Genesis 24

ve'avraham zaqen ba bayyamim va-Adonai berakh et-avraham bakkol

Abraham was now old, advanced in years, and GOD had blessed Abraham in all things.

vayyomer avraham el-avdo zeqan beto hammoshel bekhol-asher-lo sim-na yadekha takhat yerekhi

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

ve'ashbi'akha ba-Adonai elohe hashamayim velohe ha'arets asher lo-tiqqakh isha livni mibbenot hakkena'ani asher anokhi yoshev beqirbo

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

ki el-artsi ve'el-moladti telekh velaqakhta isha livni leyitskhaq

but will go to the land of my birth and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

vayyomer elayw ha'eved ulay lo-toveh ha'isha lalekhet akharay el-ha'arets hazzot hehashev ashiv et-binkha el-ha'arets asher-yatsata misham

And the servant said to him, “What if the woman does not consent to follow me to this land, shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

vayyomer elayw avraham hishamer lekha pen-tashiv et-beni shammah

Abraham answered him, “On no account must you take my son back there!

Adonai elohe hashamayim asher leqakhani mibbet avi ume'erets moladti va'asher dibber-li va'asher nishba-li lemor lezarakha etten et-ha'arets hazzot hu yishlakh malakho lefanekha velaqakhta isha livni misham

The ETERNAL, the God of heaven—who took me from my father’s house and from my native land, who promised me on oath, saying, ‘I will assign this land to your offspring’—will send an angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.

ve'im-lo toveh ha'isha lalekhet akharekha veniqqita mishevu'ati zot raq et-beni lo tashev shammah

And if the woman does not consent to follow you, you shall then be clear of this oath to me; but do not take my son back there.”

vayyasem ha'eved et-yado takhat yerekh avraham adonayw vayyishava lo al-haddavar hazzeh

So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him as bidden.

vayyiqqakh ha'eved asarah gemallim miggemalle adonayw vayyelekh vekhol-tuv adonayw beyado vayyaqom vayyelekh el-aram naharayim el-ir nakhor

Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and set out, taking with him all the bounty of his master; and he made his way to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor.

vayyavrekh haggemallim mikhuts la'ir el-be'er hammayim le'et erev le'et tset hasho'avot

He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city, at evening time, the time when women come out to draw water.

vayyomar Adonai elohe adoni avraham haqreh-na lefanay hayyom va'aseh-khesed im adoni avraham

And he said, “O ETERNAL One, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham:

hinneh anokhi nitsav al-en hammayim uvenot anshe ha'ir yotse'ot lishov mayim

Here I stand by the spring as the daughters of the townspeople come out to draw water;

vehayah hanna'ara asher omar eleha hatti-na khaddekh ve'eshteh ve'amerah sheteh vegam-gemallekha ashqeh otah hokhakhta le'avdekha leyitskhaq uvah eda ki-asita khesed im-adoni

let the maiden to whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels’—let her be the one whom You have decreed for Your servant Isaac. Thereby shall I know that You have dealt graciously with my master.”

vayehi-hu terem killah ledabber vehinneh rivqah yotset asher yulledah livtu'el ben-milkah eshet nakhor akhi avraham vekhaddah al-shikhmah

He had scarcely finished speaking, when Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.

vehanna'ara tovat mareh me'od betulah ve'ish lo yeda'ah vattered ha'aynah vattemalle khaddah vatta'al

The maiden was very beautiful, a virgin whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.

vayyarots ha'eved liqratah vayyomer hagmi'ini na me'at-mayim mikkaddekh

The servant ran toward her and said, “Please, let me sip a little water from your jar.”

vattomer sheteh adoni vattemaher vattored kaddah al-yadah vattashqehu

“Drink, my lord,” she said, and she quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and let him drink.

vattekhal lehashqoto vattomer gam ligmallekha eshav ad im-killu lishtot

When she had let him drink his fill, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.”

vattemaher vatte'ar kaddah el-hashoqet vattarots od el-habbe'er lishov vattishav lekhol-gemallayw

Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.

veha'ish mishta'eh lah makharish lada'at hahitsliakh Adonai darko im-lo

The man, meanwhile, stood gazing at her, silently wondering whether GOD had made his errand successful or not.

vayehi ka'asher killu haggemallim lishtot vayyiqqakh ha'ish nezem zahav beqa mishqalo ushene tsemidim al-yadeha asarah zahav mishqalam

When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing a half-shekel, and two gold bands for her arms, ten shekels in weight.

