Genesis 24

Genesis 24:1

By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

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well stricken in age Heb. gone into days

Genesis 24:2

So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, "Place your hand under my thigh,

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Genesis 24:3

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

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Genesis 24:4

but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac."

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Genesis 24:5

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"

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Genesis 24:6

Abraham replied, "Make sure that you do not take my son back there.

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Genesis 24:7

The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father's house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.

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Genesis 24:8

And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."

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Genesis 24:9

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

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Genesis 24:10

Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor's hometown in Aram-naharaim.

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for or , and

Genesis 24:11

As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.

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Genesis 24:12

"O LORD, God of my master Abraham," he prayed, "please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

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Genesis 24:13

Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.

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Genesis 24:14

Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar that I may drink,' and who responds, 'Drink, and I will water your camels as well'—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."

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Genesis 24:15

Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.

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Genesis 24:16

Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

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Genesis 24:17

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

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Genesis 24:18

"Drink, my lord," she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

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Genesis 24:19

After she had given him a drink, she said, "I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink."

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Genesis 24:20

And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.

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Genesis 24:21

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

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to wit i.e. "to know , " or "to learn"

Genesis 24:22

And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.

Genesis 24:22 · BSB

bracelets The word rendered "bracelet ," from a root which signifies "to join or couple together ," may imply whatever may clasp round the arms and legs; for rings and ornaments are worn round both by females in India and Persia. The small part of the leg , and the whole arm , from the shoulder to the wrist , are generally decorated in this way. As these were given to Rebekah for "her hands ," it sufficiently distinguishes them from similar ornaments for the ankles.

Genesis 24:24

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

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Genesis 24:25

Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”

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Genesis 24:26

Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,

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Genesis 24:27

saying, “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.”

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Genesis 24:28

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

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Genesis 24:29

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

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Genesis 24:30

As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.

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Genesis 24:31

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

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Genesis 24:32

So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.

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he ungirded i.e. Laban ungirded

straw Straw , by the eastern mode of threshing , was cut or shattered , and reduced to a kind of chaff. With this , sometimes mixed with a little barley , the eastern people still feed their labouring beasts , as they anciently did.

Genesis 24:33

Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”

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Genesis 24:34

“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.

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Genesis 24:35

“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.

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Genesis 24:36

My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.

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Genesis 24:37

My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell,

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Canaanites The Canaanites were infected with gross idolatry; and consequently , not proper persons with whom to form so intimate a connection; especially as Jehovah had shown Abraham that they were filling up the measure of their iniquity , and were doomed to destruction.

Genesis 24:38

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

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Genesis 24:39

Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’

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Genesis 24:40

And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house.

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Genesis 24:41

And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’

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Genesis 24:42

So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success!

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Genesis 24:43

Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’

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Genesis 24:44

and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.

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appointed Those events , which appear to us the effect of choice , contrivance , or chance , are matters of appointment with God; and the persuasion of this does not prevent , but rather encourage , the use of all proper means; at the same time that it confines us to proper means , and delivers the mind from useless anxiety about consequences.

Genesis 24:45

And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

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Genesis 24:46

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

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Genesis 24:47

Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘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.

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Genesis 24:48

Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.

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Genesis 24:49

Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”

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Genesis 24:50

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

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Genesis 24:51

Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”

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Genesis 24:52

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

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Genesis 24:53

Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

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brother No mention is made of her father.

Genesis 24:54

Then he and the men 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.”

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Genesis 24:55

But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”

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Genesis 24:56

But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”

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Genesis 24:57

So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”

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Genesis 24:58

They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.

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Genesis 24:59

So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.

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Genesis 24:60

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

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be thou the mother Or , "be thou for thousands of myriads;" a large family being always considered , in ancient times , as a proof of the peculiar blessing and favour of God.

Genesis 24:61

Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

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Genesis 24:62

Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.

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Genesis 24:63

Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.

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Genesis 24:64

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

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Genesis 24:65

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

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Genesis 24:66

Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.

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Genesis 24:67

And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother's death.

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Sarah's tent Sarah , being dead , her tent , which , according to the custom of the east , was distinct from that of Abraham , became now appropriated to the use of Rebekah.