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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Genesis 24 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/genesis/24.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/genesis/24-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > Genesis 24</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../genesis/23.htm" title="Genesis 23">◄</a> Genesis 24 <a href="../genesis/25.htm" title="Genesis 25">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch01024" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn01024" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span class="hemb">Isaac and Rebekah.<a id="rfn01024001-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024001-1">*</a></span> <span id="v01024001" class="ver">1</span>Abraham was old, having seen many days, and the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> had blessed him in every way. <span id="v01024002" class="ver">2</span><a id="ren01024002-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024002-a">a</a> Abraham said to the senior servant of his household, who had charge of all his possessions: “Put your hand under my thigh,<a id="rfn01024002-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024002-1">*</a> <span id="v01024003" class="ver">3</span>and I will make you swear by the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, 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 live,<a id="ren01024003-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024003-b">b</a> <span id="v01024004" class="ver">4</span>but that you will go to my own land and to my relatives to get a wife for my son Isaac.” <span id="v01024005" class="ver">5</span>The servant asked him: “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” <span id="v01024006" class="ver">6</span>Abraham told him, “Never take my son back there for any reason! <span id="v01024007" class="ver">7</span>The <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my relatives, and who confirmed by oath the promise he made to me, ‘I will give this land to your descendants’—he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son there.<a id="ren01024007-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024007-c">c</a> <span id="v01024008" class="ver">8</span>If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath to me. But never take my son back there!” <span id="v01024009" class="ver">9</span>So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him concerning this matter.</p> <p><span id="v01024010" class="ver">10</span>The servant then took ten of his master’s camels, and bearing all kinds of gifts from his master, he made his way to the city of Nahor<a id="rfn01024010-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024010-1">*</a> in Aram Naharaim. <span id="v01024011" class="ver">11</span>Near evening, at the time when women go out to draw water, he made the camels kneel by the well outside the city. <span id="v01024012" class="ver">12</span>Then he said: “<span class="tetr">Lord</span>, God of my master Abraham, let it turn out favorably for me<a id="rfn01024012-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024012-1">*</a> today and thus deal graciously with my master Abraham. <span id="v01024013" class="ver">13</span>While I stand here at the spring and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water, <span id="v01024014" class="ver">14</span>if I say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jug, that I may drink,’ and she answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels, too,’ then she is the one whom you have decided upon for your servant Isaac. In this way I will know that you have dealt graciously with my master.”</p> <p><span id="v01024015" class="ver">15</span><a id="ren01024015-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024015-d">d</a> He had scarcely finished speaking when Rebekah—who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor—came out with a jug on her shoulder. <span id="v01024016" class="ver">16</span>The young woman was very beautiful, a virgin, untouched by man. She went down to the spring and filled her jug. As she came up, <span id="v01024017" class="ver">17</span>the servant ran toward her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” <span id="v01024018" class="ver">18</span>“Drink, sir,” she replied, and quickly lowering the jug into her hand, she gave him a drink. <span id="v01024019" class="ver">19</span>When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels, too, until they have finished drinking.” <span id="v01024020" class="ver">20</span>With that, she quickly emptied her jug into the drinking trough and ran back to the well to draw more water, until she had drawn enough for all the camels. <span id="v01024021" class="ver">21</span>The man watched her the whole time, silently waiting to learn whether or not the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> had made his journey successful. <span id="v01024022" class="ver">22</span>When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose-ring weighing half a shekel, and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels for her wrists. <span id="v01024023" class="ver">23</span>Then he asked her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please. And is there a place in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” <span id="v01024024" class="ver">24</span>She answered: “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. <span id="v01024025" class="ver">25</span>We have plenty of straw and fodder,” she added, “and also a place to spend the night.” <span id="v01024026" class="ver">26</span>The man then knelt and bowed down to the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, <span id="v01024027" class="ver">27</span>saying: “Blessed be the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, the God of my master Abraham, who has not let his kindness and fidelity toward my master fail. As for me, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has led me straight to the house of my master’s brother.”</p> <p><span id="v01024028" class="ver">28</span>Then the young woman ran off and told her mother’s household what had happened. <span id="v01024029" class="ver">29</span><a id="ren01024029-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024029-e">e</a> Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban. Laban rushed outside to the man at the spring. <span id="v01024030" class="ver">30</span><a id="rfn01024030-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024030-1">*</a> When he saw the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s arms and when he heard Rebekah repeating what the man had said to her, he went to him while he was standing by the camels at the spring. <span id="v01024031" class="ver">31</span>He said: “Come, blessed of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>! Why are you standing outside when I have made the house ready, as well as a place for the camels?” <span id="v01024032" class="ver">32</span>The man then went inside; and while the camels were being unloaded and provided with straw and fodder, water was brought to bathe his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. <span id="v01024033" class="ver">33</span>But when food was set before him, he said, “I will not eat until I have told my story.” “Go ahead,” they replied.