24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about 1 these things. 24:29 (Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban.) 2 Laban rushed out to meet the man at the spring. 24:30 When he saw the bracelets on his sister’s wrists and the nose ring 3 and heard his sister Rebekah say, 4 “This is what the man said to me,” he went out to meet the man. There he was, standing 5 by the camels near the spring. 24:31 Laban said to him, 6 “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord! 7 Why are you standing out here when I have prepared 8 the house and a place for the camels?”
24:32 So Abraham’s servant 9 went to the house and unloaded 10 the camels. Straw and feed were given 11 to the camels, and water was provided so that he and the men who were with him could wash their feet. 12 24:33 When food was served, 13 he said, “I will not eat until I have said what I want to say.” 14 “Tell us,” Laban said. 15
24:34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 24:35 “The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. 16 The Lord 17 has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 24:36 My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to him 18 when she was old, 19 and my master 20 has given him everything he owns. 24:37 My master made me swear an oath. He said, ‘You must not acquire a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 24:38 but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find 21 a wife for my son.’ 24:39 But I said to my master, ‘What if the woman does not want to go 22 with me?’ 23 24:40 He answered, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked, 24 will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family. 24:41 You will be free from your oath 25 if you go to my relatives and they will not give her to you. Then you will be free from your oath.’ 24:42 When I came to the spring today, I prayed, ‘O Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you have decided to make my journey successful, 26 may events unfold as follows: 27 24:43 Here I am, standing by the spring. 28 When 29 the young woman goes out to draw water, I’ll say, “Give me a little water to drink from your jug.” 24:44 Then she will reply to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too.” May that woman be the one whom the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
24:45 “Before I finished praying in my heart, 30 along came Rebekah 31 with her water jug on her shoulder! She went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 24:46 She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels water. 24:47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to Nahor.’ 32 I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter 33 of my master’s brother for his son. 24:49 Now, if you will show faithful love to my master, tell me. But if not, tell me as well, so that I may go on my way.” 34
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “This is the Lord’s doing. 35 Our wishes are of no concern. 36 24:51 Rebekah stands here before you. Take her and go so that she may become 37 the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has decided.” 38
24:52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 24:53 Then he 39 brought out gold, silver jewelry, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother. 24:54 After this, he and the men who were with him ate a meal and stayed there overnight. 40
When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now so I can return to my master.” 41 24:55 But Rebekah’s 42 brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.” 24:56 But he said to them, “Don’t detain me – the Lord 43 has granted me success on my journey. Let me leave now so I may return 44 to my master.” 24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” 45 24:58 So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Do you want 46 to go with this man?” She replied, “I want to go.”
24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: 47
“Our sister, may you become the mother 48 of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds 49 of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 50 the man. So Abraham’s servant 51 took Rebekah and left.