| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything. | 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. |
| 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 | 2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, |
| 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. | 3that 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, |
| 4You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac." | 4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” |
| 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?" | 5The 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"Be careful never to take my son back there!" Abraham told him. | 6Abraham 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 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. | 7The 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. |
| 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!" | 8But 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.” |
| 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. | 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter. |
| 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. | 10Then 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 to the city of Nahor. |
| 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. | 11And 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. |
| 12He prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. | 12And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. |
| 13Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. | 13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. |
| 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." | 14Let 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 I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.” |
| 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). | 15Before 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. |
| 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. | 16The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. |
| 17Abraham's servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug." | 17Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” |
| 18"Drink, my lord," she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. | 18She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a 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." | 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” |
| 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. | 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. |
| 21Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the LORD had made his journey successful or not. | 21The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not. |
| 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. | 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, |
| 23"Whose daughter are you?" he asked. "Tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" | 23and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” |
| 24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. | 24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” |
| 25We have plenty of straw and feed," she added, "and room for you to spend the night." | 25She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” |
| 26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD, | 26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD |
| 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!" | 27and 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.” |
| 28The young woman ran and told her mother's household all about these things. | 28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. |
| 29(Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. | 29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to 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. | 30As 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. |
| 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?" | 31He 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.” |
| 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. | 32So 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. |
| 33When food was served, he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I want to say." "Tell us," Laban said. | 33Then 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"I am the servant of Abraham," he began. | 34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. |
| 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. | 35The 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. |
| 36My master's wife Sarah bore a son to him when she was old, and my master has given him everything he owns. | 36And 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. |
| 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, | 37My 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, |
| 38but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.' | 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ |
| 39But I said to my master, 'What if the woman does not want to go with me?' | 39I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ |
| 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. | 40But 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. |
| 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.' | 41Then 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.’ |
| 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: | 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, |
| 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." | 43behold, 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,” |
| 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.' | 44and 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.’ |
| 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.' | 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.’ |
| 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. | 46She 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. |
| 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. | 47Then 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. |
| 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. | 48Then 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 to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. |
| 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." | 49Now 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.” |
| 50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "This is the LORD's doing. Our wishes are of no concern. | 50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. |
| 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." | 51Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.” |
| 52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. | 52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. |
| 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. | 53And 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. |
| 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." | 54And 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.” |
| 55But Rebekah's brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go." | 55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” |
| 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." | 56But 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.” |
| 57Then they said, "We'll call the girl and find out what she wants to do." | 57They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” |
| 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" She replied, "I want to go." | 58And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” |
| 59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham's servant and his men. | 59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. |
| 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." | 60And 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!” |
| 61Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with the man. So Abraham's servant took Rebekah and left. | 61Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way. |
| 62Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. | 62Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. |
| 63He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. | 63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. |
| 64Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel | 64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel |
| 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. | 65and 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. |
| 66The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. | 66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. |
| 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. | 67Then 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. |
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