</p> <p><span id="v01024034" class="ver">34</span>“I am Abraham’s servant,” he began. <span id="v01024035" class="ver">35</span>“The <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has blessed my master so abundantly that he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys. <span id="v01024036" class="ver">36</span>My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. <span id="v01024037" class="ver">37</span>My master put me under oath, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live; <span id="v01024038" class="ver">38</span>instead, you must go to my father’s house, to my own family, to get a wife for my son.’ <span id="v01024039" class="ver">39</span>When I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’ <span id="v01024040" class="ver">40</span>he replied: ‘The <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, in whose presence I have always walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey successful, and so you will get a wife for my son from my own family and my father’s house.<a id="ren01024040-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024040-f">f</a> <span id="v01024041" class="ver">41</span>Then you will be freed from my curse. If you go to my family and they refuse you, then, too, you will be free from my curse.’<a id="rfn01024041-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024041-1">*</a></p> <p><span id="v01024042" class="ver">42</span>“When I came to the spring today, I said: ‘<span class="tetr">Lord</span>, God of my master Abraham, please make successful the journey I am on. <span id="v01024043" class="ver">43</span>While I stand here at the spring, if I say to a young woman who comes out to draw water, ‘Please give me a little water from your jug,’ <span id="v01024044" class="ver">44</span>and she answers, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too—then she is the woman whom the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has decided upon for my master’s son.’</p> <p><span id="v01024045" class="ver">45</span>“I had scarcely finished saying this to myself when Rebekah came out with a jug on her shoulder. After she went down to the spring and drew water, I said to her, ‘Please let me have a drink.’ <span id="v01024046" class="ver">46</span>She quickly lowered the jug she was carrying and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels, too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also. <span id="v01024047" class="ver">47</span>When I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ she answered, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, borne to Nahor by Milcah.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. <span id="v01024048" class="ver">48</span>Then I knelt and bowed down to the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, blessing the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. <span id="v01024049" class="ver">49</span>Now, if you will act with kindness and fidelity toward my master, let me know; but if not, let me know that too. I can then proceed accordingly.”</p> <p><span id="v01024050" class="ver">50</span><a id="ren01024050-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024050-g">g</a> Laban and Bethuel said in reply: “This thing comes from the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>; we can say nothing to you either for or against it. <span id="v01024051" class="ver">51</span>Here is Rebekah, right in front of you; take her and go, that she may become the wife of your master’s son, as the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has said.” <span id="v01024052" class="ver">52</span>When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed to the ground before the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>. <span id="v01024053" class="ver">53</span>Then he brought out objects of silver and gold and clothing and presented them to Rebekah; he also gave costly presents to her brother and mother. <span id="v01024054" class="ver">54</span>After he and the men with him had eaten and drunk, they spent the night there.</p> <p>When they got up the next morning, he said, “Allow me to return to my master.”<a id="ren01024054-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024054-h">h</a> <span id="v01024055" class="ver">55</span>Her brother and mother replied, “Let the young woman stay with us a short while, say ten days; after that she may go.” <span id="v01024056" class="ver">56</span>But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> has made my journey successful; let me go back to my master.” <span id="v01024057" class="ver">57</span>They answered, “Let us call the young woman and see what she herself has to say about it.” <span id="v01024058" class="ver">58</span>So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” She answered, “I will.”<a id="rfn01024058-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn01024058-1">*</a> <span id="v01024059" class="ver">59</span>At this they sent off their sister Rebekah and her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men. <span id="v01024060" class="ver">60</span>They blessed Rebekah and said:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">“Sister, may you grow</p> <p class="sl1">into thousands of myriads;</p> <p class="sl">And may your descendants gain possession</p> <p class="sl1l">of the gates of their enemies!”<a id="ren01024060-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024060-i">i</a></p> </div> <p class="pcon"><span id="v01024061" class="ver">61</span>Then Rebekah and her attendants started out; they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.</p> <p><span id="v01024062" class="ver">62</span>Meanwhile Isaac had gone from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the region of the Negeb.<a id="ren01024062-j" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en01024062-j">j</a> <span id="v01024063" class="ver">63</span>One day toward evening he went out to walk in the field, and caught sight of camels approaching. <span id="v01024064" class="ver">64</span>Rebekah, too, caught sight of Isaac, and got down from her camel. <span id="v01024065" class="ver">65</span>She asked the servant, “Who is the man over there, walking through the fields toward us?” “That is my master,” replied the servant. Then she took her veil and covered herself.</p> <p><span id="v01024066" class="ver">66</span>The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done. <span id="v01024067" class="ver">67</span>Then Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of his mother Sarah. He took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her and found solace after the death of his mother.</p> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. 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