Genesis 24:34-66

Genesis 24:34-66 NCV

He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. The LORD has greatly blessed my master in everything, and he has become a rich man. The LORD has given him many flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels, and horses. Sarah, my master’s wife, gave birth to a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to that son. My master had me make a promise to him and said, ‘Don’t get a wife for my son from the Canaanite girls who live around here. Instead, you must go to my father’s people and to my family. There you must get a wife for my son.’ I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ But he said, ‘I serve the LORD, who will send his angel with you and will help you. You will get a wife for my son from my family and my father’s people. Then you will be free from the promise. But if they will not give you a wife for my son, you will be free from this promise.’ “Today I came to this spring. I said, ‘LORD, God of my master Abraham, please make my trip successful. I am standing by this spring. I will wait for a young woman to come out to get water, and I will say, “Please give me water from your jar to drink.” Then let her say, “Drink this water, and I will also get water for your camels.” By this I will know the LORD has chosen her for my master’s son.’ “Before I finished my silent prayer, Rebekah came out of the city with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and got water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink this. I will also get water for your camels.’ So I drank, and she gave water to my camels too. When I asked her, ‘Who is your father?’ she answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Milcah and Nahor.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, and I bowed my head and thanked the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, because he led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now, tell me, will you be kind and truthful to my master? And if not, tell me so. Then I will know what I should do.” Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is clearly from the LORD, and we cannot change what must happen. Rebekah is yours. Take her and go. Let her marry your master’s son as the LORD has commanded.” When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed facedown on the ground before the LORD. Then he gave Rebekah gold and silver jewelry and clothes. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and mother. The servant and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, the servant said, “Now let me go back to my master.” Rebekah’s mother and her brother said, “Let Rebekah stay with us at least ten days. After that she may go.” But the servant said to them, “Do not make me wait, because the LORD has made my trip successful. Now let me go back to my master.” Rebekah’s brother and mother said, “We will call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” They called her and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” She said, “Yes, I do.” So they allowed Rebekah and her nurse to go with Abraham’s servant and his men. They blessed Rebekah and said, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of people, and may your descendants capture the cities of their enemies.” Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels and followed the servant and his men. So the servant took Rebekah and left. At this time Isaac had left Beer Lahai Roi and was living in southern Canaan. One evening when he went out to the field to think, he looked up and saw camels coming. Rebekah also looked and saw Isaac. Then she jumped down from the camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant answered, “That is my master.” So Rebekah covered her face with her veil. The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.

Read Genesis 24