Genesis 24

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 By now Abraham was an old man, well on in years, and Yahweh had blessed Abraham in every way.	1 Now Abraham was old; and advanced in age: and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
2 Abraham said to the senior servant in his household, the steward of al his property, 'Place your handunder my thigh:	2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
3 I am going to make you swear by Yahweh, God of heaven and God of earth, that you wil not choosea wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live	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:
4 but wil go to my native land and my own kinsfolk to choose a wife for my son Isaac.'	4 But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
5 The servant asked him, 'What if the girl does not want to fol ow me to this country? Should I then takeyour son back to the country from which you come?'	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?
6 Abraham replied, 'On no account are you to take my son back there.	6 And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
7 Yahweh, God of heaven and God of earth, who took me from my father's home, and from the land ofmy kinsfolk, and who promised me on oath, "I shal give this country to your descendants"-he will now send hisangel ahead of you, so that you can get a wife for my son from there.	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.
8 If then the girl refuses to follow you, you will be quit of this oath to me. Only do not take my son backthere.'	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.
9 And the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham, and swore to him that hewould do it.	9 The servant therefore put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him upon this word.
10 The servant took ten of his master's camels and, carrying all kinds of gifts from his master, set out forthe city of Nahor in Aram Naharaim.	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.
11 In the evening, at the time when women come out to draw water, he made the camels kneel outsidethe town near the wel .	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:
12 And he said, 'Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and show faithful love tomy master Abraham.	12 O Lord the God of my master Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 While I stand by the spring as the young women from the town come out to draw water,	13 Behold I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water.
14 I shal say to one of the girls, "Please lower your pitcher and let me drink." And if she answers,"Drink, and I shal water your camels too," let her be the one you have decreed for your servant Isaac; by this Ishall know you have shown faithful love to my master.'	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.
15 He had not finished speaking when out came Rebekah -- who was the daughter of Bethuel son ofMilcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor -- with a pitcher on her shoulder.	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:
16 The girl was very beautiful, and a virgin; no man had touched her. She went down to the spring, fil edher pitcher and came up again.	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.
17 Running towards her, the servant said, 'Please give me a sip of water from your pitcher.'	17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.
18 She replied, 'Drink, my lord,' and quickly lowered her pitcher on her arm and gave him a drink.	18 And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.
19 When she had finished letting him drink, she said, 'I shall draw water for your camels, too, until theyhave had enough.'	19 And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.
20 She quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran to the wel again to draw, and drew for althe camels.	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.
21 Al the while, the man stood watching her, not daring to speak, wondering whether Yahweh hadmade his journey successful or not.	21 But he musing beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing half a shekel, and put itthrough her nose, and put two bracelets weighing ten gold shekels on her arms,	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.
23 and said, 'Whose daughter are you? Please tel me. Is there room at your father's house for us tospend the night?'	23 And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father's house to lodge?
24 She replied, 'I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son whom Milcah bore to Nahor.'	24 And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
25 And she went on, 'We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.'	25 And she said moreover to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.
26 Then the man bowed down and worshipped Yahweh	26 The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,
27 saying, 'Blessed be Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, for not withholding his faithful love frommy master. Yahweh has led me straight to the house of my master's brother.'	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.
28 The girl ran to her mother's house to tel what had happened.	28 Then the maid ran, and told in her mother's house, all that she had heard.
29 Now Rebekah had a brother cal ed Laban, and Laban ran out to the man at the spring.	29 And Rebecca had a brother named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.
30 As soon as he had seen the ring and the bracelets his sister was wearing, and had heard his sisterRebekah saying, 'This is what the man said to me,' he went to the man and found him stil standing by hiscamels at the spring.	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,
31 He said to him, 'Come in, blessed of Yahweh, why stay out here when I have cleared the house andmade room for the camels?'	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.
32 The man went to the house, and Laban unloaded the camels. He provided straw and fodder for thecamels and water for him and his companions to wash their feet.	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.
33 They offered him food, but he said, 'I wil eat nothing before I have said what I have to say.' Labansaid, 'Speak.'	33 And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.
