Chapters

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50

Old Testament

New Testament

Genesis 24 The Scriptures 1998 (ISR98)

1. And Aḇraham was old, advanced in years. And יהוה had blessed Aḇraham in every way.

2. And Aḇraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh,

3. so that I make you swear by יהוה, the Elohim of the heavens and the Elohim of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kena‛anites, among whom I dwell,

4. but to go to my land and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Yitsḥaq.”

5. And the servant said to him, “What if the woman refuses to follow me to this land? Do I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

6. And Aḇraham said to him, “Beware lest you take my son back there!

7. “יהוה, Elohim of the heavens, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my relatives, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I give this land,’ He sends His messenger before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

8. “And if the woman refuses to follow you, then you shall be released from this oath; only, do not take my son back there.”

9. Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Aḇraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

10. And the servant took ten of his master’s camels and left, for all his master’s good gifts were in his hand. And he arose and went to Aram Naharayim, to the city of Naḥor.

11. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a fountain of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.

12. And he said, “יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, please cause her to meet before me this day, and show kindness to my master Aḇraham.

13. “See, I am standing here by the fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

14. “Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar to let me drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and let me water your camels too,’ let her be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Yitsḥaq. And let me know by this that You have shown kindness to my master.”

15. And it came to be, before he had ended speaking, that see, Riḇqah, who was born to Bethu’ĕl, son of Milkah, the wife of Naḥor, Aḇraham’s brother, came out with her jar on her shoulder.

16. And the young woman was very good-looking, a maiden, no man having known her. And she went down to the fountain, filled her jar, and came up.

17. And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.”

18. And she said, “Drink, my master.” And she hurried and let her jar down to her hand, and gave him a drink.

19. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.”

20. And she hurried and emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the fountain to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

21. And watching her, the man remained silent in order to know whether יהוה had prospered his way or not.

22. And it came to be, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a sheqel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten sheqels of gold,

23. and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please inform me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

24. And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Milkah’s son, whom she bore to Naḥor.”

25. And she said to him, “We have both straw and fodder enough, and room to spend the night.”

26. And the man bowed down his head and worshipped יהוה.

27. And he said, “Blessed be יהוה Elohim of my master Aḇraham, who has not forsaken His kindness and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, יהוה led me to the house of my master’s brothers.”

28. Then the young woman ran and informed those of her mother’s house these matters.

29. And Riḇqah had a brother whose name was Laḇan, and Laḇan ran out to the man, to the fountain.

30. And it came to be, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Riḇqah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man and saw him standing by the camels at the fountain.

31. And he said, “Come in, O blessed of יהוה! Why do you stand outside? I myself have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”

32. So the man came into the house, while he unloaded the camels and provided straw and fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him,

33. and set food before him to eat. But he said, “Let me not eat until I have spoken my word.” And he said, “Speak on.”

34. And he said, “I am Aḇraham’s servant.

35. “And יהוה has blessed my master exceedingly, and he has become great. And He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

36. “And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old. And he has given to him all that he has.

37. “And my master made me swear, saying, ‘Do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kena‛anites, in whose land I dwell,

38. but go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’

39. “And I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not follow me?’

40. “But he said to me, ‘יהוה, before whom I walk, sends His messenger with you and shall prosper your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house.

41. ‘Then, when you go to my relatives, you are to be released from this oath. And if they do not give her to you, then you are released from my oath.’

42. “And this day I came to the fountain and said, ‘יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, please, if You are prospering the way in which I am going,

43. see, I am standing by the fountain of water, and when the maiden comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,”

44. and she says to me, “Drink, and let me draw for your camels too,” let her be the woman whom יהוה has appointed for my master’s son.’

45. “I had not yet ended speaking in my heart, then see, Riḇqah was coming out with her jar on her shoulder. And she went down to the fountain and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

46. “And she hurried and let her jar down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and let me water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels too.

47. “And I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethu’ĕl, Naḥor’s son, whom Milkah bore to him.’ Then I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

48. “And I bowed my head and worshipped יהוה, and blessed יהוה, Elohim of my master Aḇraham, who had led me in the true way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

49. “And now, if you are going to show kindness and truth to my master, let me know, and if not, let me know, so that I turn to the right or to the left.”

50. And Laḇan answered – Bethu’ĕl too – and said, “The matter comes from יהוה, we are not able to speak to you either evil or good.

51. “See, Riḇqah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as יהוה has spoken.”

52. And it came to be, when Aḇraham’s servant heard their words, that he bowed himself towards the earth before יהוה.

53. And the servant brought out ornaments of silver, and ornaments of gold, and garments, and gave them to Riḇqah. He also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.

54. And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning he said, “Let me go to my master.”

55. But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten, then you go.”

56. And he said to them, “Do not delay me, since יהוה has prospered my way. Let me go so that I go to my master.”

57. And they said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”

58. So they called Riḇqah and said to her, “Are you going with this man?” And she said, “I shall go.”

59. So they let go Riḇqah their sister and her nurse, and Aḇraham’s servant and his men.

60. And they blessed Riḇqah and said to her, “Let our sister become the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gates of those who hate them.”

61. And Riḇqah and her young women arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Riḇqah and left.

62. And Yitsḥaq came from the way of Be’ĕr Laḥai Ro’i, for he dwelt in the South.

63. And Yitsḥaq went out to meditate in the field in the evening. And he lifted his eyes and looked and saw the camels coming.

64. And Riḇqah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Yitsḥaq she dismounted from her camel,

65. and she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.

66. And the servant told Yitsḥaq all the matters he had done.

67. And Yitsḥaq brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. And he took Riḇqah and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus Yitsḥaq was comforted after his mother’s death.