Christian Standard Bible

International Standard Version

1Abraham was now old, getting on in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything.

1Now Abraham had grown old, was well advanced in age, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in every way.

2Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who managed all he owned, "Place your hand under my thigh,

2So Abraham instructed his servant, who was the oldest member of his household and in charge of everything he owned, "Make this solemn oath to me

3and I will have you swear by the LORD, God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live,

3as a promise to the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you won't acquire a wife for my son from the Canaanite women among whom I'm living.

4but will go to my land and my family to take a wife for my son Isaac."

4Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

5The servant said to him, "Suppose the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I have your son go back to the land you came from?"

5"What if the woman doesn't want to come back with me to this land?" the servant asked. "Shouldn't I have your son go to the land from which you came?"

6Abraham answered him, "Make sure that you don't take my son back there.

6"Make sure not to take my son there," Abraham replied.

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

7"The LORD God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and from my family's land, who spoke to me and promised me 'I will give this land to your descendants,' will send his angel ahead of you, and you are to acquire a wife for my son from there.

8If the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are free from this oath to me, but don't let my son go back there."

8If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you'll be free from this oath to me. Just don't take my son back there!"

9So the servant placed his hand under his master Abraham's thigh and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

9So the servant made a solemn oath to his master Abraham regarding this matter.

10The servant took ten of his master's camels, and with all kinds of his master's goods in hand, he went to Aram-naharaim, to Nahor's town.

10Then Abraham's servant took ten camels from his master's herd of camels and left on his journey with all kinds of gifts from his master's inventory. Eventually, he traveled as far as Aram-naharaim, Nahor's home town.

11At evening, the time when women went out to draw water, he made the camels kneel beside a well outside the town.

11As evening approached, he had the camels kneel outside the town at the water well, right about the time when women customarily went out to draw water.

12"LORD, God of my master Abraham," he prayed, "make this happen for me today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

12That's when he prayed, "LORD God of my master Abraham, help me to succeed today. Please show your gracious love to my master Abraham.

13I am standing here at the spring where the daughters of the men of the town are coming out to draw water.

13I've stationed myself here by the spring as the women of the town come to draw water.

14Let the girl to whom I say, 'Please lower your water jug so that I may drink,' and who responds, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also'--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."

14May it be that the young woman to whom I ask, 'Please, lower your jug so that I may drink,' responds, 'Have a drink, and I'll water your camels as well.' May she be the one whom you have chosen for your servant Isaac. This is how I'll know that you have shown your gracious love to my master."

15Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah--daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor--coming with a jug on her shoulder.

15Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared. She was a daughter of Milcah's son Bethuel. (Milcah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.) She approached the well, carrying a jug on her shoulder.

16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin--no man had been intimate with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up.

16The woman was very beautiful, young, and had not had sexual relations with a man. Going down to the spring, she filled her jug and turned for home.

17Then the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please let me have a little water from your jug."

17Then Abraham's servant ran to meet her and asked her, "Please, let me have a sip of water from your jug."

18She replied, "Drink, my lord." She quickly lowered her jug to her hand and gave him a drink.

18"Drink, sir!" she replied as she quickly lowered her jug on her arm to offer him a drink.

19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they have had enough to drink."

19When she had finished giving him a drink, she also said, "I'll also draw water for your camels until they've had enough to drink."

20She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and hurried to the well again to draw water. She drew water for all his camels

20She quickly emptied her jug into the trough and ran to the well to draw again until she had drawn enough water for all ten of the servant's camels.

21while the man silently watched her to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.

21The man stared at her in silence, waiting to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.

22As the camels finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing half a shekel, and for her wrists two bracelets weighing ten shekels of gold.

22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a half shekel and two bracelets for her wrists, weighing 10 shekels and presented them to her.

23"Whose daughter are you?" he asked. "Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"

23He asked her, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?"

24She answered him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."

24"I am the daughter of Bethuel," she answered. "He's the son of Milcah and Nahor.

25She also said to him, "We have plenty of straw and feed and a place to spend the night."

25And yes," she continued, "we have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place to spend the night."

26Then the man knelt low, worshiped the LORD,

26At this, the man bowed down and worshipped the LORD.

27and said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld his kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

27"Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hasn't held back his gracious love and faithfulness from my master! The LORD has led me to the house of my master's relatives!"

28The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things.

28The young woman then ran ahead and informed her mother's household what had happened.

29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and Laban ran out to the man at the spring.

29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to the man and met him at the spring.

30As soon as he had seen the ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he had heard his sister Rebekah's words--"The man said this to me!"--he went to the man. He was standing there by the camels at the spring.

30And so it was, as soon as he saw the nose ring and bracelets on his sister's wrists, and as soon as he heard what his sister Rebekah was saying about what the man had spoken to her, he went out to the man who was still standing by the camels at the spring!

31Laban said, "Come, you who are blessed by the LORD. Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels."

31"Come on," Laban said. "The LORD has blessed you! So why are you standing out here when I've prepared some space in the house and a place for the camels?"

32So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him.

32So the servant went to the house and unbridled the camels. They provided straw and feed for the camels and water for washing his feet and those of the men with him.

33A meal was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." So Laban said, "Please speak."

33But when they had prepared a meal and set it in front of him, he said, "I'm not eating until I've spoken." "Speak up!" Laban exclaimed.

