Bereshet (Genesis) - Chapter 24

24:1 Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Mar-Yah had blessed Abraham in all things. 24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh. 24:3 I will make you swear by Mar-Yah, God of heaven and God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 24:4 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

24:5 The servant said to him, "What if the woman is not willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"

24:6 Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not bring my son there again. 24:7 Mar-Yah, God of heaven, who took me from the house of my father, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 24:8 If the woman is not willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."

24:9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 24:10 The servant took ten camels, 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. 24:11 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. 24:12 He said, "Mar-Yah, God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 24:13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 24:14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she will say, ‘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."

24:15 It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rivkah came out, who was born to Beitu'el the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, with her pitcher on her shoulder. 24:16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up. 24:17 The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."

24:18 She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink. 24:19 When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking." 24:20 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

24:21 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Mar-Yah had made his journey prosperous or not. 24:22 It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 24:23 and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in the house of your father for us to lodge in?"

24:24 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Beitu'el the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." 24:25 She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in." 24:26 The man bowed his head, and worshiped Mar-Yah. 24:27 He said, "Blessed be Mar-Yah, God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Mar-Yah has led me in the way to the house of my master's relatives."

24:28 The young lady ran, and told the house of her mother about these words. 24:29 Rivkah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. 24:30 It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rivkah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 24:31 He said, "Come in, you blessed of Mar-Yah. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."

24:32 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 24:33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message."

He said, "Speak."

24:34 He said, "I am a servant of Abraham. 24:35 Mar-Yah has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 Sarah, the wife of my master, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him. 24:37 My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 24:38 but you shall go to the house of my father, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.' 24:39 I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?' 24:40 He said to me, ‘Mar-Yah, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of the house of my father. 24:41 Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they do not give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.' 24:42 I came this day to the spring, and said, ‘Mar-Yah, God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go— 24:43 behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, "Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink," 24:44 and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"—let her be the woman whom Mar-Yah has appointed for the son of my master.' 24:45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rivkah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.' 24:46 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. 24:47 I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?' She said, ‘The daughter of Beitu'el, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. 24:48 I bowed my head, and worshiped Mar-Yah, and blessed Mar-Yah, God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. 24:49 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."

24:50 Then Laban and Beitu'el answered, "The thing proceeds from Mar-Yah. We cannot speak to you bad or good. 24:51 Behold, Rivkah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as Mar-Yah has spoken."

24:52 It happened that when the servant of Abraham heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Mar-Yah. 24:53 The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rivkah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother. 24:54 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."

24:55 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."

24:56 He said to them, "Do not hinder me, seeing Mar-Yah has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."

24:57 They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her." 24:58 They called Rivkah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?"

She said, "I will go."

24:59 They sent away Rivkah, their sister, with her nurse, the servant of Abraham, and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rivkah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them."

24:61 Rivkah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rivkah, and went his way. 24:62 Isaac came from the way of Be'er Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South. 24:63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming. 24:64 Rivkah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel. 24:65 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. 24:66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 24:67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and took Rivkah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after the death of his mother.