34 He said, 'I am Abraham's servant.	34 And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:
35 Yahweh has loaded my master with blessings, and Abraham is now very rich. He has given himflocks and herds, silver and gold, men and women slaves, camels and donkeys.	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.
36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore my master a son in his old age, and he has made over al his propertyto him.	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.
37 My master made me take this oath, "You are not to choose a wife for my son from the daughters ofthe Canaanites in whose country I live.	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:
38 Instead, you are to go to my father's home and to my own kinsfolk to choose a wife for my son."	38 But thou shalt go to my father's house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:
39 I said to my master, "Suppose the girl wil not agree to come with me?"	39 But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?
40 and his reply was, "Yahweh, in whose presence I have walked, will send his angel with you andmake your journey successful, for you to choose a wife for my son from my own kinsfolk, from my father's house.	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.
41 Then you wil be quit of my curse: if you go to my family and they refuse you, you will be quit of mycurse."	41 But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.
42 Arriving today at the spring I said, "Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, please grant a successfuloutcome to the course I propose to take.	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,
43 While I stand by the spring, if a girl comes out to draw water and I say to her, 'Please give me a littlewater to drink from your pitcher,'	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:
44 if she replies, 'Drink by all means, and I shall draw water for your camels too,' let her be the girlwhom Yahweh has decreed for my master's son."	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.
45 I was stil saying this in my mind when Rebekah came out, her pitcher on her shoulder. She camedown to the spring and drew water. I said to her, "Please give me a drink."	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.
46 Quickly she lowered her pitcher saying, "Drink, and I shal water your camels too."	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.
47 I asked her, "Whose daughter are you?" She replied, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, whom Milcahbore to Nahor." Then I put this ring through her nose and these bracelets on her arms.	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.
48 I bowed down and worshipped Yahweh, and I blessed Yahweh, God of my master Abraham, whohad led me by a direct path to choose the daughter of my master's brother for his son.	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.
49 Now tel me whether you are prepared to show constant and faithful love to my master; if not, say so,and I shall know what to do.'	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.
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, 'This is from Yahweh; it is not for us to say yes or no to you.	50 And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord, we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.
51 Rebekah is there before you. Take her and go; and let her become the wife of your master's son, asYahweh has decreed.'	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.
52 On hearing this, Abraham's servant bowed to the ground before Yahweh.	52 WHich when Abraham's servant heard, falling down to the ground he adored the Lord.
53 He brought out silver and gold ornaments and clothes which he gave to Rebekah; he also gave richpresents to her brother and to her mother.	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.
54 They ate and drank, he and his companions, and spent the night there. Next morning when theywere up, he said, 'Let me go back to my master.'	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.
55 Rebekah's brother and mother replied, 'Let the girl stay with us for ten days or so; then she can go.'	55 And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay at least ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.
56 But he replied, 'Do not delay me, since Yahweh has made my journey successful; let me leave andgo back to my master.'	56 Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 They replied, 'Let us cal the girl and find out what she has to say.'	57 And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.
58 They cal ed Rebekah and asked her, 'Wil you go with this man?' She replied, 'I will.'	58 And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.
59 Accordingly they let their sister Rebekah go, with her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men.	59 So they sent her away, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his company,
60 They blessed Rebekah and said to her: Sister of ours, from you may there spring thousands andtens of thousands! May your descendants gain possession of the gates of their enemies!	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.
61 And forthwith, Rebekah and her maids mounted the camels, and fol owed the man. The servant tookRebekah and departed.	61 So Rebecca and her maids, being set upon camels, followed the man: who with speed returned to his master.
62 Isaac meanwhile had come back from the wel of Lahai Roi and was living in the Negeb.	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.
63 While Isaac was out walking towards evening in the fields, he looked up and saw camelsapproaching.	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.
64 And Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her camel,	64 Rebecca also, when she saw Isaac, lighted off the camel,
65 and asked the servant, 'Who is that man walking through the fields towards us?' The servant replied,'That is my master.' So she took her veil and covered herself up.	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.
66 The servant told Isaac the whole story.	66 And the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 Then Isaac took her into his tent. He married Rebekah and made her his wife. And in his love for her,Isaac was consoled for the loss of his mother.	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.