34"I am Abraham's servant," he said.

34"I'm Abraham's servant," he said.

35"The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.

35"The LORD has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become wealthy. He has provided him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.

36Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.

36My master's wife Sarah gave birth to my master's son in her old age, and Abraham has given him everything that belongs to him.

37My master put me under this oath: 'You will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live

37My master made me swear this oath: 'You are not to select a wife for my son from among the daughters of the Canaanites in this land where I live.

38but will go to my father's family and to my clan to take a wife for my son.'

38Instead, you are to go to my father's household, to my relatives, and choose a wife for my son there.'

39But I said to my master, 'Suppose the woman will not come back with me?'

39"So I asked my master, 'What if the woman won't come back with me?'

40He said to me, 'The LORD before whom I have walked will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, and you will take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's family.

40"Abraham told me, 'The LORD, who is with me wherever I go, will send his angel with you to make your journey successful. So you are to choose a wife for my son from my family, from my father's household.

41Then you will be free from my oath if you go to my family and they do not give her to you--you will be free from my oath.'

41Only then will you be released from fulfilling my oath. However, when you come to my family, if they don't give her to you, you'll be released from fulfilling my oath.'

42"Today when I came to the spring, I prayed: LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only you will make my journey successful!

42"So today I arrived at the spring and prayed, 'LORD God of my master Abraham, if you wish to make the journey that I have traveled successful,

43I am standing here at a spring. Let the young woman who comes out to draw water, and I say to her, 'Please let me drink a little water from your jug,'

43here I am standing by the spring. May it be that the young woman who comes out to draw water, from whom I request a little water from her jug to drink,

44and who responds to me, 'Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels also'--let her be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master's son.

44if she tells me to drink and also draws water for the camels, may she be the woman that the LORD has chosen for my master's son.'

45"Before I had finished praying silently, there was Rebekah coming with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, 'Please let me have a drink.'

45"Before I had finished praying, along came Rebekah with her jug on her shoulder! She went to the spring and drew some water. I asked her to please let me have a drink.

46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

46She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and told me, 'Have a drink while I also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also gave my camels water to drink.

47Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She responded, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

47"That's when I asked, 'Whose daughter are you?' "She replied, 'I'm the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore for him.' "So I gave her a ring for her nose and bracelets for her wrists.

48Then I knelt low, worshiped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who guided me on the right way to take the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son.

48I bowed down and worshipped the LORD, and I praised the LORD God of my master Abraham, who led me on the true way to request the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

49Now, if you are going to show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, and I will go elsewhere."

49So now, if you wish to show gracious love and truth toward my master, tell me so. But if not, tell me, so that I may go elsewhere."

50Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.

50"Since this has come from the LORD," Laban and Bethuel both replied, "we cannot speak one way or another.

51Rebekah is here in front of you. Take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has spoken."

51So here's Rebekah—she's right in front of you. Take her and go, so she can become a wife for your master's son, just as the LORD has decreed."

52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed to the ground before the LORD.

52When Abraham's servant heard what they had said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.

53Then he brought out objects of silver and gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

53Then the servant brought out some silver and gold items, along with some clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave gifts to her brother and to her mother.

54Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, "Send me to my master."

54He and the men with him ate and drank, and then they spent the night. When they got up the next morning, the servant requested, "Send me off to my master."

55But her brother and mother said, "Let the girl stay with us for about ten days. Then she can go."

55But her brother and mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days—at least ten—and after that she may go."

56But he responded to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me away so that I may go to my master."

56"Please don't delay me," the servant answered them. "The LORD has made my journey successful. Send me off so I can return to my master."

57So they said, "Let's call the girl and ask her opinion."

57But they said, "We'll call the young lady and see what she has to say about this."

58They called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She replied, "I will go."

58So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you want to go with this man?" "I will go," she replied.

59So they sent away their sister Rebekah with the one who had nursed and raised her, and Abraham's servant and his men.

59So they sent off their sister Rebekah, along with her personal assistant, Abraham's servant, and his men.

60They blessed Rebekah, saying to her: Our sister, may you become thousands upon ten thousands. May your offspring possess the city gates of their enemies.

60As they were leaving, they all blessed Rebekah by saying, "Our sister, may you become the mother of tens of millions! May your descendants take over the city gates of those who hate them."

61Then Rebekah and her female servants got up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

61Then Rebekah and her young servant women got up, mounted their camels, and followed Abraham's servant, who took Rebekah and went on his way.

62Now Isaac was returning from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev region.

62Later on, as Isaac was returning one evening from Beer-lahai-roi (he had been living in the Negev ),

63In the early evening Isaac went out to walk in the field, and looking up he saw camels coming.

63Isaac went out walking in a field. He looked up, and all of a sudden there were some camels coming.

64Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel

64Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she quickly dismounted from her camel

65and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" The servant answered, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.

65and asked the servant, "Who is that man coming in the field to meet us?" "That's my master," the servant told her. So she reached for a veil and covered herself.

66Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done.

66Then the servant informed Isaac about everything he had done.

67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah to be his wife. Isaac loved her, and he was comforted after his mother's death.

67Later, Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah and married her. Isaac loved her, and that's how he was comforted following the loss of his mother.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.