Genesis 24 :: Revised Standard Version (RSV)

A Bride for Isaac

Gen 24:1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

Gen 24:2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh,

Gen 24:3

Gen 24:3and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,

Gen 24:4

Gen 24:4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

Gen 24:5

Gen 24:5The 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?"

Gen 24:6

Gen 24:6Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there.

Gen 24:7

Gen 24:7The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your descendants I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

Gen 24:8

Gen 24:8But 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."

Gen 24:9

Gen 24:9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

Gen 24:10

Gen 24:10Then 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 Mesopota'mia, to the city of Nahor.

Gen 24:11

Gen 24:11And 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.

Gen 24:12

Gen 24:12And he said, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, grant me success today, I pray thee, and show steadfast love to my master Abraham.

Gen 24:13

Gen 24:13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

Gen 24:14

Gen 24:14Let the maiden to whom I shall say, 'Pray 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 thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac. By this I shall know that thou hast shown steadfast love to my master."

Rebekah Is Chosen

Gen 24:15

Gen 24:15Before he had done speaking, behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethu'el the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her water jar upon her shoulder.

Gen 24:16

Gen 24:16The maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, and filled her jar, and came up.

Gen 24:17

Gen 24:17Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Pray give me a little water to drink from your jar."

Gen 24:18

Gen 24:18She said, "Drink, my lord"; and she quickly let down her jar upon her hand, and gave him a drink.

Gen 24:19

Gen 24:19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw for your camels also, until they have done drinking."

Gen 24:20

Gen 24:20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.

Gen 24:21

Gen 24:21The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether the LORD had prospered his journey or not.

Gen 24:22

Gen 24:22When the camels had done drinking, the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels,

Gen 24:23

Gen 24:23and said, "Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?"

Gen 24:24

Gen 24:24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethu'el the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."

Gen 24:25

Gen 24:25She added, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."

Gen 24:26

Gen 24:26The man bowed his head and worshiped the LORD,

Gen 24:27

Gen 24:27and 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."

Gen 24:28

Gen 24:28Then the maiden ran and told her mother's household about these things.

Gen 24:29

Gen 24:29Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.

Gen 24:30

Gen 24:30When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and when he 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.

Gen 24:31

Gen 24:31He 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."

Gen 24:32

Gen 24:32So the man came into the house; and Laban ungirded the camels, and gave him straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Gen 24:33

Gen 24:33Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my errand." He said, "Speak on."

Gen 24:34

Gen 24:34So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.

Gen 24:35

Gen 24:35The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and asses.

Gen 24:36

Gen 24:36And 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.

Gen 24:37

Gen 24:37My 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;

Gen 24:38

Gen 24:38but you shall go to my father's house and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.'

Gen 24:39

Gen 24:39I said to my master, 'Perhaps the woman will not follow me.'

Gen 24:40

Gen 24:40But 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 kindred and from my father's house;

Gen 24:41

Gen 24:41then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my kindred; and if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.'

Gen 24:42

Gen 24:42"I came today to the spring, and said, 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper the way which I go,

Gen 24:43

Gen 24:43behold, I am standing by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, "Pray give me a little water from your jar to drink,"

Gen 24:44

Gen 24:44and 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.'

Gen 24:45

Gen 24:45"Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Pray let me drink.'

Gen 24:46

Gen 24:46She 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.

Gen 24:47

Gen 24:47Then I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, The daughter of Bethu'el, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms.

Gen 24:48

Gen 24:48Then 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.

Gen 24:49

Gen 24:49Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand or to the left."

Gen 24:50

Gen 24:50Then Laban and Bethu'el answered, "The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.

Gen 24:51

Gen 24:51Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has spoken."

Gen 24:52

Gen 24:52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the LORD.

Gen 24:53

Gen 24:53And the servant brought forth jewelry of silver and of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments.

Gen 24:54

Gen 24:54And 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 back to my master."

Gen 24:55

Gen 24:55Her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go."

Gen 24:56

Gen 24:56But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way; let me go that I may go to my master."

Gen 24:57

Gen 24:57They said, "We will call the maiden, and ask her."

Gen 24:58

Gen 24:58And they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."

Gen 24:59

Gen 24:59So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham's servant and his men.

Gen 24:60

Gen 24:60And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, be the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them!"

Gen 24:61

Gen 24:61Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and rode upon the camels and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Isaac Marries Rebekah

Gen 24:62

Gen 24:62Now Isaac had come from Beer-la'hai-roi, and was dwelling in the Negeb.

Gen 24:63

Gen 24:63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there were camels coming.

Gen 24:64

Gen 24:64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel,

Gen 24:65

Gen 24:65and said to the servant, "Who is the man yonder, walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.

Gen 24:66

Gen 24:66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.

Gen 24:67

Gen 24:67Then Isaac brought her into the tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.

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Source: Transcribed from: The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version containing the Old and New Testaments, translated from the original tongues: being the version set forth A.D. 1611, revised A.D. 1881-1885 and A.D. 1901: compared with the most ancient authorities and revised A.D. 1946-52. — 2nd ed. of New Testament A.D. 1971. There should be enough in the rest of the description to identify the text.

Language: English

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Genesis Chapter 24 — Additional Translations: