The Offering of Isaac

22 Now it came about after these things, that (A)God tested Abraham, and said to him, “(B)Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now (C)your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of (D)Moriah, and offer him there as a (E)burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” So Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and his son Isaac; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and (F)laid it on his son Isaac, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the (G)lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will [a]provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

Then they came to (H)the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built (I)the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and (J)laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to [b]slaughter his son. 11 But (K)the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now (L)I know that you [c]fear God, since you have not withheld (M)your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place [d]The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the Lord (N)it will [e]be provided.”

15 Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “(O)By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly (P)multiply your [f]seed as the stars of the heavens and as (Q)the sand, which is on the seashore; and (R)your [g]seed shall possess the gate of [h]their enemies. 18 And (S)in your [i]seed all the nations of the earth shall [j]be blessed, because you have (T)obeyed My voice.” 19 (U)So Abraham returned to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived in Beersheba.

20 Now it came about after these things, that Abraham was told, saying, “Behold, (V)Milcah [k]also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel”— 23 and it was Bethuel who fathered (W)Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, [l]also gave birth to Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Death and Burial of Sarah

23 Now [m]Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. Sarah died in (X)Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham [n]came in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Then Abraham arose from mourning before his dead, and spoke to the (Y)sons of Heth, saying, “I am (Z)a stranger and a foreign resident among you; (AA)give me [o]a (AB)burial site among you so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, “Hear us, my lord: you are a [p](AC)mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead.” So Abraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. And he spoke with them, saying, “If [q]you are willing to let me bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me, and plead with (AD)Ephron the son of Zohar for me, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in [r]your presence for [s]a burial site.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham [t]so that the sons of Heth heard, (AE)that is, all who entered the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, listen to me; (AF)I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.” 12 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. 13 But he spoke to Ephron [u]so that the people of the land heard, saying, “If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me so that I may bury my dead there.” 14 Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a plot of land worth [v]four hundred (AG)shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.” 16 Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham (AH)weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the [w]presence of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency acceptable to a merchant.

17 So (AI)Ephron’s field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were [x]within all the confines of its border, [y]were deeded over 18 to Abraham as a possession (AJ)in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who entered the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 20 So the field and the cave that was in it [z]were (AK)deeded over to Abraham for [aa]a burial site by the sons of Heth.

A Bride for Isaac

24 Now (AL)Abraham was old, advanced in age; and the Lord had (AM)blessed Abraham in every way. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household who was in (AN)charge of all that he owned, “(AO)Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, (AP)the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you (AQ)shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of (AR)the Canaanites, among whom I live; but you will go to (AS)my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” The servant said to him, “Suppose the woman is not willing to follow me to this land; should I take your son back to the land from where you came?” Then Abraham said to him, “(AT)Beware that you do not take my son back there! (AU)The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, ‘(AV)To your [ab]descendants I will give this land’—He will send (AW)His angel ahead of you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will (AX)be free of this oath of mine; (AY)only do not take my son back there.” So the servant (AZ)placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham, and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and went out with a variety of (BA)good things of his master’s in his hand; so he set out and went to [ac]Mesopotamia, to (BB)the city of Nahor. 11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by (BC)the well of water [ad]when it was evening, (BD)the time when women go out to draw water. 12 And he said, “(BE)Lord, God of my master Abraham, please [ae](BF)grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, (BG)I am standing by the [af]spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14 now may it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar so that I may drink,’ and [ag]who answers, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels also’—may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

Rebekah Is Chosen

15 And it came about, (BH)before he had finished speaking, that behold, (BI)Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel the son of (BJ)Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. 16 The young woman was (BK)very beautiful, a virgin; no man had [ah]had relations with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. 17 Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, “(BL)Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” 18 And (BM)she said, “Drink, my lord”; then she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 Now when she had finished giving him a drink, (BN)she said, “I will also draw water for your camels until they have finished drinking.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21 (BO)Meanwhile, the man was taking a close look at her [ai]in silence, to find out whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not.

