Genesis 24

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Abraham had now reached a ripe old age, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.	1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 Abraham said to the senior servant of his household, who had charge of all his possessions: "Put your hand under my thigh,	2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was in charge of all that he had: “Place your hand under my thigh,
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,	3 so that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
4 but that you will go to my own land and to my kindred to get a wife for my son Isaac."	4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
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?"	5 The servant responded, “If the woman is not willing to come with me into this land, must I lead your son back to the place from which you departed?”
6 "Never take my son back there for any reason," Abraham told him.	6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
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.	7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my nativity, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ himself will send his Angel before you, and you will take from there a wife for my son.
8 If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath. But never take my son back there!"	8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, you will not be held by the oath. Only do not lead my son back to that place.”
9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him in this undertaking.	9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
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.	10 And he took ten camels from his lord’s herd, and he went forth, carrying with him things from all of his goods. And he set out, and continued on, to the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia.
11 Near evening, at the time when women go out to draw water, he made the camels kneel by the well outside the city.	11 And when he had made the camels lie down outside of the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water, he said:
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.	12 “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
13 While I stand here at the spring and the daughters of the townsmen are coming out to draw water,	13 Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
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."	14 Therefore, the girl to whom I will say, ‘Tip your pitcher, so that I may drink,’ and she will respond, ‘Drink. In fact, I will give your camels a drink also,’ the same one is she whom you have prepared for your servant Isaac. And by this, I will understand that you have shown mercy to my lord.”
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.	15 But he had not yet completed these words within himself, when, behold, Rebekah went out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder.
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,	16 She was an exceedingly elegant girl, and a most beautiful virgin, and unknown by man. And she descended to the spring, and she filled her pitcher, and then was returning.
17 the servant ran toward her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug."	17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
18 "Take a drink, sir," she replied, and quickly lowering the jug onto her hand, she gave him a drink.	18 And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a 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."	19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
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.	20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave it to all the camels.
21 The man watched her the whole time, silently waiting to learn whether or not the LORD had made his errand successful.	21 But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
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.	22 Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
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?"	23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
24 She answered: "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.	24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
25 There is plenty of straw and fodder at our place," she added, "and room to spend the night."	25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
26 The man then bowed down in worship to the LORD,	26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
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."	27 saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not taken away his mercy and truth from my lord, and who has led me on a direct journey to the house of the brother of my lord.”
28 Then the girl ran off and told her mother's household about it.	28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.	29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
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.	30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and he had heard all the words being repeated, “This is what the man spoke to me,” he came to the man who stood by the camels and near the spring of water,
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?"	31 and he said to him: “Enter, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
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.	32 And he brought him into his guest quarters. And he unharnessed the camels, and he distributed straw and hay, and water to wash his feet and that of the men who arrived with him.
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.	33 And bread was set out in his sight. But he said, “I will not eat, until I have spoken my words.” He answered him, “Speak.”
34 "I am Abraham's servant," he began.	34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
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.	35 And the Lord has blessed my lord greatly, and he has become great. And he has given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, 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.	36 And Sarah, the wife of my lord, has given birth to a son for my lord in her old age, and he has given him all that he had.
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;	37 And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
38 instead, you shall go to my father's house, to my own relatives, to get a wife for my son.'	38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
39 When I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?,'	39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
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.	40 ‘The Lord,’ he said, ‘in whose sight I walk, will send his Angel with you, and he will direct your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my own kindred and from my father’s house.
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.'	41 But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
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!	42 And so, today I arrived at the well of water, and I said: ‘O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, if you have directed my way, in which I now walk,
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,	43 behold, I stand next to the well of water, and the virgin, who will go forth to draw water, will hear from me, “Give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
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.'	44 And she will say to me, “You drink, and I will also draw for your camels.” Let the same be the woman, whom the Lord has prepared for the son of my lord.’
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.'	45 And while I thought over these things silently within myself, Rebekah appeared, arriving with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder. And she descended to the spring and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Give me a little to drink.’
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.	46 And she quickly let down the pitcher from her arm, and said to me, ‘You drink, and to your camels I will also distribute drinking water.’ I drank, and she watered the camels.
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.	47 And I questioned her, saying, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she responded, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And so, I hung the earrings on her, to adorn her face, and I put the bracelets on her hands.
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.	48 And falling prostrate, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has led me along the straight path so as to take the daughter of my lord’s brother to his son.
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."	49 For this reason, if you would act according to mercy and truth with my lord, tell me so. But if it pleases you otherwise, say that to me also, so that I may go either to the right, or to the left.”
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.	50 And Laban and Bethuel responded: “A word has proceeded from the Lord. We are not able to speak anything else to you, beyond what pleases him.
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."	51 Lo, Rebekah is in your sight. Take her and continue on, and let her be the wife of the son of your lord, just as the Lord has spoken.”
52 When Abraham's servant heard their answer, he bowed to the ground before the LORD.	52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
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.	53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, as well as garments, he gave them to Rebekah as a tribute. Likewise, he offered gifts to her brothers and her mother.
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."	54 And a banquet began, and they feasted and drank together, and they lodged there. And rising up in the morning, the servant said, “Release me, so that I may go to my lord.”
55 Her brother and mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a short while, say ten days; after that she may go."	55 And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
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."	56 “Do not be willing,” he said, “to delay me, for the Lord has directed my way. Release me, so that I may journey to my lord.”
57 They answered, "Let us call the girl and see what she herself has to say about it."	57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you wish to go with this man?" She answered, "I do."	58 And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
59 At this they allowed their sister Rebekah and her nurse to take leave, along with Abraham's servant and his men.	59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
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!"	60 wishing prosperity for their sister, by saying: “You are our sister. May you increase to thousands of thousands. And may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
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.	61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
62 Meanwhile Isaac had gone from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the region of the Negeb.	62 Then, at the same time, Isaac was walking along the way that leads to the well, whose name is: ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’ For he dwelt in the southern land.
63 One day toward evening he went out. . . in the field, and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching.	63 And he had gone out to meditate in the field, as daylight was now declining. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels advancing from afar.
64 Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him, she alighted from her camel	64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
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.	65 And she said to the servant, “Who is that man who advances to meet us through the field?” And he said to her, “That is my lord.” And so, quickly taking up her cloak, she covered herself.
66 The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.	66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
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.	67 And he led her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he accepted her as wife. And he loved her so very much, that it tempered the sorrow which befell him at his mother’s death.