| New International Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Abraham was now very old, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. | 1Abraham was now a very old man, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. |
| 2He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. | 2One day Abraham said to his oldest servant, the man in charge of his household, “Take an oath by putting 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, | 3Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. |
| 4but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac." | 4Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there 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 asked, “But what if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?” |
| 6"Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said. | 6“No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son 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. | 7For the LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son. |
| 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." | 8If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son 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 took an oath by putting his hand under the thigh of his master, Abraham. He swore to follow Abraham’s instructions. |
| 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 he loaded ten of Abraham’s camels with all kinds of expensive gifts from his master, and he traveled to distant Aram-naharaim. There he went to the town where Abraham’s brother Nahor had settled. |
| 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. | 11He made the camels kneel beside a well just outside the town. It was evening, and the women were coming out to draw water. |
| 12Then he prayed, "LORD, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. | 12“O LORD, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. |
| 13See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. | 13See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town 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." | 14This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’—let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing 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 praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. |
| 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. | 16Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. |
| 17The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar." | 17Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” |
| 18"Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. | 18“Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder 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 given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” |
| 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 jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water 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 servant watched her in silence, wondering whether or not the LORD had given him success in his mission. |
| 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. | 22Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists. |
| 23Then he asked, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?" | 23“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “And please tell me, would your father have any room to put us up for the night?” |
| 24She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor." | 24“I am the daughter of Bethuel,” she replied. “My grandparents are Nahor and Milcah. |
| 25And she added, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night." | 25Yes, we have plenty of straw and feed for the camels, and we have room for guests.” |
| 26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, | 26The man bowed low 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." | 27“Praise the LORD, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The LORD has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for he has led me straight to my master’s relatives.” |
| 28The young woman ran and told her mother's household about these things. | 28The young woman ran home to tell her family everything that had happened. |
| 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. | 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to meet the man at 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. | 30He had seen the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said. So he rushed out to the spring, where the man was still standing beside his camels. |
| 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." | 31Laban said to him, “Come and stay with us, you who are blessed by the LORD! Why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared 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 went home with Laban, and Laban unloaded the camels, gave him straw for their bedding, fed them, and provided water for the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet. |
| 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 served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.” “All right,” Laban said, “tell us.” |
| 34So he said, "I am Abraham's servant. | 34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained. |
| 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. | 35“And the LORD has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The LORD has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and 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. | 36“When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns. |
| 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, | 37And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. |
| 38but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.' | 38Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’ |
| 39"Then I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not come back with me?' | 39“But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with 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. | 40He responded, ‘The LORD, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. |
| 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 have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with 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“So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O LORD, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission. |
| 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," | 43See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.” |
| 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.' | 44If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of 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 praying in my heart, I saw Rebekah coming out 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.’ |
| 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 lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she watered the camels. |
| 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, | 47“Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists. |
| 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. | 48“Then I bowed low and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. |
| 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." | 49So tell me—will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.” |
| 50Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. | 50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The LORD has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. |
| 51Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has directed." | 51Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed.” |
| 52When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. | 52When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped 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. | 53Then he brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and presented them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. |
| 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." | 54Then they ate their meal, and the servant and the men with him stayed there overnight. But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back 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." | 55“But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then she can 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, “Don’t delay me. The LORD has made my mission successful; now send me back so I can return to my master.” |
| 57Then they said, "Let's call the young woman and ask her about it." | 57“Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask her what she thinks.” |
| 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will go," she said. | 58So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her. And she replied, “Yes, 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 said good-bye to Rebekah and sent her away with Abraham’s servant and his men. The woman who had been Rebekah’s childhood nurse went along with her. |
| 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." | 60They gave her this blessing as she parted: “Our sister, may you become the mother of many millions! May your descendants be strong and conquer the cities of their enemies.” |
| 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 servant girls mounted the camels and followed the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and went on his way. |
| 62Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. | 62Meanwhile, Isaac, whose home was in the Negev, had returned from Beer-lahai-roi. |
| 63He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. | 63One evening as he was walking and meditating in the fields, he looked up and saw the camels coming. |
| 64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel | 64When Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her 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. | 65“Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us?” she asked the servant. And he replied, “It is my master.” So Rebekah covered her face with her veil. |
| 66Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. | 66Then the servant told Isaac everything 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. | 67And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother. |
| 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. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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