¹ And Abraham was old, and well advanced in years: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.¹

1. well...: Heb. gone into days

² And Abraham said to his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

³ And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

⁴ But thou shalt go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

⁵ And the servant said to him, It may be the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I needs bring thy son again to the land from which you came?

⁶ And Abraham said to him, Beware that thou bring not my son there again.

⁷ The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, To thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from there.

⁸ And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son there again.

⁹ And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning that matter.

¹⁰ And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hands: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.¹

1. for: or, and

¹¹ And he made his camels to kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, the time when women go out to draw water .¹

1. that...: Heb. that women who draw water go forth

¹² And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, prosper me this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

¹³ Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

¹⁴ And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will water thy camels also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and by that shall I know that thou hast shown kindness to my master.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, before he had finished speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

¹⁶ And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.¹

1. very...: Heb. good of countenance

¹⁷ And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water from thy pitcher.

¹⁸ And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him a drink.

¹⁹ And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, till they have finished drinking.

²⁰ And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

²¹ And the man wondering at her held his peace, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

²² And it came to pass, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her wrists of ten shekels weight of gold;¹

1. earring: or, jewel for the forehead

²³ And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?

²⁴ And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.

²⁵ She said moreover to him, We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge in.

²⁶ And the man bowed his head, and worshipped the LORD.

²⁷ And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left my master destitute of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

²⁸ And the damsel ran, and told these things to her mother’s house.

²⁹ And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out to the man, to the well.

³⁰ And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me; that he came to the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

³¹ And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

³² And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.

³³ And there was set food before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.

³⁴ And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.

³⁵ And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and male and female servants, and camels, and donkeys.

³⁶ And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old: and to him hath he given all that he hath.

³⁷ And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

³⁸ But thou shalt go to my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.

³⁹ And I said to my master, It may be the woman will not follow me.

⁴⁰ And he said to me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:

⁴¹ Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

⁴² And I came this day to the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou dost prosper my way which I go:

⁴³ Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

⁴⁴ And she saith to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed for my master’s son.