And
Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in
all things. 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled
over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will
make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that
thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among
whom I dwell: 4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a
wife unto my son Isaac. 5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman
will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son
again unto the land from whence thou camest? 6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware
thou that thou bring not my son thither again. 7 The LORD God of heaven, which
took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake
unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he
shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from
thence. 8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt
be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again. 9 And the
servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him
concerning that matter.
10 And the servant took
ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his
master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of
Nahor. 11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of
water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed
this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I stand here by
the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw
water: 14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down
thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will
give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy
servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my
master. 15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor,
Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the damsel was
very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went
down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to
meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. 18
And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her
hand, and gave him drink. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I
will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. 20 And she
hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to
draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man wondering at her held
his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. 22
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden
earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels
weight of gold; 23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is
there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in? 24 And she said unto him, I
am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor. 25 She
said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to
lodge in. 26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. 27 And he
said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute
my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the
house of my master's brethren. 28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her
mother's house these things.
. . . . .
50 Then Laban
and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot
speak unto thee bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and
go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken. 52 And it
came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the
LORD, bowing himself to the earth. 53 And the servant brought forth jewels of
silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also
to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54 And they did eat and
drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose
up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master. 55 And her brother
and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten;
after that she shall go. 56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the
LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master. 57 And they
said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. 58 And they called
Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's
servant, and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art
our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed
possess the gate of those which hate them. 61 And Rebekah arose, and her
damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant
took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 And Isaac came
from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. 63 And
Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his
eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her
eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 65 For she had said
unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the
servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered
herself. 66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 67 And Isaac
brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his
wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.