Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Genesis 24
An Oath and a Journey
Abraham was old, advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything.
He said to the senior servant of his household, who managed everything he owned, “Please put your hand under my thigh. I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live. Go instead to my land and my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
The servant asked, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I take your son back to the land you came from?”
Abraham answered, “Be sure you do not take my son back there. The LORD, the God of heaven, took me from my father's household and my native land. He spoke to me and swore, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ He will send his messenger ahead of you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.
If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath to me. Only do not take my son back there.”
The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him about this matter.
At the Spring
The servant took ten of his master's camels and set out, taking all kinds of his master's fine goods. He traveled to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
He made the camels kneel beside the well outside the city. It was evening, the time when the women came out to draw water.
He said, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, please let my journey succeed today. Show kindness to my master Abraham. Here I am beside the spring, and the daughters of the city's people are coming out to draw water. Let the young woman I ask, ‘Please lower your jar so I can drink,’ answer, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels too.’ Let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I will know you have shown kindness to my master.”
Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham's brother. The young woman was very beautiful, a virgin who had never had relations with a man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up.
The servant ran to meet her. “Please let me sip a little water from your jar,” he said.
“Drink, my lord,” she answered. She quickly lowered the jar to her hand and gave him a drink.
When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough.”
She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw more. She drew water for all his camels.
The man watched her silently, wondering whether the LORD had made his journey succeed.
When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold ring weighing half a shekel and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
“Please tell me whose daughter you are,” he said. “Is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
She answered, “I am Bethuel's daughter. He is the son Milcah bore to Nahor.”
She added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room for you to spend the night.”
The man bowed his head and bowed down before the LORD. He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness toward my master. The LORD has led me on the journey to the household of my master's relatives.”
An Invitation to the House
The young woman ran and told her mother's household what had happened.
Rebekah had a brother named Laban. Laban ran out to the man at the spring. He had seen the ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists and heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. When he reached the man, he found him standing beside the camels at the spring.
“Come in, you who are blessed by the LORD,” he said. “Why stand outside? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
The man entered the house. The camels were unloaded and given straw and fodder, and water was brought for him and the men with him to wash their feet.
Food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you my business.” His host answered, “Speak.”
The Servant Tells His Mission
He said, “I am Abraham's servant.
The LORD has blessed my master greatly, and he has become wealthy. The LORD has given him flocks, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys. My master's wife Sarah bore him a son in her old age, and he has given that son everything he owns.
My master made me swear: ‘You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live. You must go to my father's household, to my clan, and take a wife for my son.’
I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
He answered, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his messenger with you and make your journey succeed. You will take a wife for my son from my clan, from my father's household. When you reach my clan, you will be released from my oath if they refuse to give her to you. Then you will be free of the oath.’
Today I came to the spring and said, ‘LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you are willing, please make this journey of mine succeed. Here I am beside the spring. When a young woman comes out to draw water, I will ask her, “Please give me a little water from your jar.” If she answers, “Drink, and I will draw water for your camels too,” let her be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master's son.’
Before I had finished speaking in my heart, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said, ‘Please give me a drink.’ She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels too.’ I drank, and she watered the camels as well.
I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She answered, ‘Bethuel's daughter; he is Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore.’ Then I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
I bowed my head and bowed down before the LORD. I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right path to take a wife for his son from his brother's family.
Now tell me whether you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master. If not, tell me, so I can turn to the right or to the left.”
The Family’s Answer
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This matter comes from the LORD. We cannot say anything to you, bad or good. Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go. Let her become your master's son's wife, as the LORD has said.”
When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed to the ground before the LORD.
The servant brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave costly gifts to her brother and mother.
Rebekah Leaves
He and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they rose in the morning, he said, “Send me back to my master.”
Her brother and mother answered, “Let the young woman stay with us a few days, perhaps ten. Then she may go.”
But he said, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey succeed. Send me away so I can return to my master.”
They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her herself.”
They called Rebekah and asked, “Will you go with this man?” She answered, “I will go.”
So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse, along with Abraham's servant and his men.
They blessed Rebekah, saying,
“Our sister, may you become
thousands upon ten thousands!
May your descendants possess
the gate of those who hate them.”
Rebekah and her young women got up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah with him and left.
Isaac and Rebekah
Isaac had come from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the Negev.
Toward evening Isaac went out into the field to meditate. He looked up and saw camels approaching.
Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man walking across the field to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. She took her veil and covered herself.
The servant told Isaac everything he had done.
Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of his mother Sarah. He took Rebekah as his wife and loved her. Isaac found comfort after his mother's death.