Isaac and Rebekah
Genesis 24, verse 1. Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. Genesis 24, verse 2. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, Genesis 24, verse 3. and 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 Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; Genesis 24, verse 4. but you shall go to my land where I was born, and to my tribe, and take from there a wife for my son Isaac.” Genesis 24, verse 5. And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land you came from?” Genesis 24, verse 6. But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there. Genesis 24, verse 7. The Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, who took me from my father's house and from the land where I was born, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To you and your seed I give this land,’ He will send His Angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. Genesis 24, verse 8. And 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.” Genesis 24, verse 9. So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swore to him concerning this matter. Genesis 24, verse 10. Then the servant took ten of his lord's camels and some of all his goods and departed, and he went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. Genesis 24, verse 11. And 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. Genesis 24, verse 12. Then he said, “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, give me success this day, and show mercy to my lord Abraham. Genesis 24, verse 13. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Genesis 24, verse 14. Now let it be that the virgin to whom I say, ‘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 appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know You have shown mercy to my lord.” Genesis 24, verse 15. Thus it happened, before he finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. Genesis 24, verse 16. Now the virgin was very beautiful to behold, and she was a virgin, for no man had known her. She went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. Genesis 24, verse 17. Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” Genesis 24, verse 18. So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. Genesis 24, verse 19. When she finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they finish drinking.” Genesis 24, verse 20. Thus she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. Genesis 24, verse 21. And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not. Genesis 24, verse 22. So it was, when the camels finished drinking, the man took golden earrings, each a drachma in weight, and two bracelets for her wrists, ten pieces of gold in their weight, Genesis 24, verse 23. and said, “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?” Genesis 24, verse 24. So she said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah's son, whom she bore to Nahor.” Genesis 24, verse 25. Moreover she said to him, “We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge.” Genesis 24, verse 26. Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. Genesis 24, verse 27. And he said, “Blessed is the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not allowed His righteousness and His truth to forsake my lord. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my lord's brethren.” Genesis 24, verse 28. So the young woman ran and told her mother's household these things. Genesis 24, verse 29. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and he ran out to the man by the well. Genesis 24, verse 30. So it came to pass, when he saw the earrings 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, as he stood by the camels at the well. Genesis 24, verse 31. Laban said to him, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.” Genesis 24, verse 32. Then the man came to the house and unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him. Genesis 24, verse 33. Bread was then set before them to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my business.” And he said, “Speak on.” Genesis 24, verse 34. So he said, “I am Abraham's servant. Genesis 24, verse 35. The Lord has blessed my lord 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. Genesis 24, verse 36. And Sarah my lord's wife bore a son to my lord when he was old; and to him he has given all he has. Genesis 24, verse 37. Now my lord made me swear an oath, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I sojourn; Genesis 24, verse 38. but you shall go to my father's house and to my tribe, and take a wife for my son.’ Genesis 24, verse 39. And I said to my lord, ‘Perhaps the woman will not return with me.’ Genesis 24, verse 40. But 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 tribe and from my father's house. Genesis 24, verse 41. You will be clear from this oath when you arrive at my tribe; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’ Genesis 24, verse 42. “So I came to the well today and said, ‘O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, if You will now prosper the way I go, Genesis 24, verse 43. behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass that when the daughters of the men come to draw water, and the virgin to whom I will say, “Give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” Genesis 24, verse 44. and she says to me, “Drink, and I will draw for your camels also,”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for His own servant Isaac; and in this I will know You have dealt mercifully with my lord Abraham.’ Genesis 24, verse 45. But before I finished speaking in my mind, 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, ‘Let me drink.’ Genesis 24, verse 46. And she made haste and let her pitcher down from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she gave the camels a drink also. Genesis 24, verse 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.’ So I put the earrings on her and the bracelets on her wrists. Genesis 24, verse 48. “Thus being well pleased I worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who led me in the way of truth, to take the daughter of my lord's brother for his son. Genesis 24, verse 49. Now if you will deal mercifully and justly with my lord, tell me. But if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.” Genesis 24, verse 50. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The command comes from the Lord; we cannot speak to you either good or bad. Genesis 24, verse 51. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be your lord's son's wife, as the Lord has spoken.” Genesis 24, verse 52. And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed to the earth and worshiped the Lord. Genesis 24, verse 53. Then the servant brought out jewelry of silver and gold and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and her mother. Genesis 24, verse 54. And he and the men with him ate and drank and stayed all night. Then they arose early in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my lord.” Genesis 24, verse 55. But her brother and her mother said, “Let the virgin remain with us about ten days; after that she may go.” Genesis 24, verse 56. And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, since the Lord has prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my lord.” Genesis 24, verse 57. So they said, “We will call the young woman and ask her personally.” Genesis 24, verse 58. Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.” Genesis 24, verse 59. Thus they sent away Rebekah their sister and her goods and Abraham's servant and those with him. Genesis 24, verse 60. They blessed Rebekah their sister and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of myriads, and may your seed possess the gates of their enemies.” Genesis 24, verse 61. Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and rode on the camels and went with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed. Genesis 24, verse 62. Now Isaac came through the desert to the Well of the Vision, for he dwelt in the South. Genesis 24, verse 63. Isaac then went out to meditate in the field in the evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw camels coming. Genesis 24, verse 64. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from her camel; Genesis 24, verse 65. for she had said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my lord.” So she took a veil and covered herself. Genesis 24, verse 66. Now the servant told Isaac all the things he had done. Genesis 24, verse 67. Thus Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and he took her and she became his wife. So he loved her, and was comforted concerning Sarah his mother.