Genesis 24
King James Version
24 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
7 The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?
24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.
27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.
28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.
29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.
33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master's son.
45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.
49 And now if ye 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.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken.
52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.
53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.
63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Genesis 24
1599 Geneva Bible
24 2 Abraham causeth his servant to swear to take a wife for Isaac in his own kindred. 12 The servant prayeth to God. 33 His fidelity toward his master. 50 The friends of Rebekah commit the matter to God. 58 They ask her consent, and she agreeth.
1 Now Abraham was old, and [a]stricken in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 Therefore Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, which had the rule over all that he had, (A)[b]Put now thine hand under my thigh,
3 And I will make thee [c]swear by the Lord God of the heaven, and God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell:
4 But thou shalt go unto my [d]country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said to him, What if the woman will not come with me to this land? shall I bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?
6 To whom Abraham answered, Beware that thou bring not my son [e]thither again.
7 ¶ The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land where I was born, and that spake unto me, and that swear unto me, saying, (B)Unto thy seed will I give this land, he shall send his Angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
8 Nevertheless if the woman will not follow thee, then shalt thou be [f]discharged of this mine oath: only bring not my son thither again.
9 Then the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him for this matter.
10 ¶ So the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed: (for he had all his master’s goods in his hand:) and so he arose, and went to [g]Aram Naharaim, unto the [h]city of Nahor.
11 And he made his camels to [i]lie down without the city by a well of water, at eventide about the time that the women come out to draw water.
12 And he said, O [j]Lord God of my master Abraham, I beseech thee, [k]send me good speed this day, and show mercy unto my master Abraham.
13 Lo, I stand by the well of water while the men’s daughters of this city come out to draw water.
14 [l]Grant therefore that the maid, to whom I say: Bow down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink: if she say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: may be she that thou hast ordained for thy servant Isaac: and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed mercy on my master.
15 ¶ And now yet he had left speaking, behold, [m]Rebekah came out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor Abraham’s brother, and her Pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 (And the maid was very fair to look upon, a virgin and unknown of man) and she [n]went down to the well, and filled her pitcher and came up.
17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me drink, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink [o]sir: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink.
19 And when she had given him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also until they [p]have drunken enough.
20 And she poured out her pitcher into the trough speedily, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.
21 So the man wondered at her, and held his peace, to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And when the camels had left drinking, the man took a golden [q][r]abillement of [s]half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of gold:
23 And he said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee, Is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
24 Then she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah whom she bare unto Nahor.
25 Moreover she said unto him, We have litter also and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed himself and worshipped the Lord,
27 And said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, which hath not withdrawn his mercy [t]and his truth from my master: for when I was in the way, the Lord brought me to my master’s brethren’s house.
28 And the maid ran and told them of her mother’s house according to these words.
29 ¶ Now Rebekah had a brother called Laban, and Laban ran unto the man to the well.
30 For when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus said the man unto me, then he went to the man, and lo, [u]he stood by the camels at the well.
31 And he said, Come in thou blessed of the Lord: wherefore standest thou without, seeing I have prepared the house, and room for the camels?
32 ¶ Then the man came into the house, and [v]he unsaddled the [w]camels, and brought litter and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
33 Afterward the meat was set before him: but he said, I [x]will not eat, until I have said my message. And he said: Speak on.
34 Then he said, I am Abraham’s servant,
35 And the Lord hath [y]blessed my master wonderfully, that he is become great: for he hath given him sheep, and beeves, and silver, and gold, and men servants, and maid servants, and camels, and asses.
36 And Sarah my master’s wife hath borne a son to my master, when she was old, and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37 Now my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the [z]Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But thou shalt go unto my [aa]father’s house and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
39 Then I said unto my master, What if the woman will not follow me?
40 Who answered me, The Lord, before who I walk, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy journey, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred and my father’s house.
41 Then shalt thou be discharged of [ab]mine oath, when thou comest to my kindred: and if they give thee not one, thou shalt be free from mine oath.
42 So I came this day to the well, and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if thou now prosper my [ac]journey which I go,
43 Behold, (C)I stand by the well of water when a virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink,
44 And she said to me, Drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels, let her be the wife, which the Lord hath [ad]prepared for thy master’s son.
45 And before I had made an end of speaking in mine [ae]heart, behold, Rebekah came forth and her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the well, and drew water. Then I said unto her, Give me drink, I pray thee.
46 And she made haste, and took down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. So I drank, and she gave the camels drink also.
47 Then I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she answered, The daughter of Bethuel Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him. Then I put the abillement upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands:
48 [af]And I bowed down and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had brought me the [ag]right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
49 Now therefore, if ye will deal [ah]mercifully and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me, that I may turn me to the [ai]right hand or to the left.
50 Then answered Laban and Bethuel, and said, [aj]This thing is proceeded of the Lord: we cannot therefore say unto thee, neither evil nor good.
51 Behold, Rebekah is [ak]before thee, take her and go, that she may be thy master’s son’s wife, even as the Lord hath [al]said.
