Genesis 24:29-53

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

30 As soon as he had seen the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he had heard his sister Rebekah's words-"The man said this to me!"-he went to the man. He was standing there by the camels at the spring.

31 Laban said, "Come, you who are blessed by the Lord. Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels."

32 So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were given to the camels, and water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him.

33 A meal was set before him, but he said, "I will not eat until I have said what I have to say." So Laban said, "Speak on."

34 "I am Abraham's servant," he said.

35 "The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.

36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master in her^[a] old age, and he has given him everything he owns.

37 My master put me under this oath: 'You will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live

38 but will go to my father's household and to my family to take a wife for my son.'

39 But I said to my master, 'Suppose the woman will not come back with me?'

40 He said to me, 'The Lord before whom I have walked will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's household.

41 Then you will be free from my oath if you go to my family and they do not give [her] to you-you will be free from my oath.'

42 "Today when I came to the spring, I prayed: Lord, God of my master Abraham, if only You will make my journey successful!

43 I am standing here at a spring. Let the virgin who comes out to draw water, and I say to her: Please let me drink a little water from your jug,

44 and who responds to me, 'Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels also'-let her be the woman the Lord has appointed for my master's son.

45 "Before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her: Please let me have a drink.

46 She quickly lowered her jug from her [shoulder] and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels also.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

47 Then I asked her: Whose daughter are you? She responded, 'The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

48 Then I bowed down, worshiped the Lord, and praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who guided me on the right way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

49 Now, if you are going to show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; if not, tell me, and I will go elsewhere."^[b]

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the Lord; we have no choice in the matter.^[c]

51 Rebekah is here in front of you. Take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, just as the Lord has spoken."

52 When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed to the ground before the Lord.

53 Then he brought out objects of silver and gold, and garments, and gave [them] to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

Genesis 24:29-53 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 24

This chapter shows Abraham's concern to get a suitable wife for his son Isaac, for which purpose he commits the affair into the hands of his eldest servant, and makes him swear that he will not take one from among the Canaanites, but out of his own country, and from among his own kindred, Ge 24:1-4; which his servant agreed to, after having the nature of his charge, and of the oath, explained to him, Ge 24:5-9; upon which he departed to Mesopotamia, and coming to the city of Nahor, and to a well near it, he prayed for success, and desired direction by a token, which was granted him, Ge 24:10-22; and inquiring of the damsel, who answered to the token, whose daughter she was, and whether they had room for him and his in their house; and an agreeable answer being returned, he gave thanks to God that had directed him, and had so far made his journey prosperous, Ge 24:23-27; the damsel acquainting her parents whom and what she met with at the well, a brother of her steps out, and invites the servant in, and makes him welcome, Ge 24:28-33; but before he would eat anything, he tells his errand he was come upon, at the instance of his master; how, he had prayed for direction, and was heard, and for which he had given thanks, Ge 24:34-48; and then treats with the relations of the damsel about her marriage to his master's son, to which they agreed, Ge 24:49-51; and after having blessed God, and given his presents he brought with him to the damsel, and her family, and ate and drank with them, was for departing the next morning, Ge 24:52-54; but the friends of the damsel being desirous of her stay with them some few days, and he urgent to be gone, the affair was referred to her, and she agreed to go with him directly, Ge 24:55-58; upon which they dismissed her with their blessing, Ge 24:59,60; who being met by Isaac in the way, was received and introduced into his mother's tent, and married by him, Ge 24:61-67.

Footnotes

• [a] Sam, LXX read his
• [b] Lit go to the right or to the left
• [c] Lit we cannot say to you anything bad or good