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a (BP)gold ring weighing a [aj]half-shekel, and two bracelets for her [ak]wrists weighing ten shekels in gold, 23 and he said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to stay overnight at your father’s house?” 24 She said to him, “(BQ)I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah’s son, whom she bore to Nahor.” 25 Again she said to him, “We have plenty of both straw and feed, and room to stay overnight.” 26 Then the man (BR)bowed low and worshiped the Lord. 27 And he said, “(BS)Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned (BT)His kindness and His trustworthiness toward my master; as for me, (BU)the Lord has guided me in the way to the house of my master’s brothers.”

28 Then (BV)the young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29 Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was (BW)Laban; and Laban ran outside to the man at the spring. 30 When he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s [al]wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “[am]This is what the man said to me,” he went to the man; and behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31 And he said, “(BX)Come in, (BY)blessed of the Lord! Why do you stand outside, since (BZ)I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels?” 32 So the man entered the house. Then [an](CA)Laban unloaded the camels, and he gave straw and feed to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 But when food was set before him to eat, he said, “I will not eat until I have stated my business.” And he said, “Speak on.” 34 So he said, “I am (CB)Abraham’s servant. 35 The Lord has greatly (CC)blessed my master, so that he has become [ao]rich; and He has given him (CD)flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and slave women, and camels and donkeys. 36 Now (CE)my master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master [ap]in her old age, and (CF)he has given him all that he has. 37 (CG)My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 Then (CH)I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’ 40 And he said to me, ‘(CI)The Lord, before whom I have (CJ)walked, will send (CK)His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father’s house; 41 (CL)then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives; and if they do not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.’

42 “So (CM)I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I have been going (CN)successful; 43 behold, (CO)I am standing by the [aq]spring, and may it be that the [ar]young unmarried woman who comes out to draw water, and to whom I say, “(CP)Please let me drink a little water from your jar”; 44 and she says to me, “You drink, and I will draw for your camels also”—let her be the woman whom the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.’

45 “Before I had finished (CQ)speaking in my heart, behold, (CR)Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder, and went down to the spring and drew water, and (CS)I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder, and said, ‘(CT)Drink, and I will water your camels also’; so I drank, and she watered the camels also. 47 (CU)Then I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him’; and I put the (CV)ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her [as]wrists. 48 And I (CW)bowed low and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, (CX)who had guided me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 So now if you are going to [at](CY)deal kindly and truthfully with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me now, so that I may turn to the right or the left.”

50 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “(CZ)The matter has come from the Lord; (DA)so we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Here is Rebekah before you, take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has spoken.”

52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he (DB)bowed himself to the ground [au]before the Lord. 53 And the servant brought out (DC)articles of silver and articles of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night. When they got up in the morning, he said, “(DD)Send me away to my master.” 55 But her brother and her mother said, “(DE)Let the young woman stay with us a few days, say ten; afterward she may go.” 56 However, he said to them, “Do not delay me, since (DF)the Lord has prospered my way. Send me away so that I may go to my master.” 57 And they said, “We will call the young woman and [av]ask her.” 58 Then they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.” 59 So they sent away their sister Rebekah and (DG)her nurse with Abraham’s servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

“May you, our sister,
(DH)Become thousands of ten thousands,
And may (DI)your [aw]descendants possess
The gate of those who hate them.”

61 Then Rebekah got up with her female attendants, and they mounted the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.

