “I have walked faithfully with the LORD. He will send his angel with you. He will give you success on your journey. So you will be able to get a wife for my son. She will be from my own relatives and from my father’s family. 41 When you go to my relatives, suppose they refuse to give her to you. Then you will be free from the promise you made to me.” 42 ‘Today I came to the spring. I said, “LORD, you are the God of my master Abraham. Please make me successful on this journey I’ve made. 43 I’m standing beside this spring. A young woman will come out to get water. I’ll say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar.’ 44 Suppose she says, ‘Have a drink of water, and I’ll get some for your camels too.’ Then let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master’s son.” 45 ‘Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out. She was carrying a jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and got water. I said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 46 ‘She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder. She said, “Have a drink, and I’ll get water for your camels too.” So I drank. She also got water for the camels. 47 ‘I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” ‘She said, “The daughter of Bethuel. He’s the son Milkah had by Nahor.” ‘Then I put the ring in her nose. I put the bracelets on her arms. 48 And I bowed down and worshipped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. He had led me on the right road. He had led me to get for my master’s son the granddaughter of my master’s brother. 49 Now will you be kind and faithful to my master? If you will, tell me. And if you won’t, tell me. Then I’ll know which way to turn.’ 50 Laban and Bethuel answered, ‘The LORD has done all of this. We can’t say anything to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah. Take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has said.’ 52 Abraham’s servant heard what they said. So he bowed down to the LORD with his face to the ground. 53 He brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing. He gave all of them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and her mother. 54 Then Abraham’s servant and the men who were with him ate and drank. They spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, ‘Send me back to my master.’ 55 But her brother and her mother replied, ‘Let the young woman stay with us ten days or so. Then you can go.’ 56 But he said to them, ‘Don’t make me wait. The LORD has given me success on my journey. Send me on my way so I can go to my master.’ 57 Then they said, ‘Let’s get Rebekah and ask her about it.’ 58 So they sent for her and asked, ‘Will you go with this man?’ ‘Yes, I’ll go,’ she said. 59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way with Abraham’s servant and his men. They also sent Rebekah’s servant with her. 60 And they gave Rebekah their blessing. They said to her, ‘Dear sister, may your family grow by thousands and thousands. May they take over the cities of their enemies.’ 61 Then Rebekah and her female servants got ready. They got on their camels to go back with the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and left. 62 By that time Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi. He was living in the Negev Desert. 63 One evening he went out to the field. He wanted to spend some time thinking. When he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel. 65 She asked the servant, ‘Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?’ ‘He’s my master,’ the servant answered. So she covered her face with her veil. 66 Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah. And he married Rebekah. She became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother died.

English Standard Version

Isaac and Rebekah

1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. (Ge 13:2; Ge 24:35) 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, (Ge 15:2; Ge 24:9; Ge 47:29) 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, (Ge 26:34; Ge 27:46; De 7:3; 2Co 6:14)

Ge 26:34Ge 27:46De 7:32Co 6:14

4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” (Ge 28:2) 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. (Ge 12:1; Ge 12:7; Ex 23:20; Ex 23:23; Ex 33:2; Heb 1:14)

Ge 12:1Ge 12:7Ex 23:20Ex 23:23Ex 33:2Heb 1:14

8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” (Jos 2:17) 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter. (Ge 24:2) 10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia^[1] to the city of Nahor. (De 23:4; Jud 3:8) 11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. (1Sa 9:11; Joh 4:7) 12 And he said, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. (Ge 24:27; Ge 24:42; Ge 24:48; Ge 27:20)

Ge 24:27Ge 24:42Ge 24:48Ge 27:20

13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. (Ge 24:43) 14 Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this^[2] I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.” (Ge 15:8) 15 Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. (Ge 11:29; Ge 22:23) 16 The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden^[3] whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. (Ge 26:7) 17 Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” 18 She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. 19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21 The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the Lord had prospered his journey or not. 22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel,^[4] and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, 23 and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” (Ge 22:23; Ge 24:15) 25 She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” 26 The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord (Ge 24:48; Ge 24:52; Ex 4:31) 27 and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” (Ge 24:12; Ge 24:42; Ge 24:48; Ge 32:10; Ps 98:3)

Ge 24:12Ge 24:42Ge 24:48Ge 32:10Ps 98:3

28 Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. (Ge 25:20; Ge 28:2; Ge 29:5) 30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” (Ge 26:29; Jud 17:2; Ru 3:10) 32 So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. (Ge 18:4; Ge 43:24; Jud 19:21) 33 Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.” 34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. (Ge 24:1) 36 And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. (Ge 21:2; Ge 25:5) 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 dwell, (Ge 24:3) 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ 39 I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 But he said to me, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. (Ge 17:1; Ge 24:21) 41 Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’ 42 “I came today to the spring and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, (Ge 24:12; Ge 24:27; Ge 24:40) 43 behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” (Ge 24:13) 44 and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’ (Ge 24:14; Ge 24:18) 45 “Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ (1Sa 1:13) 46 She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. 47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. (Eze 16:11) 48 Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way^[5] to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. (Ge 22:23; Ge 24:26; Ge 24:42; Ge 24:52)

Ge 22:23Ge 24:26Ge 24:42Ge 24:52

49 Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.” (Ge 47:29; Jos 2:14) 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. (Ge 31:24; 2Sa 13:22) 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.” (Ge 24:13; Ge 24:42) 52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord. (Ge 24:48) 53 And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. 54 And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” (Ge 24:56; Ge 24:59) 55 Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” 56 But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. (Ge 35:8) 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”^[6] (Ge 17:16; Ge 22:17) 61 Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way. 62 Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. (Ge 16:14; Ge 25:11) 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. (Ps 77:12; Ps 143:5) 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel 65 and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Ge 23:2; Ge 37:35; Ge 38:12)