| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything. | 1By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. |
| 2Abraham said to his servant, the senior one in his household who was in charge of everything he had, "Put your hand under my thigh | 2So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, |
| 3so that I may make you solemnly promise by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. | 3and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, |
| 4You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac." | 4but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.” |
| 5The servant asked him, "What if the woman is not willing to come back with me to this land? Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?" | 5The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” |
| 6"Be careful never to take my son back there!" Abraham told him. | 6Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there. |
| 7"The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and the land of my relatives, promised me with a solemn oath, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' He will send his angel before you so that you may find a wife for my son from there. | 7The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there. |
| 8But if the woman is not willing to come back with you, you will be free from this oath of mine. But you must not take my son back there!" | 8And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” |
| 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his solemn promise he would carry out his wishes. | 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. |
| 10Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed with all kinds of gifts from his master at his disposal. He journeyed to the region of Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. | 10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim. |
| 11He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city. It was evening, the time when the women would go out to draw water. | 11As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water. |
| 12He prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, guide me today. Be faithful to my master Abraham. | 12“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. |
| 13Here I am, standing by the spring, and the daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out to draw water. | 13Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. |
| 14I will say to a young woman, 'Please lower your jar so I may drink.' May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master." | 14Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” |
| 15Before he had finished praying, there came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor). | 15Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. |
| 16Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. | 16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again. |
| 17Abraham's servant ran to meet her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug." | 17So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.” |
| 18"Drink, my lord," she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink. | 18“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink. |
| 19When she had done so, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have drunk as much as they want." | 19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.” |
| 20She quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw more water until she had drawn enough for all his camels. | 20And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels. |
| 21Silently the man watched her with interest to determine if the LORD had made his journey successful or not. | 21Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success. |
| 22After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave them to her. | 22And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels. |
| 23"Whose daughter are you?" he asked. "Tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" | 23“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” |
| 24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom Milcah bore to Nahor. | 24She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.” |
| 25We have plenty of straw and feed," she added, "and room for you to spend the night." | 25Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.” |
| 26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD, | 26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, |
| 27saying "Praised be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his faithful love for my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!" | 27saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.” |
| 28The young woman ran and told her mother's household all about these things. | 28The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. |
| 29(Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. | 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring. |
| 30When he saw the bracelets on his sister's wrists and the nose ring and heard his sister Rebekah say, "This is what the man said to me," he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing by the camels near the spring. | 30As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring. |
| 31Laban said to him, "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD! Why are you standing out here when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?" | 31“Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” |
| 32So Abraham's servant went to the house and unloaded the camels. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. | 32So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions. |
| 33When food was served, he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I want to say." "Tell us," Laban said. | 33Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.” |
| 34"I am the servant of Abraham," he began. | 34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied. |
| 35"The LORD has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. | 35“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys. |
| 36My master's wife Sarah bore a son to him when she was old, and my master has given him everything he owns. | 36My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns. |
| 37My master made me swear an oath. He said, 'You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, | 37My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell, |
| 38but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.' | 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’ |
| 39But I said to my master, 'What if the woman does not want to go with me?' | 39Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ |
| 40He answered, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father's family. | 40And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house. |
| 41You will be free from your oath if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.' | 41And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ |
| 42When I came to the spring today, I prayed, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, may events unfold as follows: | 42So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success! |
| 43Here I am, standing by the spring. When the young woman goes out to draw water, I'll say, "Give me a little water to drink from your jug." | 43Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ |
| 44Then she will reply to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too." May that woman be the one whom the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' | 44and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son. |
| 45"Before I finished praying in my heart, along came Rebekah with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' | 45And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ |
| 46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. | 46She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels. |
| 47Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.' I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. | 47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. |
| 48Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son. | 48Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. |
| 49Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way." | 49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.” |
| 50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "This is the LORD's doing. Our wishes are of no concern. | 50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter. |
| 51Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become the wife of your master's son, just as the LORD has decided." | 51Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.” |
| 52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. | 52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. |
| 53Then he brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. | 53Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother. |
| 54After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Let me leave now so I can return to my master." | 54Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.” |
| 55But Rebekah's brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go." | 55But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.” |
| 56But he said to them, "Don't detain me--the LORD has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return to my master." | 56But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.” |
| 57Then they said, "We'll call the girl and find out what she wants to do." | 57So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.” |
| 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" She replied, "I want to go." | 58They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied. |
| 59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham's servant and his men. | 59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. |
| 60They blessed Rebekah with these words: "Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands! May your descendants possess the strongholds of their enemies." | 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” |
| 61Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with the man. So Abraham's servant took Rebekah and left. | 61Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. |
| 62Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. | 62Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev. |
| 63He went out to relax in the field in the early evening. Then he looked up and saw that there were camels approaching. | 63Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching. |
| 64Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel | 64And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel |
| 65and asked Abraham's servant, "Who is that man walking in the field toward us?" "That is my master," the servant replied. So she took her veil and covered herself. | 65and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. |
| 66The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. | 66Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done. |
| 67Then Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent. He took her as his wife and loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. | 67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death. |
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