New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

1Now Abraham was old, 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,

2Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, "Please place your hand under my thigh,

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;

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

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

4but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take 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?”

5The servant said to him, "Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?"

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

6Then Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not take my son back there!

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, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I will give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you will take 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.”

8"But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this my oath; only do not 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 placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning 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 the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of good things of his master's in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

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.

11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at evening time, the time when women go 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.

12He said, "O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, and show lovingkindness 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.

13"Behold, I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out 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.”

14now may it be that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar so that I may drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also '-- may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness 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, behold, Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out with her jar 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 girl was very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

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

17Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar."

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

18She said, "Drink, my lord"; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave 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.”

19Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking."

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

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

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

21Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not.

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 a gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold,

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

23and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father's house?"

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

24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."

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

25Again she said to him, "We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to lodge in."

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

26Then the man bowed low and worshiped 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.”

27He said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His lovingkindness and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD has guided me in the way to the house of my master's brothers."

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

28Then the girl ran and told her mother's household about these things.

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

29Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man 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.

30When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," he went to the man; and behold, he was 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.”

31And he said, "Come in, blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside since I have prepared 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 man entered the house. Then Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were 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 food was set before him to eat, he said, "I will not eat until I have told my business." And 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 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 rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and 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.

36"Now Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has.

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;

37"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 live;

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

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

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

39"I said to my master, 'Suppose the woman does not follow 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"He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house;

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.’

41then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from 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 I came today to the spring, and said, 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go 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,”

43behold, I am standing by the spring, and may it be that the maiden who comes out to draw, and to whom I say, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar";

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.’

44and she will say to me, "You 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“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 speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew, and I said to her, 'Please let me 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.

46"She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also'; so I drank, and she watered the camels also.

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

48"And I bowed low and worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master's kinsman 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.”

49"So now if you are going to deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, let me know, that I may turn to the right hand or the left."

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

50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, "The matter comes from the LORD; so we cannot speak to you bad or good.

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

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

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 their words, he bowed himself 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.

53The servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things 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.”

54Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they arose in the morning, he said, "Send me away 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 her mother said, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward 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.”

56He said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."

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

57And they said, "We will call the girl and consult her wishes."

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

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

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

59Thus they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse with 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.”

60They blessed Rebekah and said to her, "May you, our sister, Become thousands of ten thousands, And may your descendants possess The gate 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 arose with her maids, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

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

62Now Isaac had come from going to Beer-lahai-roi; for he was 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 to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming.

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

64Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from the 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.

65She said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." Then she took her veil and covered herself.

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

66The servant told Isaac all the things that 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.

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

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

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org