24
A WIFE FOR ISAAC (24:1-67)
1 At that time Abraham was very old. God was looking after him well, he gave him animals and belongings in abundance, truly he did good to him.
2-4 One day Abraham called a man, an important worker of his. He was boss for all Abraham's other workers. He said to him, “You will go to bring a wife for my son. Truly do not bring a woman who is an inhabitant of this country. Certainly not. Go to my own country. Bring a wife for him from my family. Put your hand between my thighs, give me your true word, you will do like that in accordance with my word. You know about God, he is the one who made the sky and the ground. He will hear your word. If you ignore me, he will know about you.”
5 That worker replied. “That woman might not follow me. She might tell me 'Certainly not'. After that what shall I do? Should I take your son to your country?”
6 Abraham said to him, “Certainly not. You must not take my son there. 7 God, he is above, earlier he truly told me to leave my country. He gave me his true word, 'Truly I will give this country to your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them.' He will send his angel ahead of you; he will show you a wife for my son. 8 That girl might say to you, 'I will not follow you, I will stay in my own country.' If she says that just leave her, return without her. Truly you must not take my son to that country to get a wife for him.”
9 After that that worker put his hand between Abraham's thighs, he gave him his true word, he said to him, “Truly I will do like that.”
10 After that that worker gathered possessions and gold and various things from Abraham's (belongings). If he should get a young girl, he would give (them) to that girl and her father and mother. After that he got 10 of Abraham's camels, he went towards that country, towards Mesopotamia. He was going camp by camp right to that town, to what's-that-place, Abraham's younger brother, Nahor, used to live there.
11 One day, at evening, he arrived near a well, outside a town. Water used to spring up there. He made the camels kneel near the well. The women from the town were coming there in the evening to get water.
12 He talked to God. “God, all the time my master Abraham obeys you. Truly you look after him, Please do good to him now. Show me a young woman for his son. 13 I am here near the water. Right now young women are coming here from the town for water. 14 I will ask one to give me a little water. She might tell me, 'Yes, here is water for you. I will bring water for your camels also.' The woman who says she should give water for the camels, she is the one who will be a wife for Isaac. Like that will you show me that young girl. If you do that, I will know about you, you are taking care of Abraham.”
15-16 Just as he was talking to God, Rebekah came, she was carrying a water container on her shoulder. That young girl had a beautiful face. She had not slept with a man. She did not have a promised one. (Her father's name was Bethuel. Bethuel's mother's name was Milcah, his father's name was Nahor. That Nahor was Abraham's younger brother.) Rebekah came down to the well, she filled the water container, she climbed back up.
17 The old man went quickly to meet her, he said to her, “Please give me a little water from the container.”
18 “Yes, old man, here is water for you.” Straight away she put the water container from her shoulder on to her hand, she poured water for him. He drank it. 19 After that the young girl said to him, “I will get water for the camels also, they will drink until they are satisfied.” 20 Straight away she poured water into the animals' drinking container. After that she hurried back to the well, she went down, again she scooped up water, she was bringing water for all the camels.
21 Quietly that old man was watching her, He was thinking to himself, “This young girl might be a wife for Isaac.”
22 The camels drank till satisfied. After that the old man gave the young girl a gold nose-thing, he put on her arms two gold arm-things also. 23 He said to her, “Who is your father? Perhaps I and my workers can sleep one night in your father's camp?”
24 She replied, “My father is Bethuel. He is Nahor's son, his mother is Milcah. 25 You can all stay in our camp. Our camp is wide. We have grass for your camels.”
26 The old man bowed face down to God, he worshipped him, he said to him, 27 “God, you are good. Thank you, you helped us. You gave your word to my master Abraham. Truly you kept that word. You brought me straight here, to my master's mob, to his own family.”
28 After that that young woman hurried to her mother's camp, she reported to them the old man's talk. 29-30 Rebekah's older brother, Laban by name, was there. He saw those two arm-things and the nose-thing. He heard his younger sister's talk. Then he hurried to the old man. He was standing near the well, close to the camels.
31 Laban said to him, “God is pleased with you. Do not stay here. Come, you will come to our camp. We have made ready for you and your workers. Your camels will rest there also.”
32 They all went to Laban's house. There Laban loosed the riding gear from the camels, he gave them grass. After that he brought water for the old man and the workers for them to wash their feet. 33 After that he brought food to the old man. The old man said to him, “Let me tell you why I came. After that I will eat.” “Yes, you will tell us why you came.”