Isaac Marries Rebekah

62 Now Isaac had come back from [ax]a journey to (DJ)Beer-lahai-roi; for he was living in (DK)the [ay]Negev. 63 Isaac went out (DL)to [az]meditate in the field toward evening; and (DM)he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, camels were coming. 64 Rebekah raised her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel. 65 She said to the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.” Then she took her [ba]veil and covered herself. 66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and (DN)he took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and (DO)he loved her; so Isaac was comforted after (DP)his mother’s death.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 22:8 Lit see
  2. Genesis 22:10 I.e., following prescribed ritual
  3. Genesis 22:12 Or revere; lit are a fearer of God
  4. Genesis 22:14 Heb YHWH-jireh; lit the Lord will see
  5. Genesis 22:14 Lit be seen
  6. Genesis 22:17 Or descendants
  7. Genesis 22:17 Or descendants
  8. Genesis 22:17 Lit his
  9. Genesis 22:18 Or descendants
  10. Genesis 22:18 Or bless themselves
  11. Genesis 22:20 Lit she also
  12. Genesis 22:24 Lit she also
  13. Genesis 23:1 Lit the life of Sarah was
  14. Genesis 23:2 Or proceeded
  15. Genesis 23:4 Lit possession of a burial place
  16. Genesis 23:6 Lit prince of God
  17. Genesis 23:8 Lit it is with your soul
  18. Genesis 23:9 Lit the midst of you
  19. Genesis 23:9 Lit possession of a burial place
  20. Genesis 23:10 Lit in the ears of
  21. Genesis 23:13 Lit in the ears of
  22. Genesis 23:15 About 12.5 lb. or 5.7 kg
  23. Genesis 23:16 Lit ears
  24. Genesis 23:17 Lit in all its border around
  25. Genesis 23:17 Or were ratified
  26. Genesis 23:20 Or were ratified
  27. Genesis 23:20 Lit possession of a burial place
  28. Genesis 24:7 Lit seed
  29. Genesis 24:10 Heb Aram-naharaim, Aram of the two rivers
  30. Genesis 24:11 Lit at time of evening
  31. Genesis 24:12 Lit cause to occur for me
  32. Genesis 24:13 Lit fountain of water
  33. Genesis 24:14 Lit she will say
  34. Genesis 24:16 Lit known her
  35. Genesis 24:21 Lit keeping silent
  36. Genesis 24:22 A shekel was about 0.5 oz. or 14 gm
  37. Genesis 24:22 Lit hands
  38. Genesis 24:30 Lit hands
  39. Genesis 24:30 Lit Thus the man
  40. Genesis 24:32 Lit he
  41. Genesis 24:35 Lit great
  42. Genesis 24:36 Lit after she was old
  43. Genesis 24:43 Lit fountain of water
  44. Genesis 24:43 Or virgin
  45. Genesis 24:47 Lit hands
  46. Genesis 24:49 Lit show kindness and truth to
  47. Genesis 24:52 Lit to
  48. Genesis 24:57 Lit ask her mouth
  49. Genesis 24:60 Lit seed
  50. Genesis 24:62 Lit coming to
  51. Genesis 24:62 I.e., South country
  52. Genesis 24:63 Or stroll; meaning uncertain
  53. Genesis 24:65 Or shawl

Abraham Tested

22 Some time later God tested(A) Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,”(B) he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son(C), your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah.(D) Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering(E) on a mountain I will show you.(F)

Early the next morning(G) Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.(H)

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac,(I) and he himself carried the fire and the knife.(J) As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb(K) for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide(L) the lamb(M) for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

When they reached the place God had told him about,(N) Abraham built an altar(O) there and arranged the wood(P) on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar,(Q) on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife(R) to slay his son.(S) 11 But the angel of the Lord(T) called out to him from heaven,(U) “Abraham! Abraham!”(V)

“Here I am,”(W) he replied.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God,(X) because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.(Y)

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns.(Z) He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.(AA) 14 So Abraham called(AB) that place The Lord(AC) Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.(AD)

15 The angel of the Lord(AE) called to Abraham from heaven(AF) a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself,(AG) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,(AH) 17 I will surely bless you(AI) and make your descendants(AJ) as numerous as the stars in the sky(AK) and as the sand on the seashore.(AL) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,(AM) 18 and through your offspring[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,[c](AN) because you have obeyed me.”(AO)

19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba.(AP) And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Nahor’s Sons

20 Some time later Abraham was told, “Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor:(AQ) 21 Uz(AR) the firstborn, Buz(AS) his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.(AT) 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.(AU) Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham’s brother Nahor.(AV) 24 His concubine,(AW) whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.

The Death of Sarah

23 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba(AX) (that is, Hebron)(AY) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.(AZ)

Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.[d](BA) He said, “I am a foreigner and stranger(BB) among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.(BC)

The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince(BD) among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar(BE) on my behalf so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah,(BF) which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

10 Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites(BG) who had come to the gate(BH) of his city. 11 “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give[e](BI) you the field, and I give[f] you the cave that is in it. I give[g] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 13 and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels[h] of silver,(BJ) but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,(BK) according to the weight current among the merchants.(BL)

17 So Ephron’s field in Machpelah(BM) near Mamre(BN)—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded 18 to Abraham as his property(BO) in the presence of all the Hittites(BP) who had come to the gate(BQ) of the city. 19 Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah(BR) near Mamre (which is at Hebron(BS)) in the land of Canaan.(BT) 20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded(BU) to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.(BV)

