Genesis 24

DOUAI-RHEIMS	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.	1 Abraham had now reached a ripe old age, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,	2 Abraham said to the senior servant of his household, who had charge of all his possessions: "Put your hand under my thigh,
3 That I may make thee swear by the Lord the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:	3 and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not procure a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live,
4 But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.	4 but that you will go to my own land and to my kindred to get a wife for my son Isaac."
5 The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place, from whence thou camest out?	5 The servant asked him: "What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I then take your son back to the land from which you migrated?"
6 And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.	6 "Never take my son back there for any reason," Abraham told him.
7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father's house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.	7 "The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and the land of my kin, and who confirmed by oath the promise he then made to me, 'I will give this land to your descendants'--he will send his messenger before you, and you will obtain a wife for my son there.
8 But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath; only bring not my son back thither again.	8 If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath. But never take my son back there!"
9 The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.	9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him in this undertaking.
10 And he took ten camels of his master's herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forth and went on to Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.	10 The servant then took ten of his master's camels, and bearing all kinds of gifts from his master, he made his way to the city of Nahor in Aram Naharaim.
11 And when he had made the camels lie down without the town near a well of water in Evening, at the time when women were wont to come out to draw water, he said:	11 Near evening, at the time when women go out to draw water, he made the camels kneel by the well outside the city.
12 O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.	12 Then he prayed: "LORD, God of my master Abraham, let it turn out favorably for me today and thus deal graciously with my master Abraham.
13 Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.	13 While I stand here at the spring and the daughters of the townsmen are coming out to draw water,
14 Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this I shall understand, that thou hast shown kindness to my master.	14 if I say to a girl, 'Please lower your jug, that I may drink,' and she answers, 'Take a drink, and let me give water to your camels, too,' let her be the one whom you have decided upon for your servant Isaac. In this way I shall know that you have dealt graciously with my master."
15 he had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:	15 He had scarcely finished these words when Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor) came out with a jug on her shoulder.
16 An exceedingly comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher and was coming back.	16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, untouched by man. She went down to the spring and filled her jug. As she came up,
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.	17 the servant ran toward her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug."
18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.	18 "Take a drink, sir," she replied, and quickly lowering the jug onto her hand, she gave him a drink.
19 And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.	19 When she had let him drink his fill, she said, "I will draw water for your camels, too, until they have drunk their fill."
20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water: and having drawn she gave to all the camels.	20 With that, she quickly emptied her jug into the drinking trough and ran back to the well to draw more water, until she had drawn enough for all the camels.
21 But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.	21 The man watched her the whole time, silently waiting to learn whether or not the LORD had made his errand successful.
22 And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles: and as many bracelets of ten sicles weight.	22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold ring weighing half a shekel, which he fastened on her nose, and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels, which he put on her wrists.
23 And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father's house to lodge?	23 Then he asked her: "Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please. And is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"
24 And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.	24 She answered: "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.
25 And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.	25 There is plenty of straw and fodder at our place," she added, "and room to spend the night."
26 The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,	26 The man then bowed down in worship to the LORD,
27 Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master's brother.	27 saying: "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not let his constant kindness toward my master fail. As for myself also, the LORD has led me straight to the house of my master's brother."
28 Then the maid ran, and told in her mother's house, all that she had heard.	28 Then the girl ran off and told her mother's household about it.
29 And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.	29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.
30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister's hands, and had heard all that she related, saying: Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,	30 As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister Rebekah and heard her words about what the man had said to her, Laban rushed outside to the man at the spring. When he reached him, he was still standing by the camels at the spring.
31 And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord: why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.	31 So he said to him: "Come, blessed of the LORD! Why are you staying outside when I have made the house ready for you, as well as a place for the camels?"
32 And he brought him in into his lodging: and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.	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 And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.	33 But when the table was set for him, he said, "I will not eat until I have told my tale." "Do so," they replied.
