Genèse 24:41-51

41 Tu seras dégagé du serment que tu me fais, quand tu auras été vers ma famille; si on ne te l'accorde pas, tu seras dégagé du serment que tu me fais.
42 Je suis arrivé aujourd'hui à la source, et j'ai dit: Eternel, Dieu de mon seigneur Abraham, si tu daignes faire réussir le voyage que j'accomplis,
43 voici, je me tiens près de la source d'eau, et que la jeune fille qui sortira pour puiser, à qui je dirai: Laisse-moi boire, je te prie, un peu d'eau de ta cruche,
44 et qui me répondra: Bois toi-même, et je puiserai aussi pour tes chameaux, que cette jeune fille soit la femme que l'Eternel a destinée au fils de mon seigneur!
45 Avant que j'eusse fini de parler en mon coeur, voici, Rebecca est sortie, sa cruche sur l'épaule; elle est descendue à la source, et a puisé. Je lui ai dit: Donne-moi à boire, je te prie.
46 Elle s'est empressée d'abaisser sa cruche de dessus son épaule, et elle a dit: Bois, et je donnerai aussi à boire à tes chameaux. J'ai bu, et elle a aussi donné à boire à mes chameaux.
47 Je l'ai interrogée, et j'ai dit: De qui es-tu fille? Elle a répondu: Je suis fille de Bethuel, fils de Nachor et de Milca. J'ai mis l'anneau à son nez, et les bracelets à ses mains.
48 Puis je me suis incliné et prosterné devant l'Eternel, et j'ai béni l'Eternel, le Dieu de mon seigneur Abraham, qui m'a conduit fidèlement, afin que je prisse la fille du frère de mon seigneur pour son fils.
49 Maintenant, si vous voulez user de bienveillance et de fidélité envers mon seigneur, déclarez-le-moi; sinon, déclarez-le-moi, et je me tournerai à droite ou à gauche.
50 Laban et Bethuel répondirent, et dirent: C'est de l'Eternel que la chose vient; nous ne pouvons te parler ni en mal ni en bien.
51 Voici Rebecca devant toi; prends et va, et qu'elle soit la femme du fils de ton seigneur, comme l'Eternel l'a dit.

Genèse 24:41-51 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.

The Louis Segond 1910 is in the public domain.