Genesis 24:32-67 ▼

32 The man then went inside; and while the camels were being unloaded and provided with straw and fodder, water was brought to bathe his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

33 But when food was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my story.” “Go ahead,” they replied.

34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he began.

35 “The LORD has blessed my master so abundantly that he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.

36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.

37 My master put me under oath, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live;

38 instead, you must go to my father’s house, to my own family, to get a wife for my son.’

39 When I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’

40 he replied: ‘The LORD, in whose presence I have always walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey successful, and so you will get a wife for my son from my own family and my father’s house.

41 Then you will be freed from my curse. If you go to my family and they refuse you, then, too, you will be free from my curse.’

42 “When I came to the spring today, I said: ‘LORD, God of my master Abraham, please make successful the journey I am on.

43 While I stand here at the spring, if I say to a young woman who comes out to draw water, ‘Please give me a little water from your jug,’

44 and she answers, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too—then she is the woman whom the LORD has decided upon for my master’s son.’

45 “I had scarcely finished saying this to myself when Rebekah came out with a jug on her shoulder. After she went down to the spring and drew water, I said to her, ‘Please let me have a drink.’

46 She quickly lowered the jug she was carrying and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels, too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.

47 When I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ she answered, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, borne to Nahor by Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

48 Then I knelt and bowed down to the LORD, blessing the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.

49 Now, if you will act with kindness and fidelity toward my master, let me know; but if not, let me know that too. I can then proceed accordingly.”

50 Laban and Bethuel said in reply: “This thing comes from the LORD; we can say nothing to you either for or against it.

51 Here is Rebekah, right in front of you; take her and go, that she may become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has said.”

52 When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed to the ground before the LORD.

53 Then he brought out objects of silver and gold and clothing and presented them to Rebekah; he also gave costly presents to her brother and mother.

54 After he and the men with him had eaten and drunk, they spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Allow me to return to my master.”

55 Her brother and mother replied, “Let the young woman stay with us a short while, say ten days; after that she may go.”

56 But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the LORD has made my journey successful; let me go back to my master.”

57 They answered, “Let us call the young woman and see what she herself has to say about it.”

58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” She answered, “I will.”

59 At this they sent off their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men.

60 They blessed Rebekah and said: “Sister, may you grow into thousands of myriads; And may your descendants gain possession of the gates of their enemies!”

61 Then Rebekah and her attendants started out; they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.

62 Meanwhile Isaac had gone from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the region of the Negeb.

63 One day toward evening he went out to walk in the field, and caught sight of camels approaching.

64 Rebekah, too, caught sight of Isaac, and got down from her camel.

65 She asked the servant, “Who is the man over there, walking through the fields toward us?” “That is my master,” replied the servant. Then she took her veil and covered herself.

66 The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.

67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of his mother Sarah. He took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her and found solace after the death of his mother.