Genesis 24

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1Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed him in every way.

2He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh.

3I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,

4but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

5The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?”

6“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said.

7“The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and 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 get a wife for my son from there.

8If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”

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

10Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor.

11He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

12Then he prayed, “O Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

13See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.

14May it be that when I say to a girl, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I'll water your camels too’–let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.

16The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

17The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

18“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking.”

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

21Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.

23Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”

24She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”

25And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”

26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,

27saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives.”

28The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things.

29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring.

30As 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.”

32So 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.

33Then 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.

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

35The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys.

36My master's wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.

37And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,

38but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’

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

40“He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 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.

41Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you–you will be released from my oath.’

42“When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come.

43See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”

44and 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 Milcah bore to him.’ “Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms,

48and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son.

49Now 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.”

50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other.

51Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed.”

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

53Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.

54Then 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.”

55But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.”

56But 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.”

57Then they said, “Let's call the girl and ask her about it.”

58So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she said.

59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men.

60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

61Then Rebekah and her maids got ready and mounted their camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

62Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev.

63He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.

64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel

65and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

66Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.

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

Commentary

24:1-9 The effect of good example, good teaching, and the worship of God in a family, will generally appear in the piety, faithfulness, prudence, and affection of the servants. To live in such families, or to have such servants, both are blessings from God which should be highly valued, and thankfully acknowledged. But no concern in life is of greater importance to ourselves, to others, or to the church of God, than marriage. It therefore ought always to be undertaken with much care and prudence, especially with reference to the will of God, and with prayer for his direction and blessing. Where good parents are not consulted and regarded, the blessing of God cannot be expected. Parents, in disposing of their children, should carefully consult the welfare of their souls, and their furtherance in the way to heaven. Observe the charge Abraham gave to a good servant, one whose conduct, faithfulness, and affection, to him and his family, he had long known. Observe also, that Abraham remembers that God had wonderfully brought him out of the land of his birth, by the call of his grace; and therefore doubts not but He will prosper his care, not to bring his son thither again. God will cause that to end in our comfort, in which we sincerely aim at his glory.

Chapter 24 Marriages and funerals are the changes of families, and the common news among the inhabitants of the villages. In the foregoing chapter we had Abraham burying his wife, here we have him marrying his son. These stories concerning his family, with their minute circumstances, are largely related, while the histories of the kingdoms of the world then in being, with their revolutions, are buried in silence; for the Lord knows those that are his. The subjoining of Isaac’s marriage to Sarah’s funeral (with a particular reference to it, v. 67) shows us that as "one generation passes away another generation comes;" and thus the entail both of the human nature, and of the covenant, is preserved. Here is, I. Abraham’s care about the marrying of his son, and the charge he gave to his servant about it (v. 1-9). II. His servant’s journey into Abraham’s country, to seek a wife for his young master among his own relations (v. 10–14). III. The kind providence which brought him acquainted with Rebekah, whose father was Isaac’s cousin-german (v. 15–28). IV. The treaty of marriage with her relations (v. 29–49). V. Their consent obtained (v. 50–60). VI. The happy meeting and marriage between Isaac and Rebekah (v. 61, etc.).Verses 1-9 Three things we may observe here concerning Abraham:—I. The care he took of a good son, to get him married, well married. It was high time to think of it now, for Isaac was about forty years old, and it had been customary with his ancestors to marry at thirty, or sooner, ch. 11:14, 18, 22, 24. Abraham believed the promise of the building up of his family, and therefore did not make haste; not more haste than good speed. Two considerations moved him to think of it now (v. 1):-1. That he himself was likely to leave the world quickly, for he was old, and well-stricken in age, and it would be a satisfaction to him to see his son settled before he died; and, 2. That he had a good estate to leave behind him, for the Lord had blessed him in all things; and the blessing of the Lord makes rich. See how much religion and piety befriend outward prosperity. Now Abraham’s pious care concerning his son was, (1.) That he should not marry a daughter of Canaan, but one of his kindred. He saw that the Canaanites were degenerating into great wickedness, and knew by revelation that they were designed for ruin, and therefore he would not marry his son among them, lest they should be either a snare to his soul, or at least a blot to his name. (2.) That yet he should not leave the land of Canaan, to go himself among his kindred, not even for the purpose of choosing a wife, lest he should be tempted to settle there. This caution is given v. 6, and repeated, v. 8. "Bring not my son thither again, whatever comes of it. Let him rather want a wife than expose himself to that temptation." Note, Parents in disposing of their children, should carefully consult the welfare of their souls, and their furtherance in the way to heaven. Those who through grace have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and have brought up their children accordingly, should take heed of doing any thing by which they may be again entangled therein and overcome, 2 Pt. 2:20. Beware that you bring them not thither again, Heb. 11:15.II. The charge he gave to a good servant, probably Eliezer of Damascus, one of whose conduct, fidelity, and affection to him and his family, he had had long experience. He trusted him with this great affair, and not Isaac himself, because he would not have Isaac go at all into that country, but marry there by proxy; and no proxy so fit as this steward of his house. This matter is settled between the master and the servant with a great deal of care and solemnity. 1. The servant must be bound by an oath to do his utmost to get a wife for Isaac from among his relations, v. 2-4. Abraham swears him to it, both for his own satisfaction and for the engagement of his servant to all possible care and diligence in this matter. Thus God swears his servants to their work, that, having sworn, they may perform it. Honour is here done to the eternal God; for he it is that is sworn by, to whom alone these appeals ought to be made. And some think honour is done to the covenant of circumcision by the ceremony here used of putting his hand under his thigh. Note, Swearing being an ordinance not peculiar to the church, but common to mankind, is to be performed by such signs as are the appointments and common usages of our country, for binding the person sworn. 2. He must be clear of this oath if, when he had done his utmost, he could not prevail. This proviso the servant prudently inserted (v.

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Translations8 · 5

AMHEVG አብርሃምም ሸመገለ በዘመኑም አረጀ፤ እግዚአብሔርም አብርሃምን በሥራው ሁሉ ባረከው። አማርኛ BCV ኣብርሃም ድማ ዕድመ ዝፀገበ ኣረጋዊ ነበረ፤ እግዚኣብሄር ድማ ንኣብርሃም ብዅሉ ስራሑ ባሪኽዎ ነበረ። ትግርኛ GAZBIB Yommus Abrahaam dulloomee, barri isaas in sokke; Waaqayyos waan hundumaan Abrahaamin eebbiseera. Afaan Oromoo BCV GIZ ወልህቀ አብርሃም ወኀለፈ መዋዕሊሁ ወባረኮ እግዚአብሔር ለአብርሃም በኵሉ። giz GAZGAZ Yommus Abrahaam dulloomee, barri isaas in sokke; Waaqayyos waan hundumaan Abrahaamin eebbiseera. Afaan Oromoo BCV aksum ኣብርሃም ድማ ዕድመ ዝፀገበ ኣረጋዊ ነበረ፤ እግዚኣብሄር ድማ ንኣብርሃም ብዅሉ ስራሑ ባሪኽዎ ነበረ። ትግርኛ AMHNIV በዚህ ጊዜ አብርሃም ሸመገለ፤ ዕድሜውም ገፋ፤ እግዚአብሔርም (ያህዌ) አብርሃምን በሁሉ ነገር ባረከው። አማርኛ SWAHSUV Basi Ibrahimu alikuwa mzee mwenye miaka mingi, na Bwana alikuwa amembariki Ibrahimu katika vitu vyote. Kiswahili