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

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

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

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

⁵The servant said to him , “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from ?”

⁶Abraham said to him , “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again .

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

⁸If the woman isn’t willing to follow you , then you shall be clear from this oath to me . Only you shall not bring my son there again .”

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

¹⁰The servant took ten of his master’s camels , and departed , having a variety of good things of his master’s with him . He arose , and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor .

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

¹²He said, “LORD , the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today , and show kindness to my master Abraham.

¹³Behold , I am standing by the spring of water . The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water .

¹⁴Let it happen , that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher , that I may drink ,’ then she says , ‘Drink , and I will also give your camels a drink ,’—let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac . By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

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

¹⁶The young lady was very beautiful to look at , a virgin . No man had known her . She went down to the spring , filled her pitcher , and came up .

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

¹⁸She said, “Drink , my lord.” She hurried , and let down her pitcher on her hand , and gave him a drink .

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

²⁰She hurried , and emptied her pitcher into the trough , and ran again to the well to draw , and drew for all his camels .

²¹The man looked steadfastly at her , remaining silent , to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not .

²²As the camels had finished drinking , the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight , and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold ,[#24:22 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.]

²³and said, “Whose daughter are you ? Please tell me . Is there room in your father’s house for us to stay ?”

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

²⁵She said moreover to him , “We have both straw and feed enough , and room to lodge in .”

²⁶The man bowed his head , and worshipped the LORD .

²⁷He said, “Blessed be the LORD , the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth towards my master. As for me , the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s relatives.”

²⁸The young lady ran , and told her mother’s house about these words .

²⁹Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban . Laban ran out to the man, to the spring .

³⁰When he saw the ring , and the bracelets on his sister’s hands , and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying , “This is what the man said to me ,” he came to the man . Behold , he was standing by the camels at the spring .

³¹He said, “Come in , you blessed of the LORD . Why do you stand outside ? For I have prepared the house , and room for the camels .”

³²The man came into the house , and he unloaded the camels . He gave straw and feed for 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 my message .”

Laban said , “Speak on .”

³⁴He said, “I am Abraham’s servant .

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

³⁶Sarah , my master ’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old . He has given all that he has to him .

³⁷My 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 relatives , and take a wife for my son .’

³⁹I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me ?’

⁴⁰He said to me , ‘The LORD , before whom I walk , will send his angel with you , and prosper your way . You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives , and of my father ’s house .

⁴¹Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives . If they don’t give her to you , you shall be clear from my oath.’

⁴²I came today to the spring , and said, ‘The LORD , the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go —

⁴³behold , I am standing by this spring of water . Let it happen , that the maiden who comes out to draw , to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink ,”

⁴⁴then she tells me , “Drink , and I will also draw for your camels ,”—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son .’

⁴⁵Before I had finished speaking in my heart , behold , Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder . She went down to the spring , and drew . I said to her , ‘Please let me drink .’

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

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

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

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

⁵⁰Then Laban and Bethuel answered , “The thing proceeds from the LORD . We can ’t speak to you bad or good .

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

⁵²When Abraham’s servant heard their words , he bowed himself down to the earth to the LORD .

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

⁵⁴They ate and drank , he and the men who were with him , and stayed all night . They rose up in the morning , and he said, “Send me away to my master.”

⁵⁵Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days , at least ten . After that she will go .”

⁵⁶He said to them , “Don’t hinder me , since the LORD has prospered my way . Send me away that I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷They said , “We will call the young lady , and ask her .”

⁵⁸They called Rebekah , and said to her , “Will you go with this man ?”

She said , “I will go .”

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

⁶⁰They blessed Rebekah , and said to her , “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands , and let your offspring possess the gate of those who hate them .”

⁶¹Rebekah arose with her ladies . They rode on the camels , and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah , and went his way .

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

⁶³Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening . He lifted up his eyes and looked . Behold , there were camels coming .

⁶⁴Rebekah lifted up her eyes , and when she saw Isaac , she got off the camel .

⁶⁵She said to the servant , “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us ?”

The servant said, “It is my master.”

She took her veil , and covered herself .

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

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