Genesis 24

New International Version

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,^(A) and the Lord had blessed^(B) him in every way.^(C) ²He said to the senior servant^(D) in his household, the one in charge of all that he had,^(E) “Put your hand under my thigh.^(F) ³I want you to swear^(G) by the Lord, the God of heaven^(H) and the God of earth,^(I) that you will not get a wife for my son^(J) from the daughters of the Canaanites,^(K) among whom I am living,^(L) ⁴but will go to my country and my own relatives^(M) and get a wife for my son Isaac.^(N)”

⁵The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land?^(O) Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?^(P)”

⁶“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”^(Q) Abraham said. ⁷“The Lord, the God of heaven,^(R) who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land^(S) and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring^[a]^(T) I will give this land’^(U)—he will send his angel before you^(V) so that you can get a wife for my son from there. ⁸If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath^(W) of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”^(X) ⁹So the servant put his hand under the thigh^(Y) of his master^(Z) Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels^(AA) loaded with all kinds of good things^(AB) from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim^[b]^(AC) and made his way to the town of Nahor.^(AD) ¹¹He had the camels kneel down near the well^(AE) outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.^(AF)

¹²Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham,^(AG) make me successful^(AH) today, and show kindness^(AI) to my master Abraham. ¹³See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.^(AJ) ¹⁴May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink,^(AK) and I’ll water your camels too’^(AL)—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.^(AM) By this I will know^(AN) that you have shown kindness to my master.”

¹⁵Before he had finished praying,^(AO) Rebekah^(AP) came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel^(AQ) son of Milkah,^(AR) who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.^(AS) ¹⁶The woman was very beautiful,^(AT) a virgin;^(AU) no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

¹⁷The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”^(AV)

¹⁸“Drink,^(AW) my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

¹⁹After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels^(AX) too,^(AY) until they have had enough to drink.” ²⁰So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels.^(AZ) ²¹Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.^(BA)

²²When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring^(BB) weighing a beka^[c] and two gold bracelets^(BC) weighing ten shekels.^[d] ²³Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?^(BD) Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?^(BE)”

²⁴She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.^(BF)” ²⁵And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder,^(BG) as well as room for you to spend the night.”

²⁶Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,^(BH) ²⁷saying, “Praise be to the Lord,^(BI) the God of my master Abraham,^(BJ) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness^(BK) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey^(BL) to the house of my master’s relatives.”^(BM)

²⁸The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.^(BN) ²⁹Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,^(BO) and he hurried out to the man at the spring. ³⁰As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms,^(BP) and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. ³¹“Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,”^(BQ) he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

³²So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder^(BR) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.^(BS) ³³Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”

“Then tell us,” Laban said.

³⁴So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.^(BT) ³⁵The Lord has blessed^(BU) my master abundantly,^(BV) and he has become wealthy.^(BW) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.^(BX) ³⁶My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,^(BY) and he has given him everything he owns.^(BZ) ³⁷And my master made me swear an oath,^(CA) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,^(CB) ³⁸but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’^(CC)

³⁹“Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’^(CD)

⁴⁰“He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,^(CE) will send his angel with you^(CF) and make your journey a success,^(CG) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.^(CH) ⁴¹You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’^(CI)

⁴²“When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success^(CJ) to the journey on which I have come. ⁴³See, I am standing beside this spring.^(CK) If a young woman^(CL) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”^(CM) ⁴⁴and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’^(CN)

⁴⁵“Before I finished praying in my heart,^(CO) Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder.^(CP) She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’^(CQ)

⁴⁶“She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’^(CR) So I drank, and she watered the camels also.^(CS)

⁴⁷“I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’^(CT)

“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel^(CU) son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’^(CV)

“Then I put the ring in her nose^(CW) and the bracelets on her arms,^(CX) ⁴⁸and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord.^(CY) I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham,^(CZ) who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.^(DA) ⁴⁹Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness^(DB) to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”

⁵⁰Laban and Bethuel^(DC) answered, “This is from the Lord;^(DD) we can say nothing to you one way or the other.^(DE) ⁵¹Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.^(DF)”

⁵²When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.^(DG) ⁵³Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing^(DH) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts^(DI) to her brother and to her mother. ⁵⁴Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way^(DJ) to my master.”

⁵⁵But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so;^(DK) then you^[e] may go.”

