New King James Version

International Standard Version

1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

1Now Abraham had grown old, was well advanced in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way.

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

2So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me

3and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;

3as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living.

4but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

4Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

5And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”

5"What if the woman doesn't want to come back with me to this land?" the servant asked. "Shouldn't I have your son go to the land from which you came?"

6But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.

6"Make sure not to take my son there," Abraham replied.

7The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

7"The LORD God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and from my family's land, who spoke to me and promised me 'I will give this land to your descendants,' will send his angel ahead of you, and you are to acquire a wife for my son from there.

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

8If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you'll be free from this oath to me. Just don't take my son back there!"

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

9So the servant made a solemn oath to his master Abraham regarding this matter.

10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

10Then Abraham's servant took ten camels from his master's herd of camels and left on his journey with all kinds of gifts from his master's inventory. Eventually, he traveled as far as Aram-naharaim, Nahor's home town.

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

11As evening approached, he had the camels kneel outside the town at the water well, right about the time when women customarily went out to draw water.

12Then he said, “O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

12That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham.

13Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

13I've stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water.

14Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

14May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, 'Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,' responds, 'Have a drink, and I'll water your camels as well.' May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I'll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master."

15And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder.

15Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared. She was a daughter of Milcah's son Bethuel. (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.) She approached the well, carrying a jug on her shoulder.

16Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up.

16The woman was very beautiful, young, and had not had sexual relations with a man. Going down to the spring, she filled her jug and turned for home.

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

17Then Abraham's servant ran to meet her and asked her, "Please, let me have a sip of water from your jug."

18So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink.

18"Drink, sir!" she replied as she quickly lowered her jug on her arm to offer him a drink.

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

19When she had finished giving him a drink, she also said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they've had enough to drink."

20Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

20She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and ran to the well to draw again until she had drawn enough water for all ten of the servant's camels.

21And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

21The man stared at her in silence, waiting to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.

22So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold,

22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a half shekel and two bracelets for her wrists, weighing 10 shekels and presented them to her.

23and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge?”

23He asked her, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"

24So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.”

24"I am the daughter of Bethuel," she answered. "He's the son of Milcah and Nahor.

25Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.”

25And yes," she continued, "we have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place to spend the night."

26Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD.

26At this, the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD.

27And he said, “Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

27"Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn't held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!"

28So the young woman ran and told her mother’s household these things.

28The young woman then ran ahead and informed her mother's household what had happened.

29Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well.

29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to the man and met him at the spring.

30So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well.

30And so it was, as soon as he saw the nose ring and bracelets on his sister's wrists, and as soon as he heard what his sister Rebekah was saying about what the man had spoken to her, he went out to the man who was still standing by the camels at the spring!

31And he 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.”

31"Come on," Laban said. "The LORD has blessed you! So why are you standing out here when I've prepared some space in the house and a place for the camels?"

32Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

32So the servant went to the house and unbridled the camels. They provided straw and feed for the camels and water for washing his feet and those of the men with him.

33Food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told about my errand.” And he said, “Speak on.”

33But when they had prepared a meal and set it in front of him, he said, "I'm not eating until I've spoken." "Speak up!" Laban exclaimed.

34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

34"I'm Abraham's servant," he said.

35The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great; and He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

35"The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become wealthy. He has provided him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.

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.

36My master's wife Sarah gave birth to my master's son in her old age, and Abraham has given him everything that belongs to him.

37Now my 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;

37My master made me swear this oath: 'You are not to select a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in this land where I live.

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

38Instead, you are to go to my father's household, to my relatives, and choose a wife for my son there.'

39And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’

39"So I asked my master, 'What if the woman won't come back with me?'

40But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.

40"Abraham told me, 'The LORD, who is with me wherever I go, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. So you are to choose a wife for my son from my family, from my father's household.

41You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’

41Only then will you be released from fulfilling my oath. However, when you come to my family, if they don't give her to you, you'll be released from fulfilling my oath.'

42“And this day I came to the well and said, ‘O LORD God of my master Abraham, if You will now prosper the way in which I go,

42"So today I arrived at the spring and prayed, 'LORD God of my master Abraham, if you wish to make the journey that I have traveled successful,

43behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”

43here I am standing by the spring. May it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water, from whom I request a little water from her jug to drink,

44and she says 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.’

44if she tells me to drink and also draws water for the camels, may she be the woman that the LORD has chosen for my master's son.'

45“But before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah, coming out with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’

45"Before I had finished praying, along came Rebekah with her jug on her shoulder! She went to the spring and drew some water. I asked her to please let me have a drink.

46And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels a drink also.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also.

46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and told me, 'Have a drink while I also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also gave my camels water to drink.

47Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

47"That's when I asked, 'Whose daughter are you?' "She replied, 'I'm the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore for him.' "So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists.

48And I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

48I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

49Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.”

49So now, if you wish to show gracious love and truth toward my master, tell me so. But if not, tell me, so that I may go elsewhere."

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you either bad or good.

50"Since this has come from the LORD," Laban and Bethuel both replied, "we cannot speak one way or another.

51Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as the LORD has spoken.”

51So here's Rebekah—she's right in front of you. Take her and go, so she can become a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has decreed."

52And it came to pass, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, that he worshiped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

52When Abraham's servant heard what they had said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.

53Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother.

53Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.

54And he and the men who were with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.”

54He and the men with him ate and drank, and then they spent the night. When they got up the next morning, the servant requested, "Send me off to my master."

55But her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, at least ten; after that she may go.”

55But her brother and mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days—at least ten—and after that she may go."

56And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the LORD has prospered my way; send me away so that I may go to my master.”

56"Please don't delay me," the servant answered them. "The LORD has made my journey successful. Send me off so I can return to my master."

57So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.”

57But they said, "We'll call the young lady and see what she has to say about this."

58Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”

58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" "I will go," she replied.

59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.

59So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, Abraham's servant, and his men.

60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: “Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them.”

60As they were leaving, they all blessed Rebekah by saying, "Our sister, may you become the mother of tens of millions! May your descendants take over the city gates of those who hate them."

61Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

61Then Rebekah and her young servant women got up, mounted their camels, and followed Abraham's servant, who took Rebekah and went on his way.

62Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South.

62Later on, as Isaac was returning one evening from Beer-lahai-roi (he had been living in the Negev ),

63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming.

63Isaac went out walking in a field. He looked up, and all of a sudden there were some camels coming.

64Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel;

64Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel

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

65and asked the servant, "Who is that man coming in the field to meet us?" "That's my master," the servant told her. So she reached for a veil and covered herself.

66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.

66Then the servant informed Isaac about everything he had done.

67Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

67Later, Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah and married her. Isaac loved her, and that's how he was comforted following the loss of his mother.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.