52 And when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself toward the earth unto the Lord.
53 Then the servant took forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave to Rebekah: also unto her brother and to her mother he gave gifts.
54 Afterward they did eat and drink, both he, and the men that were with him, and tarried all night, and when they rose up in the morning, he said, (D)Let me depart unto my master.
55 Then her brother and her mother answered, Let the maid abide with us, at the least [am]ten days: then shall she go.
56 But he said unto them, Hinder you me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my journey: send me away, that I may go to my master.
57 Then they said, We will call the maid, and ask [an]her consent.
58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her: Wilt thou go with this man? And [ao]she answered, I will go.
59 So they let Rebekah their sister go, and her nurse, with Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, grow into thousand thousand’s, and thy seed possess the [ap]gate of his enemies.
61 ¶ Then Rebekah arose, and her maids, and rode upon the camels, and followed the man, and the servant took Rebekah and departed.
62 Now Isaac came from the way of (E)Beer Lahai Roi, (for he dwelt in the South country.)
63 And Isaac went out to [aq]pray in the field toward the evening: who lift up his eyes and looked, and behold, the camels came.
64 Also Rebekah lift up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted down from the camel.
65 (For she had said to the servant, Who is yonder man, that cometh in the field to meet us? and the servant had said, It is my master) So she took [ar]a veil, and covered her.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things, that he had done.
67 Afterward Isaac brought her into the tent, of Sarah his mother, and he took Rebekah, and she was his wife, and he loved her: So Isaac was [as]comforted after his mother’s death.
Footnotes
- Genesis 24:1 Hebrew, come into days.
- Genesis 24:2 Which ceremony declared, the servant’s obedience towards his master, and the master’s power over the servant.
- Genesis 24:3 This showeth that an oath may be required in a lawful cause.
- Genesis 24:4 He would not that his son should marry out of the godly family: for the inconveniences that come by marrying with the ungodly are set forth in sundry places of the Scriptures.
- Genesis 24:6 Lest he should lose the inheritance promised.
- Genesis 24:8 Hebrew, innocent.
- Genesis 24:10 Or, Mesopotamia, or, Syria of the two floods: to wit, of Tigris and Euphrates.
- Genesis 24:10 That is, to Haran.
- Genesis 24:11 Hebrew, to bow their knees.
- Genesis 24:12 He groundeth his prayer upon God’s promise made to his master.
- Genesis 24:12 Or, cause me to meet.
- Genesis 24:14 The servant moved by God’s spirit desired to be assured by a sign, whether God prospered his journey or no.
- Genesis 24:15 God giveth good success to all things that are undertaken for the glory of his name and according to his word.
- Genesis 24:16 Here is declared that God ever heareth the prayers of his, and granteth their requests.
- Genesis 24:18 Hebrew, my Lord.
- Genesis 24:19 Hebrew, have made an end of drinking.
- Genesis 24:22 Or, earring.
- Genesis 24:22 God permitted many things both in apparel and other things which are now forbid: specially when they appertain not to our mortification.
- Genesis 24:22 The golden shekel is here meant and not that of silver.
- Genesis 24:27 He boasteth not his good fortune (as do the wicked) but acknowledgeth that God hath dealt mercifully with his master in keeping promise.
- Genesis 24:30 For he waited on God’s hand, who had now heard his prayer.
- Genesis 24:32 To wit, Laban.
- Genesis 24:32 The gentle entertainment of strangers used among the godly fathers.
- Genesis 24:33 The fidelity that servants owe to their masters, causeth them to prefer their master’s business to their own necessity.
- Genesis 24:35 To bless, signifieth here to enrich, or increase with substance, as the text in the same verse declareth.
- Genesis 24:37 The Canaanites were accursed, and therefore the godly could not join with them in marriage.
- Genesis 24:38 Meaning among his kinsfolk, as verse 40.
- Genesis 24:41 Which by mine authority I caused thee to make.
- Genesis 24:42 Or, way.
- Genesis 24:44 Or, showed.
- Genesis 24:45 Signifying that this prayer was not spoken by the mouth, but only meditated in his heart.
- Genesis 24:48 He showeth what is our duty, when we have received any benefit of the Lord.
- Genesis 24:48 Hebrew, in the way of truth.
- Genesis 24:49 If you will freely and faithfully give your daughter to my master’s son.
- Genesis 24:49 That is, that I may provide elsewhere.
- Genesis 24:50 So soon as they perceive that it is God’s ordinance they yield.
- Genesis 24:51 Or, at thy commandment.
- Genesis 24:51 Or, ordained.
- Genesis 24:55 Hebrew, days, or ten.
- Genesis 24:57 This showeth that parents have not authority to marry their children without consent of the parties.
- Genesis 24:58 Hebrew, her mouth.
- Genesis 24:60 That is, let it be victorious over his enemies: which blessing is fully accomplished in Jesus Christ.
- Genesis 24:63 This was the exercise of the godly fathers to meditate God’s promises, and to pray for the accomplishment thereof.
- Genesis 24:65 The custom was that the spouse was brought to her husband, her head being covered, in token of shamefastness and chastity.
- Genesis 24:67 Or, had left mourning for his mother.
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