34 The old man said to Laban and his father, “I am a worker of Abraham's. 35 God has truly done good to my master. He made him an important boss. He gave him many animals, sheep and goats and cattle and camels and donkeys. He gave him gold money, working men and women also.
36 Yes, when he was old his wife, Sarah, gave birth to a boy child for him. My master gave all his money and animals and belongings to that very son. 37-38 He said to me seriously, 'You will bring a wife for my son. Do not choose a young woman who is an inhabitant of this country, an inhabitant of Canaan. You will go to my father's country, you will go to my family's camp. From there you will get a wife for my son.' Like that my master told me.
39 I said to him, 'Perhaps that young woman will not follow me.' 40 He replied, 'God will send his angel ahead of you. That angel will show you a girl from my father's family. 41 They might say to you, “Certainly not. We will not give her as a wife for Abraham's son.” If they speak in that way just leave her, return without the young woman.' In that way Abraham spoke to me.
42 Today I arrived at the well near your town. I said to God, 'God, my master Abraham obeys you, he is in your mob. Now please do good to me. Show me that wife for Isaac. 43 I am here near the well. After the young women come for water I will ask one, “Give me a little water from your water container.” 44 Perhaps she will reply, “Yes, here is water for you. I will bring water for your camels also.” If she talks in that way she will be the wife for Isaac. Show me that very same young woman.'
45 While I was still talking to God, Rebekah came, she was carrying a water container on her shoulder. She got water. Then I asked her, 'Please give me water to drink.' 46 Quickly she lowered the water container, she said to me, 'Yes, here is water for you. I will bring water for your camels also.' After that I drank, she gave water to the camels also.
47 After that I asked her, 'Who is your father?' She said to me, 'My father is Bethuel. He is Nahor's son, his mother is Milcah.'
After that I put the nose-thing on the young woman, I put two arm-things on her arms. 48 God showed me the wife for Isaac from my master's own relatives. Therefore I bowed face downwards, I worshipped God, I said to him, 'Thank you. You have helped me.' 49 Yes, what will you say? Will you tell my master, 'Yes'? Will you give this young woman fo his son? If you don't I will do something different.”
50 Laban and Bethuel replied, “God has done this. This young woman will go. We won't prevent her going. 51 You will take Rebekah, you will all go. She will become the wife of your master's son in accordance with God's word.” 52 When he heard their word that old man, Abraham's working man, knelt down, he said to God, “Thank you. You have helped me.”
53 After that he gave Rebekah gold and good belongings. He gave Rebekah's brother and mother other good belongings also. 54 After that the old man and his workers ate food, they drank wine. They slept right there.
In the morning after getting up from sleep the old man said to them, “Today I will return to my master, I will take the young woman also.”
55 Rebekah's brother and mother replied, “Please wait a while! That young woman should stay here a little while, maybe for 10 days she will stay. After that we two will send you all away, the young woman also.”
56 He said to them, “God has done good to me. Now I should go soon to my master. Please don't prevent me.” 57 “Please wait. We will ask the girl what she will say.”
58 They called her. When she came they asked her, “Will you go with these people?” Rebekah answered, “Yes.”
59 After that they sent Rebekah to go with the old man and his workers. There was an old woman there, she earlier looked after Rebekah and raised her. They sent her also.
60 They spoke kindly to Rebekah. “Truly we want God to do good to you. We want your grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them to become very many. Some people might hate them, we want your mob to become bosses for those others who hate them.”
61 After that Rebekah and her working women climbed on camels, they followed the old man. In that way the old man transported Rebekah, he was returning to his master. 62 At that time Isaac was in the south of Canaan country, in the area of the water-hole, what's-its-name, Lahai-Roi. 63 One evening he was just walking around, away from his camp, he saw the camels coming.
64 From a long way off Rebekah saw Isaac, she got down from the camel. 65 She asked the old man, “Who is that man coming towards us?” “He is my master, Isaac.” Rebekah got a cloth for her face, she covered her face.
66 Then the old man reported everything to Isaac. 67 After that Isaac took Rebekah to a tent. That tent earlier was his mother's. He was sad after his mother died. Now Rebekah became his wife. Isaac truly loved her. Right after that he became happy, he was not sad for his mother.