1 And Abraham was old {zaken: advanced in age}, well advanced in years, and the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Blesser} had blessed Abraham in every way.
2 And Abraham said to his servant, the senior {zeqan: most experienced} of his household {beito: extended household}, who ruled over all that he had, “Put, please, your hand under my thigh.”
3 And I will make you swear by the LORD {YHWH, Oath Witness}, the God of the heavens {shamayim: cosmic expanse} and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell.
4 But you must go to my land {artsi: ancestral territory} and to my birthplace {moladti: family of origin}, and you shall take a wife for my son Isaac.
5 The servant {eved: covenant-bound attendant} said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to go after me to this land {erets: promised dwelling}. Should I indeed return your son to the land from which you came out?”
6 And Abraham {Avraham: covenant ancestor} said to him, “Beware for yourself {hishamer: take great care}, lest you return my son there.”
7 The LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Supreme Overseer} of the heavens, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth {moladti: place of origin}, and who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there.
8 And if the woman is not willing {toveh: freely consents} to go after you, then you shall be released {venikkita: legally set free} from this my oath. Only do not return my son there.
9 So the servant {eved: household emissary} put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and he swore to him concerning this matter {davar: binding commitment}.
10 And the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master {adonav: household superior} and went, and all the good things {tuv: valuable goods} of his master were in his hand; and he arose and went to Aram of the Two Rivers, to the city of Nahor.
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city, by the well of water, at the time of evening {erev: sunset period}, at the time when the women who draw water {shoavot: female water carriers} go out.
12 And he said, “O LORD {YHWH, Providential Guide} God of my master Abraham, please cause it to happen before me today, and show steadfast love {chesed: covenant loyalty} to my master Abraham.”
13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water {ayin: local springhead}, and the daughters {benot: young female relatives} of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14 And let it be that the young woman to whom I say, “Please lower your jar so that I may drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I will also water your camels”—let her be the one whom You {YHWH, Sign-Giving Guide} have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness {hesed: covenant faithfulness} to my master.
15 And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah {Rivkah: destined one} was coming out—she had been born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother—and her jar {kadah: water vessel} was upon her shoulder.
16 Now the young woman was very beautiful in appearance {mareh: visible look}, a virgin {betulah: sexually pure}; no man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up.
17 The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water {mayim: essential life resource} from your jar {kad: earthen vessel}.”
18 She said, “Drink, my lord {adoni: respectful address},” and she hurried {vatemaher: acted quickly} and let down her jar onto her hand, and she gave him a drink.
19 When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels {gamal: load carriers} until they have finished drinking {lishtot: fully satisfied}.”
20 So she hurried and emptied her jar into the trough {hashoket: animal water channel}, then she ran again to the well to draw {lishov: pull up water}, and she drew water for all his camels.
21 And the man was gazing intently at her, remaining silent in order to know whether the LORD {YHWH, Journey Guide} had made his way {derekh: journey route} successful or not.
22 And it happened, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold nose ring, its weight a half-shekel {beqa: standard weight}, and two bracelets {tsemidim: bound ornaments} for her hands, their weight ten shekels of gold.
23 And he said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me {hagidi: make known clearly}. Is there a place for us in your father’s house {beit-avikh: extended family dwelling} to spend the night?”
24 And she said to him, “I am the daughter {bat: female descendant} of Bethuel, the son {ben: male heir} of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.”
25 And she said to him, “We also have plenty of straw {teven: dried stalks} and abundant fodder {mispo: animal feed} with us, and also a place to lodge.”
26 Then the man bowed low {vayikod: deep physical reverence} and prostrated himself before the LORD {YHWH, Worthy Of Praise}.
27 And he said, “Blessed be the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Guide}, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned His kindness {chesed: steadfast covenant love} and His faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has guided me on the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”
28 The young woman ran and told {higgid: made clear} the household of her mother {beit immah: matrilineal family sphere} about these things.
29 Now Rebekah {Rivqah: chosen bride} had a brother, and his name was Laban. And Laban ran to the man outside, to the spring {ayin: water source}.
30 And it happened, as soon as he saw the nose-ring {nezem: decorative nose jewelry} and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and as he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “Thus the man spoke to me,” that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring {ayin: water source}.
31 And he said, “Come, blessed of the LORD {YHWH, Source Of Blessing}. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house {bayit: place of welcome} and a place for the camels.”
32 So the man {ish: appointed agent} came into the house, and he unharnessed the camels and gave straw and fodder {mispo: animal feed} for the camels, and water for washing his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
33 Then food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have spoken my words {devarai: personal message}.” And he said, “Speak {dabber: give your message}.”
34 And he said, “I am the servant {eved: entrusted household worker} of Abraham {Avraham: chosen family patriarch}.”
35 And the LORD {YHWH, Abundant Blesser} blessed my master {adoni: esteemed superior} greatly, and he became great. And He gave to him flocks, and cattle, and silver, and gold, and male servants, and female servants, and camels, and donkeys.
36 Sarah, the wife of my master, bore a son to my master in her old age {ziknatah: advanced years}, and he gave to him all that he owns {kol: entire estate}.
37 And my master {adoni: household superior} made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite {kenaani: local inhabitants} among whom I am living.”
38 But to the house of my father {beit: ancestral household} you shall go, and to my family {mishpachah: extended kin group}, and you shall take a wife for my son.
39 And I said to my master {adoni: household superior}, “Perhaps {ulai: expressing possibility} the woman will not go after me.”
40 And he said to me, “The LORD {YHWH, Faithful Guide} before whom I have walked {hithalakhti: lifelong obedience} will send His angel with you and will prosper your way. Then you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.”
41 Then you will be released {tinakeh: freed from obligation} from my oath when you come to my family. But if they do not give her to you, then you will be clear {naki: without guilt} from my oath.
42 And I came today to the spring, and I said, “O LORD God {YHWH Elohei, Faithful Guide} of my master Abraham, if You would now please make my way {darki: entire course before me} successful, the way on which I am going.”
43 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water, and it will happen that the young woman {'almah: marriageable girl} who comes out to draw water, and I will say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar {kad: water vessel}.’
44 And she will say to me, “You also drink, and I will also draw for your camels {gamal: burden-carrying animals}”; she is the woman whom the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Guide} has appointed for my master’s son.
45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah {Rivqah: binding tie} was coming out, and her jar was on her shoulder. She went down to the spring {ayin: wellspring source} and drew water, and then I said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
46 She hurried and lowered her jug {kad: clay water vessel} from upon her and said, “Drink, and I also will give your camels {gemalim: caravan animals} a drink.” So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.
47 And I asked her and said, “Whose daughter are you?” And she said, “The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.” Then I put the ring {nezem: ornamental nose ring} on her nose and the bracelets {tsemidim: arm jewelry} on her hands.
48 And I bowed down and worshiped the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Guide}, and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the way of truth {emet: trustworthy direction} to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.
49 And now, if you are showing kindness {chesed: covenant loyalty} and faithfulness {emet: reliable truth} to my master, tell me; but if not, tell me, so that I may turn to the right or to the left.
50 Then Laban {Lavan: prominent family kinsman} and Bethuel answered and said, “The matter has come from the LORD {YHWH, Divine Initiator}; we are not able to speak to you either bad {ra: harm or opposition} or good.”