34 And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:	34 "I am Abraham's servant," he began.
35 And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, menservants and womenservants, camels and asses.	35 "The LORD has blessed my master so abundantly that he has become a wealthy man; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and asses.
36 And Sara my master's wife hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.	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 And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:	37 My master put me under oath, saying: 'You shall not procure a wife for my son among the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live;
38 But thou shalt go to my father's house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:	38 instead, you shall go to my father's house, to my own relatives, to get a wife for my son.'
39 But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?	39 When I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?,'
40 The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father's house.	40 he replied: 'The LORD, in whose presence I have always walked, will send his messenger with you and make your errand successful, and so you will get a wife for my son from my own kindred of my father's house.
41 But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.	41 Then you shall be released from my ban. If you visit my kindred and they refuse you, then, too, you shall be released from my ban.'
42 And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord God of my master Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,	42 "When I came to the spring today, I prayed: 'LORD, God of my master Abraham, may it be your will to make successful the errand I am engaged on!
43 Behold I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:	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 shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master's son.	44 and she answers, Not only may you have a drink, but I will give water to your camels, too--let her be the woman whom the LORD has decided upon for my master's son.'
45 And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.	45 "I had scarcely finished saying this prayer 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 And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.	46 She quickly lowered the jug she was carrying and said, 'Take a drink, and let me bring water for your camels, too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
47 And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.	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 And falling down I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.	48 Then I bowed down in worship 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 Wherefore if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.	49 If, therefore, you have in mind to show true loyalty to my master, let me know; but if not, let me know that, too. I can then proceed accordingly."
50 And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.	50 Laban and his household said in reply: "This thing comes from the LORD; we can say nothing to you either for or against it.
51 Behold Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master's son, as the Lord hath spoken.	51 Here is Rebekah, ready for you; take her with you, that she may become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has said."
52 WHich when Abraham's servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.	52 When Abraham's servant heard their answer, he bowed to the ground before the LORD.
53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.	53 Then he brought out objects of silver and gold and articles of clothing and presented them to Rebekah; he also gave costly presents to her brother and mother.
54 And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.	54 After he and the men with him had eaten and drunk, they spent the night there. When they were up the next morning, he said, "Give me leave to return to my master."
55 And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.	55 Her brother and mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a short while, say ten days; after that she may go."
56 Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.	56 But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the LORD has made my errand successful; let me go back to my master."
57 And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.	57 They answered, "Let us call the girl and see what she herself has to say about it."
58 And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.	58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you wish to go with this man?" She answered, "I do."
59 So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his company,	59 At this they allowed their sister Rebekah and her nurse to take leave, along with Abraham's servant and his men.
60 Wishing prosperity to their sister, and saying: Thou art our sister, mayst thou increase to thousands of thousands, and may thy seed possess the gates of their enemies.	60 Invoking a blessing on Rebekah, they said: "Sister, may you grow into thousands of myriads; And may your descendants gain possession of the gates of their enemies!"
61 So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.	61 Then Rebekah and her maids started out; they mounted their camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
62 At the same time Isaac was walking along the way to the well which is called Of the living and the seeing: for he dwelt in the south country.	62 Meanwhile Isaac had gone from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the region of the Negeb.
63 And he was gone forth to meditate in the field, the day being now well spent: and when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming afar off.	63 One day toward evening he went out. . . in the field, and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching.
64 Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,	64 Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him, she alighted from her camel
65 And said to the servant: Who is that man who cometh towards us along the field? And he said to her: That man is my master. But she quickly took her cloak, and covered herself.	65 and asked the servant, "Who is the man out there, walking through the fields toward us?" "That is my master," replied the servant. Then she covered herself with her veil.
66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.	66 The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.
67 Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother, and took her to wife: and he loved her so much, that it moderated the sorrow which was occasioned by his mother's death.	67 Then Isaac took Rebekah into his tent; he married her, and thus she became his wife. In his love for her Isaac found solace after the death of his mother Sarah.