International Standard Version

English Standard Version

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

1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

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

2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh,

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.

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

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

4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

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?"

5The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

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

6Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back 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.

7The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ 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'll be free from this oath to me. Just don't take my son back there!"

8But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.”

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

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

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.

10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all sorts of choice gifts from his master; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor.

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.

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

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.

12And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.

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

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

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."

14Let the young woman to whom I shall say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels’—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.”

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.

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

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.

16The young woman was very attractive in appearance, a maiden whom no man had known. She went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.

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

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

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

18She said, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a 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."

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

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.

20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.

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

21The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.

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.

22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels,

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

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

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

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

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

25She added, “We have plenty of both straw and fodder, and room to spend the night.”

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

26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD

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!"

27and said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the LORD has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”

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

28Then the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

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

29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out toward the man, to 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!

30As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and heard the words of Rebekah his sister, “Thus the man spoke to me,” he went to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

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?"

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

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.

32So the man came to the house and unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and there was water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

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.

33Then food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.” He said, “Speak on.”

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

34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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 dwell,

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

38but you shall go to my father’s house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.’

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

39I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’

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.

40But he said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s house.

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.'

41Then 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"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,

42“I came today to the spring and said, ‘O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you are prospering the way that I go,

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,

43behold, I am standing 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,”

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.'

44and 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 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.

45“Before I had finished 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.’

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.

46She 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"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.

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

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.

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

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."

49Now then, if you are going to 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"Since this has come from the LORD," Laban and Bethuel both replied, "we cannot speak one way or another.

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, “The thing has come from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.

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."

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

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

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

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.

53And the servant brought out jewelry of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments.

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."

54And he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they arose in the morning, he said, “Send me away to my master.”

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."

55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young woman remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.”

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."

56But he said to them, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”

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

57They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.”

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

58And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

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

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

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."

60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become thousands of ten thousands, and may your offspring possess the gate of those who hate him!”

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.

61Then Rebekah and her young women arose and rode on the camels and followed the man. Thus the servant took Rebekah and went his way.

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

62Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb.

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

63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming.

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

64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel

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.

65and said to the servant, “Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.

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

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

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.

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

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

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.