Isaac and Rebekah

24 Abraham was now very old,(BW) and the Lord had blessed(BX) him in every way.(BY) He said to the senior servant(BZ) in his household, the one in charge of all that he had,(CA) “Put your hand under my thigh.(CB) I want you to swear(CC) by the Lord, the God of heaven(CD) and the God of earth,(CE) that you will not get a wife for my son(CF) from the daughters of the Canaanites,(CG) among whom I am living,(CH) but will go to my country and my own relatives(CI) and get a wife for my son Isaac.(CJ)

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

“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,”(CM) Abraham said. “The Lord, the God of heaven,(CN) who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land(CO) and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring[i](CP) I will give this land’(CQ)—he will send his angel before you(CR) so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath(CS) of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”(CT) So the servant put his hand under the thigh(CU) of his master(CV) Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels(CW) loaded with all kinds of good things(CX) from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim[j](CY) and made his way to the town of Nahor.(CZ) 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well(DA) outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.(DB)

12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham,(DC) make me successful(DD) today, and show kindness(DE) to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.(DF) 14 May 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,(DG) and I’ll water your camels too’(DH)—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac.(DI) By this I will know(DJ) that you have shown kindness to my master.”

15 Before he had finished praying,(DK) Rebekah(DL) came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel(DM) son of Milkah,(DN) who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.(DO) 16 The woman was very beautiful,(DP) a virgin;(DQ) no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.

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

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

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

22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring(DX) weighing a beka[k] and two gold bracelets(DY) weighing ten shekels.[l] 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you?(DZ) Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?(EA)

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

26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord,(ED) 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord,(EE) the God of my master Abraham,(EF) who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness(EG) to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey(EH) to the house of my master’s relatives.”(EI)

28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things.(EJ) 29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban,(EK) and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30 As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms,(EL) 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,”(EM) he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

32 So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder(EN) were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet.(EO) 33 Then 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.

34 So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant.(EP) 35 The Lord has blessed(EQ) my master abundantly,(ER) and he has become wealthy.(ES) He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.(ET) 36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age,(EU) and he has given him everything he owns.(EV) 37 And my master made me swear an oath,(EW) and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,(EX) 38 but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’(EY)

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

40 “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully,(FA) will send his angel with you(FB) and make your journey a success,(FC) so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family.(FD) 41 You 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.’(FE)

42 “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success(FF) to the journey on which I have come. 43 See, I am standing beside this spring.(FG) If a young woman(FH) comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,”(FI) 44 and 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.’(FJ)

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

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

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

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

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

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

52 When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.(GC) 53 Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing(GD) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts(GE) to her brother and to her mother. 54 Then 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(GF) to my master.”

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

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

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

“I will go,”(GK) she said.

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

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

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

62 Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi,(GR) for he was living in the Negev.(GS) 63 He went out to the field one evening to meditate,[n](GT) and as he looked up,(GU) he saw camels approaching. 64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel(GV) 65 and 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(GW) and covered herself.

66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent(GX) of his mother Sarah,(GY) and he married Rebekah.(GZ) So she became his wife, and he loved her;(HA) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.(HB)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 22:13 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text a ram behind him
  2. Genesis 22:18 Or seed
  3. Genesis 22:18 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20)
  4. Genesis 23:3 Or the descendants of Heth; also in verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18 and 20
  5. Genesis 23:11 Or sell
  6. Genesis 23:11 Or sell
  7. Genesis 23:11 Or sell
  8. Genesis 23:15 That is, about 10 pounds or about 4.6 kilograms
  9. Genesis 24:7 Or seed
  10. Genesis 24:10 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia
  11. Genesis 24:22 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams
  12. Genesis 24:22 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams
  13. Genesis 24:55 Or she
  14. Genesis 24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

22 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;

21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,

22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.

24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

23 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,

I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.

10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,

11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

17 And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure

18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

24 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?

24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.

27 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren.

28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.

29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.

33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

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

35 And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.

40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:

41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:

43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for my master's son.

45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.

46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.

47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.

49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken.

52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.

58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.

60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.