| New International Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Abraham was now very old, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. | 1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. |
| 2He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. | 2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, |
| 3I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, | 3that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, |
| 4but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac." | 4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” |
| 5The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?" | 5The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” |
| 6"Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said. | 6Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. |
| 7"The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and 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 get a wife for my son from there. | 7The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. |
| 8If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there." | 8But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” |
| 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. | 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter. |
| 10Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master's camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. | 10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor. |
| 11He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. | 11And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water. |
| 12Then he prayed, "LORD, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. | 12And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. |
| 13See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. | 13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. |
| 14May it be that when I say to a young woman, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'--let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." | 14Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.” |
| 15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. | 15Before he had finished speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her water jar on her shoulder. |
| 16The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. | 16The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up. |
| 17The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar." | 17Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water to drink from your jar.” |
| 18"Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. | 18She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. |
| 19After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink." | 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” |
| 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. | 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. |
| 21Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful. | 21The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not. |
| 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. | 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, |
| 23Then he asked, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" | 23and said, “Please tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” |
| 24She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor." | 24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.” |
| 25And she added, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night." | 25She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.” |
| 26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, | 26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD |
| 27saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives." | 27and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.” |
| 28The young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things. | 28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. |
| 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. | 29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to the spring. |
| 30As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. | 30As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. |
| 31"Come, you who are blessed by the LORD," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." | 31He said, “Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” |
| 32So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. | 32So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. |
| 33Then food was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say." "Then tell us," Laban said. | 33Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.” |
| 34So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. | 34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. |
| 35The LORD has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. | 35The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. |
| 36My master's wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. | 36And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has. |
| 37And my master made me swear an oath, and said, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, | 37My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, |
| 38but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.' | 38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ |
| 39"Then I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not come back with me?' | 39I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ |
| 40"He replied, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family. | 40But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house. |
| 41You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you--then you will be released from my oath.' | 41Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’ |
| 42"When I came to the spring today, I said, 'LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. | 42“I came today to the spring and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go, |
| 43See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar," | 43behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, to whom I shall say, “Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,” |
| 44and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too," let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' | 44and who will say to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,” let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.’ |
| 45"Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' | 45“Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ |
| 46"She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also. | 46She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also. |
| 47"I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' "She said, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.' "Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, | 47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. |
| 48and I bowed down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son. | 48Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. |
| 49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn." | 49Now then, if you are going to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.” |
| 50Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. | 50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good. |
| 51Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed." | 51Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.” |
| 52When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. | 52When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD. |
| 53Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. | 53And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. |
| 54Then he and the men who were 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." | 54And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.” |
| 55But her brother and her mother replied, "Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go." | 55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.” |
| 56But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the LORD has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master." | 56But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” |
| 57Then they said, "Let's call the young woman and ask her about it." | 57They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” |
| 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will go," she said. | 58And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” |
| 59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. | 59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. |
| 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies." | 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!” |
| 61Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. | 61Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way. |
| 62Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. | 62Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb. |
| 63He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. | 63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. |
| 64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel | 64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel |
| 65and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" "He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. | 65and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself. |
| 66Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. | 66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. |
| 67Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. | 67Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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