⁵⁶But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success^(DL) to my journey. Send me on my way^(DM) so I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.”^(DN) ⁵⁸So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,”^(DO) she said.

⁵⁹So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way,^(DP) along with her nurse^(DQ) and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰And they blessed^(DR) Rebekah and said to her,

“Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands;^(DS)
may your offspring possess
the cities of their enemies.”^(DT)

⁶¹Then Rebekah and her attendants^(DU) got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

⁶²Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi,^(DV) for he was living in the Negev.^(DW) ⁶³He went out to the field one evening to meditate,^[f]^(DX) and as he looked up,^(DY) he saw camels approaching. ⁶⁴Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel^(DZ) ⁶⁵and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil^(EA) and covered herself.

⁶⁶Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. ⁶⁷Isaac brought her into the tent^(EB) of his mother Sarah,^(EC) and he married Rebekah.^(ED) So she became his wife, and he loved her;^(EE) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.^(EF)

Footnotes

Genesis 24:7 Or seed
Genesis 24:10 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
Genesis 24:22 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
Genesis 24:22 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams
Genesis 24:55 Or she
Genesis 24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Job 28

New International Version

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28 There is a mine for silver
    and a place where gold is refined.^(A)
²Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.^(B)
³Mortals put an end to the darkness;^(C)
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.^(D)
⁴Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,^(E)
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
⁵The earth, from which food comes,^(F)
    is transformed below as by fire;
⁶lapis lazuli^(G) comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.^(H)
⁷No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.^(I)
⁸Proud beasts^(J) do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.^(K)
⁹People assault the flinty rock^(L) with their hands
    and lay bare the roots of the mountains.^(M)
¹⁰They tunnel through the rock;^(N)
    their eyes see all its treasures.^(O)
¹¹They search^[a] the sources of the rivers^(P)
    and bring hidden things^(Q) to light.

¹²But where can wisdom be found?^(R)
    Where does understanding dwell?^(S)
¹³No mortal comprehends its worth;^(T)
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.^(U)
¹⁴The deep^(V) says, “It is not in me”;
    the sea^(W) says, “It is not with me.”
¹⁵It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.^(X)
¹⁶It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,^(Y)
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.^(Z)
¹⁷Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,^(AA)
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold.^(AB)
¹⁸Coral^(AC) and jasper^(AD) are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.^(AE)
¹⁹The topaz^(AF) of Cush^(AG) cannot compare with it;
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.^(AH)

²⁰Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?^(AI)
²¹It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.^(AJ)
²²Destruction^[b]^(AK) and Death^(AL) say,
    “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
²³God understands the way to it
    and he alone^(AM) knows where it dwells,^(AN)
²⁴for he views the ends of the earth^(AO)
    and sees everything under the heavens.^(AP)
²⁵When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,^(AQ)
²⁶when he made a decree for the rain^(AR)
    and a path for the thunderstorm,^(AS)
²⁷then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.^(AT)
²⁸And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil^(AU) is understanding.”^(AV)

Footnotes

Job 28:11 Septuagint, Aquila and Vulgate; Hebrew They dam up
Job 28:22 Hebrew Abaddon

Matthew 25

New International Version

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like^(A) ten virgins who took their lamps^(B) and went out to meet the bridegroom.^(C) ²Five of them were foolish and five were wise.^(D) ³The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.^(E)

⁶“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’^(F)

⁹“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.^(G) And the door was shut.

¹¹“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹²“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’^(H)

¹³“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.^(I)

The Parable of the Bags of Gold^(J)

¹⁴“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey,^(K) who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,^[a] each according to his ability.^(L) Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.^(M) ²⁰The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(N) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²²“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.^(O) Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.^(P) ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’^(Q)

The Sheep and the Goats

³¹“When the Son of Man comes^(R) in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.^(S) ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate^(T) the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.^(U) ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom^(V) prepared for you since the creation of the world.^(W) ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,^(X) ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me,^(Y) I was sick and you looked after me,^(Z) I was in prison and you came to visit me.’^(AA)

³⁷“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’^(AB)

⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,^(AC) you who are cursed, into the eternal fire^(AD) prepared for the devil and his angels.^(AE) ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’^(AF)

⁴⁶“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.^(AG)”^(AH)

Footnotes

Matthew 25:15 Greek five talents … two talents … one talent; also throughout this parable; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wage.