vayyomer bat-mi at haggidi na li hayesh bet-avikh maqom lanu lalin

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

vattomer elayw bat-betu'el anokhi ben-milkah asher yaledah lenakhor

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

vattomer elayw gam-teven gam-mispo rav immanu gam-maqom lalun

And she went on, “There is plenty of straw and feed at home, and also room to spend the night.”

vayyiqqod ha'ish vayyishtakhu la-Adonai

The man bowed low in homage to GOD

vayyomer barukh Adonai elohe adoni avraham asher lo-azav khasdo va'amitto me'im adoni anokhi badderekh nakhani Adonai bet akhe adoni

and said, “Blessed be the ETERNAL, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld steadfast faithfulness from my master. For I have been guided on my errand by GOD, to the house of my master’s kin.”

vattarots hanna'ara vattagged levet immah kaddevarim ha'elleh

The maiden ran and told all this to her mother’s household.

ulerivqah akh ushemo lavan vayyarots lavan el-ha'ish hakhutsah el-ha'ayin

Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man at the spring—

vayehi kirot et-hannezem ve'et-hatsemidim al-yede akhoto ukheshomo et-divre rivqah akhoto lemor koh-dibber elay ha'ish vayyavo el-ha'ish vehinneh omed al-haggemallim al-ha'ayin

when he saw the nose-ring and the bands on his sister’s arms, and when he heard his sister Rebekah say, “Thus the man spoke to me.” He went up to the man, who was still standing beside the camels at the spring.

vayyomer bo berukh Adonai lammah ta'amod bakhuts ve'anokhi pinniti habbayit umaqom laggemallim

“Come in, O blessed of GOD,” he said, “why do you remain outside, when I have made ready the house and a place for the camels?”

vayyavo ha'ish habbaytah vayefattakh haggemallim vayyitten teven umispo laggemallim umayim lirkhots raglayw veragle ha'anashim asher itto

So the man entered the house, and the camels were unloaded. The camels were given straw and feed, and water was brought to bathe his feet and those of his entourage.

(vyyshm) [vayyusam] lefanayw le'ekhol vayyomer lo okhal ad im-dibbarti devaray vayyomer dabber

But when food was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my tale.” He said, “Speak, then.”

vayyomar eved avraham anokhi

“I am Abraham’s servant,” he began.

va-Adonai berakh et-adoni me'od vayyigdal vayyitten-lo tson uvaqar vekhesef vezahav va'avadim ushefakhot ugemallim vakhamorim

“GOD has greatly blessed my master, who has become rich—giving him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys.

vatteled sarah eshet adoni ven ladoni akhare ziqnatah vayyitten-lo et-kol-asher-lo

And Sarah, my master’s wife, bore my master a son in her old age, and he has assigned to him everything he owns.

vayyashbi'eni adoni lemor lo-tiqqakh isha livni mibbenot hakkena'ani asher anokhi yoshev be'artso

Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell;

im-lo el-bet-avi telekh ve'el-mishpakhti velaqakhta isha livni

but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.’

va'omar el-adoni ulay lo-telekh ha'isha akharay

And I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not follow me?’

vayyomer elay Adonai asher-hithallakhti lefanayw yishlakh malakho ittakh vehitsliakh darkekha velaqakhta isha livni mimmishpakhti umibbet avi

He replied to me, ‘GOD, whose ways I have followed, will send an angel with you and make your errand successful; and you will get a wife for my son from my kindred, from my father’s house.

az tinnaqeh me'alati ki tavo el-mishpakhti ve'im-lo yittenu lakh vehayita naqi me'alati

Thus only shall you be freed from my adjuration: if, when you come to my kindred, they refuse you—only then shall you be freed from my adjuration.’

va'avo hayyom el-ha'ayin va'omar Adonai elohe adoni avraham im-yeshkha-nna matsliakh darki asher anokhi holekh aleha

“I came today to the spring, and I said: ‘O ETERNAL One, God of my master Abraham, if You would indeed grant success to the errand on which I am engaged!

hinneh anokhi nitsav al-en hammayim vehayah ha'almah hayyotset lishov ve'amarti eleha hashqini-na me'at-mayim mikkaddekh

As I stand by the spring of water, let the young woman who comes out to draw and to whom I say, “Please, let me drink a little water from your jar,”

ve'amerah elay gam-attah sheteh vegam ligmallekha eshav hiv ha'isha asher-hokhiakh Adonai leven-adoni

and who answers, “You may drink, and I will also draw for your camels”—let her be the wife whom GOD has decreed for my master’s son.’

ani terem akhalleh ledabber el-libbi vehinneh rivqah yotset vekhaddah al-shikhmah vattered ha'aynah vattishav va'omar eleha hashqini na

