Genesis 24:29-67 ▼

29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban.

30 He saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists and heard her tell what the man had said to her. Immediately, Laban ran out to the man by the spring. He came to the man, who was standing with the camels by the spring.

31 He said, |Come in, you whom the LORD has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have straightened up the house and made a place for the camels.|

32 So the man went into the house. The camels were unloaded and given straw and feed. Then water was brought for him and his men to wash their feet.

33 When the food was put in front of him, he said, |I won't eat until I've said what I have to say.| |Speak up,| Laban said.

34 |I am Abraham's servant,| he said.

35 |The LORD has blessed my master, and he has become wealthy. The LORD has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys.

36 My master's wife Sarah gave him a son in her old age, and my master has given that son everything he has.

37 My master made me swear this oath: 'Don't get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I'm living.

38 Instead, go to my father's home and to my relatives, and get my son a wife.'

39 |I asked my master, 'What if the woman won't come back with me?'

40 |He answered me, 'I have been living the way the LORD wants me to. The LORD will send his angel with you to make your trip successful. You will get my son a wife from my relatives and from my father's family.

41 Then you will be free from your oath to me. You will also be free of your oath to me if my relatives are not willing to do this when you go to them.'

42 |When I came to the spring today, I prayed, 'LORD God of my master Abraham, please make my trip successful.

43 I'm standing by the spring. I'll say to the young woman who comes out to draw water, |Please give me a drink of water.|

44 If she says to me, |Not only may you have a drink, but I will also draw water for your camels,| let her be the woman the LORD has chosen for my master's son.'

45 |Before I had finished praying, Rebekah came with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. |So I asked her, 'May I have a drink?'

46 She quickly lowered her jar and said, 'Have a drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

47 |Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' |She answered, 'The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor and Milcah.' |I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

48 I knelt, bowing down to the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. The LORD led me in the right direction to get the daughter of my master's relative for his son.

49 Tell me whether or not you're going to show my master true kindness so that I will know what to do.|

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, |This is from the LORD. We can't say anything to you one way or another.

51 Here's Rebekah! Take her and go! She will become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has said.|

52 When Abraham's servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the LORD.

53 The servant took out gold and silver jewelry and clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother.

54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, |Let me go back to my master.|

55 Her brother and mother replied, |Let the girl stay with us ten days or so. After that she may go.|

56 He said to them, |Don't delay me now that the LORD has made my trip successful. Let me go back to my master.|

57 So they said, |We'll call the girl and ask her.|

58 They called for Rebekah and asked her, |Will you go with this man?| She said, |Yes, I'll go.|

59 So they let their sister Rebekah and her nurse go with Abraham's servant and his men.

60 They gave Rebekah a blessing: |May you, our sister, become the mother of many thousands of children. May your descendants take possession of their enemies' cities.|

61 Then Rebekah and her maids left. Riding on camels, they followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and left.

62 Isaac had just come back from Beer Lahai Roi, since he was living in the Negev.

63 Toward evening Isaac went out into the field to meditate. When he looked up, he saw camels coming.

64 When Rebekah saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.

65 She asked the servant, |Who is that man over there coming through the field to meet us?| |That is my master,| the servant answered. Then she took her veil and covered herself.

66 The servant reported to Isaac everything he had done.

67 Isaac took her into his mother Sarah's tent. He married Rebekah. She became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.