Genesis 24:36-51

English Standard Version

³⁶ And Sarah my master's wife ^(A)bore a son to my master when she was old, and ^(B)to him he has given all that he has. ^37 (C)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, ³⁸ but you shall go to my father's house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’ ³⁹ I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ ⁴⁰ But he said to me, ‘The Lord, ^(D)before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and ^(E)prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house. ⁴¹ Then 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 “I came today to the spring and said, ^(F)‘O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if now you ^(G)are prospering the way that I go, ⁴³ behold, I am standing ^(H)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,” ^44 (I)and 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 had finished ^(J)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 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 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ ^(K)So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms. ^48 (L)Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord, ^(M)the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way^[a] to take ^(N)the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. ⁴⁹ Now then, if you are going to ^(O)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.”

⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the Lord; we cannot ^(P)speak to you bad or good. ⁵¹ Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, ^(Q)as the Lord has spoken.”