Genesis 24:56 T 25
28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these
things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the
man at the s pring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets
on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he
went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring.
31 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” he said. “Why are you standing out
here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and
fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash
their feet. 33 Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I
have told you what I have to say.”
“Then tell us,” Laban said.
34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has blessed my master
abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him s heep and cattle, sil
ver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36 My master’s
wife Sarah has b
orne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything
he owns. 37 And my master made me s wear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get
a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’
39 “Then I a
sked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back
with me?’
40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send
his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a
wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. 41 You will be
released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to
you — then you will be released from my oath.’
42 “When I came to the s pring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abra
ham, if you will, p
lease grant success to the journey on which I have come.
43 See, I am standing beside this s pring. If a young woman comes out to draw
water and I say to her, “Please let me d
rink a little water from your jar,” 44 and
if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be
the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on
her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her,
‘Please give me a drink.’
46 “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll
water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
47 “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to
him.’
“Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48 and I
bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my mas
ter Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my
master’s brother for his son. 49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness
to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing
to you one way or the other. 51 Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her
become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the
ground before the Lord. 53 Then the servant b
rought out gold and silver jewel
ry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts
to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him
ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my
master.”
55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain
with us ten days or so; then you a may go.”
56 But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted
success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.”
a 55 Or
she