I had scarcely finished praying in my heart, when Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew. And I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

vattemaher vattored kaddah me'aleha vattomer sheteh vegam-gemallekha ashqeh va'esht vegam haggemallim hishqatah

She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

va'eshal otah va'omar bat-mi at vattomer bat-betu'el ben-nakhor asher yaledah-llo milkah va'asim hannezem al-appah vehatsemidim al-yadeha

I inquired of her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And I put the ring on her nose and the bands on her arms.

va'eqqod va'eshtakhaveh la-Adonai va'avarekh et-Adonai elohe adoni avraham asher hinkhani bederekh emet laqakhat et-bat-akhi adoni livno

Then I bowed low in homage to GOD—and I blessed the ETERNAL, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right way to get the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.

ve'attah im-yeshkhem osim khesed ve'emet et-adoni haggidu li ve'im-lo haggidu li ve'efneh al-yamin o al-semol

And now, if you mean to treat my master with true kindness, tell me; and if not, tell me also, that I may turn right or left.”

vayya'an lavan uvetu'el vayyomeru me-Adonai yatsa haddavar lo nukhal dabber elekha ra o-tov

Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The matter was decreed by GOD; we cannot speak to you bad or good.

hinneh-rivqah lefanekha qakh valekh utehi isha leven-adonekha ka'asher dibber Adonai

Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be a wife to your master’s son, as GOD has spoken.”

vayehi ka'asher shama eved avraham et-divrehem vayyishtakhu artsah la-Adonai

When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed low to the ground before GOD.

vayyotse ha'eved kele-khesef ukhele zahav uvegadim vayyitten lerivqah umigdanot natan le'akhiha ule'immah

The servant brought out objects of silver and gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; and he gave presents to her brother and her mother.

vayyokhelu vayyishtu hu veha'anashim asher-immo vayyalinu vayyaqumu vabboqer vayyomer shallekhuni ladoni

Then he and those [who came] with him ate and drank, and they spent the night. When they arose next morning, he said, “Give me leave to go to my master.”

vayyomer akhiha ve'immah teshev hanna'ara ittanu yamim o asor akhar telekh

But her brother and her mother said, “Let the maiden remain with us some ten days; then you may go.”

vayyomer alehem al-te'akharu oti va-Adonai hitsliakh darki shallekhuni ve'elekhah ladoni

He said to them, “Do not delay me, now that GOD has made my errand successful. Give me leave that I may go to my master.”

vayyomeru niqra lanna'ara venishalah et-piha

And they said, “Let us call the girl and ask for her reply.”

vayyiqre'u lerivqah vayyomeru eleha hatelekhi im-ha'ish hazzeh vattomer elekh

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

vayeshallekhu et-rivqah akhotam ve'et-meniqtah ve'et-eved avraham ve'et-anashayw

So they sent off their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his entourage.

vayevarekhu et-rivqah vayyomeru lah akhotenu at hayi le'alfe revavah veyirash zarekh et sha'ar sone'ayw

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “O sister! May you grow Into thousands of myriads; May your descendants seize The gates of their foes.”

vattaqom rivqah vena'aroteha vattirkavnah al-haggemallim vattelakhnah akhare ha'ish vayyiqqakh ha'eved et-rivqah vayyelakh

Then Rebekah and her maids arose, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went his way.

veyitskhaq ba mibbo be'er lakhay ro'i vehu yoshev be'erets hannegev

Isaac had just come back from the vicinity of Beer-lahai-roi, for he was settled in the region of the Negeb.

vayyetse yitskhaq lasuakh bassadeh lifnot arev vayyissa enayw vayyar vehinneh gemallim ba'im

And Isaac went out walking in the field toward evening and, looking up, he saw camels approaching.

vattissa rivqah et-eneha vattere et-yitskhaq vattippol me'al haggamal

Raising her eyes, Rebekah saw Isaac. She alighted from the camel

vattomer el-ha'eved mi-ha'ish hallazeh haholekh bassadeh liqratenu vayyomer ha'eved hu adoni vattiqqakh hatsa'if vattitkas

and said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” And the servant said, “That is my master.” So she took her veil and covered herself.

vayesapper ha'eved leyitskhaq et kol-haddevarim asher asah

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

vayevi'eha yitskhaq ha'ohelah sarah immo vayyiqqakh et-rivqah vattehi-lo le'isha vayye'ehaveha vayyinnakhem yitskhaq akhare immo

Isaac then brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her, and thus found comfort after his mother’s death.