| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now Abraham had grown old, was well advanced in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way. | 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything. |
| 2So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me | 2Abraham said to his servant, the senior one in his household who was in charge of everything he had, "Put your hand under my thigh |
| 3as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living. | 3so that I may make you solemnly promise by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. |
| 4Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac." | 4You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac." |
| 5"What if the woman doesn't want to come back with me to this land?" the servant asked. "Shouldn't I have your son go to the land from which you came?" | 5The servant asked him, "What if the woman is not willing to come back with me to this land? Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?" |
| 6"Make sure not to take my son there," Abraham replied. | 6"Be careful never to take my son back there!" Abraham told him. |
| 7"The LORD God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and from my family's land, who spoke to me and promised me 'I will give this land to your descendants,' will send his angel ahead of you, and you are to acquire a wife for my son from there. | 7"The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and the land of my relatives, promised me with a solemn oath, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' He will send his angel before you so that you may find a wife for my son from there. |
| 8If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you'll be free from this oath to me. Just don't take my son back there!" | 8But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!" |
| 9So the servant made a solemn oath to his master Abraham regarding this matter. | 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. |
| 10Then Abraham's servant took ten camels from his master's herd of camels and left on his journey with all kinds of gifts from his master's inventory. Eventually, he traveled as far as Aram-naharaim, Nahor's home town. | 10Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. He journeyed to the region of Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. |
| 11As evening approached, he had the camels kneel outside the town at the water well, right about the time when women customarily went out to draw water. | 11He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city. It was evening, the time when the women would go out to draw water. |
| 12That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham. | 12He prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. |
| 13I've stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water. | 13Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. |
| 14May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, 'Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,' responds, 'Have a drink, and I'll water your camels as well.' May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I'll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master." | 14I will say to a young woman, 'Please lower your jar so I may drink.' May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master." |
| 15Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared. She was a daughter of Milcah's son Bethuel. (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.) She approached the well, carrying a jug on her shoulder. | 15Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor). |
| 16The woman was very beautiful, young, and had not had sexual relations with a man. Going down to the spring, she filled her jug and turned for home. | 16Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. |
| 17Then Abraham's servant ran to meet her and asked her, "Please, let me have a sip of water from your jug." | 17Abraham's servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug." |
| 18"Drink, sir!" she replied as she quickly lowered her jug on her arm to offer him a drink. | 18"Drink, my lord," she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. |
| 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she also said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they've had enough to drink." | 19When she had done so, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want." |
| 20She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and ran to the well to draw again until she had drawn enough water for all ten of the servant's camels. | 20She quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. |
| 21The man stared at her in silence, waiting to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful. | 21Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the LORD had made his journey successful or not. |
| 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a half shekel and two bracelets for her wrists, weighing 10 shekels and presented them to her. | 22After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave them to her. |
| 23He asked her, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" | 23"Whose daughter are you?" he asked. "Tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" |
| 24"I am the daughter of Bethuel," she answered. "He's the son of Milcah and Nahor. | 24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. |
| 25And yes," she continued, "we have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place to spend the night." | 25We have plenty of straw and feed," she added, "and room for you to spend the night." |
| 26At this, the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD. | 26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD, |
| 27"Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn't held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!" | 27saying "Praised be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!" |
| 28The young woman then ran ahead and informed her mother's household what had happened. | 28The young woman ran and told her mother's household all about these things. |
| 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to the man and met him at the spring. | 29(Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. |
| 30And so it was, as soon as he saw the nose ring and bracelets on his sister's wrists, and as soon as he heard what his sister Rebekah was saying about what the man had spoken to her, he went out to the man who was still standing by the camels at the spring! | 30When he saw the bracelets on his sister's wrists and the nose ring and heard his sister Rebekah say, "This is what the man said to me," he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing by the camels near the spring. |
| 31"Come on," Laban said. "The LORD has blessed you! So why are you standing out here when I've prepared some space in the house and a place for the camels?" | 31Laban said to him, "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD! Why are you standing out here when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?" |
| 32So the servant went to the house and unbridled the camels. They provided straw and feed for the camels and water for washing his feet and those of the men with him. | 32So Abraham's servant went to the house and unloaded the camels. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. |
| 33But when they had prepared a meal and set it in front of him, he said, "I'm not eating until I've spoken." "Speak up!" Laban exclaimed. | 33When food was served, he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I want to say." "Tell us," Laban said. |
| 34"I'm Abraham's servant," he said. | 34"I am the servant of Abraham," he began. |
| 35"The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become wealthy. He has provided him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys. | 35"The LORD has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. |
| 36My master's wife Sarah gave birth to my master's son in her old age, and Abraham has given him everything that belongs to him. | 36My master's wife Sarah bore a son to him when she was old, and my master has given him everything he owns. |
| 37My master made me swear this oath: 'You are not to select a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in this land where I live. | 37My master made me swear an oath. He said, 'You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, |
| 38Instead, you are to go to my father's household, to my relatives, and choose a wife for my son there.' | 38but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.' |
| 39"So I asked my master, 'What if the woman won't come back with me?' | 39But I said to my master, 'What if the woman does not want to go with me?' |
| 40"Abraham told me, 'The LORD, who is with me wherever I go, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. So you are to choose a wife for my son from my family, from my father's household. | 40He answered, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father's family. |
| 41Only then will you be released from fulfilling my oath. However, when you come to my family, if they don't give her to you, you'll be released from fulfilling my oath.' | 41You will be free from your oath if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.' |
| 42"So today I arrived at the spring and prayed, 'LORD God of my master Abraham, if you wish to make the journey that I have traveled successful, | 42When I came to the spring today, I prayed, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, may events unfold as follows: |
| 43here I am standing by the spring. May it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water, from whom I request a little water from her jug to drink, | 43Here I am, standing by the spring. When the young woman goes out to draw water, I'll say, "Give me a little water to drink from your jug." |
| 44if she tells me to drink and also draws water for the camels, may she be the woman that the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' | 44Then she will reply to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too." May that woman be the one whom the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' |
| 45"Before I had finished praying, along came Rebekah with her jug on her shoulder! She went to the spring and drew some water. I asked her to please let me have a drink. | 45"Before I finished praying in my heart, along came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' |
| 46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and told me, 'Have a drink while I also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also gave my camels water to drink. | 46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. |
| 47"That's when I asked, 'Whose daughter are you?' "She replied, 'I'm the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore for him.' "So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists. | 47Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.' I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. |
| 48I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request the daughter of my master's brother for his son. | 48Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son. |
| 49So now, if you wish to show gracious love and truth toward my master, tell me so. But if not, tell me, so that I may go elsewhere." | 49Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way." |
| 50"Since this has come from the LORD," Laban and Bethuel both replied, "we cannot speak one way or another. | 50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "This is the LORD's doing. Our wishes are of no concern. |
| 51So here's Rebekah—she's right in front of you. Take her and go, so she can become a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has decreed." | 51Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master's son, just as the LORD has decided." |
| 52When Abraham's servant heard what they had said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. | 52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. |
| 53Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother. | 53Then he brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. |
| 54He and the men with him ate and drank, and then they spent the night. When they got up the next morning, the servant requested, "Send me off to my master." | 54After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Let me leave now so I can return to my master." |
| 55But her brother and mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days—at least ten—and after that she may go." | 55But Rebekah's brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go." |
| 56"Please don't delay me," the servant answered them. "The LORD has made my journey successful. Send me off so I can return to my master." | 56But he said to them, "Don't detain me--the LORD has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return to my master." |
| 57But they said, "We'll call the young lady and see what she has to say about this." | 57Then they said, "We'll call the girl and find out what she wants to do." |
| 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" "I will go," she replied. | 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" She replied, "I want to go." |
| 59So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, Abraham's servant, and his men. | 59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham's servant and his men. |
| 60As they were leaving, they all blessed Rebekah by saying, "Our sister, may you become the mother of tens of millions! May your descendants take over the city gates of those who hate them." | 60They blessed Rebekah with these words: "Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands! May your descendants possess the strongholds of their enemies." |
| 61Then Rebekah and her young servant women got up, mounted their camels, and followed Abraham's servant, who took Rebekah and went on his way. | 61Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with the man. So Abraham's servant took Rebekah and left. |
| 62Later on, as Isaac was returning one evening from Beer-lahai-roi (he had been living in the Negev ), | 62Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. |
| 63Isaac went out walking in a field. He looked up, and all of a sudden there were some camels coming. | 63He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. |
| 64Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel | 64Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel |
| 65and asked the servant, "Who is that man coming in the field to meet us?" "That's my master," the servant told her. So she reached for a veil and covered herself. | 65and asked Abraham's servant, "Who is that man walking in the field toward us?" "That is my master," the servant replied. So she took her veil and covered herself. |
| 66Then the servant informed Isaac about everything he had done. | 66The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. |
| 67Later, Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah and married her. Isaac loved her, and that's how he was comforted following the loss of his mother. | 67Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent. He took her as his wife and loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. |
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