Hands-On Bible Sampler - Flipbook - Page 55
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ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and
had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said. So
he rushed out to the spring, where the man was
still standing beside his camels. 31Laban said
to him, “Come and stay with us, you who are
blessed by the Lord! Why are you standing here
outside the town when I have a room all ready for
you and a place prepared for the camels?”
32 So the man went home with Laban, and Laban unloaded the camels, gave him straw for
their bedding, fed them, and provided water for
the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet.
33 Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant
said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why
I have come.”
“All right,” Laban said, “tell us.”
34“I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained.
35 “And the Lord has greatly blessed my master;
he has become a wealthy man. The Lord has
given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male
and female servants and camels and donkeys.
36“When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very
old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my
master has given him everything he owns. 37And
my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do
not allow my son to marry one of these local
Canaanite women. 38Go instead to my father’s
house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for
my son.’
39 “But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find
a young woman who is willing to go back with
me?’ 40He responded, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and
will make your mission successful. Yes, you must
find a wife for my son from among my relatives,
from my father’s family. 41 Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you
will be free from my oath.’
42 “So today when I came to the spring, I
prayed this prayer: ‘O Lord, God of my master,
Abraham, please give me success on this mission. 43 See, I am standing here beside this
spring. This is my request. When a young
woman comes to draw water, I will say to her,
“Please give me a little drink of water from your
jug.” 44If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will
draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the
one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’
45 “Before I had finished praying in my heart, I
saw Rebekah coming out with her water jug on
her shoulder. She went down to the spring and
drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a
... Genesis 24
drink.’
quickly lowered her jug from her
shoulder and said, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will
water your camels, too!’ So I drank, and then she
watered the camels.
47 “Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and
my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.’ So I put
the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her
wrists.
48 “Then I bowed low and worshiped the
Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master,
Abraham, because he had led me straight to my
master’s niece to be his son’s wife. 49 So tell me—
will you or won’t you show unfailing love and
faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or
no, and then I’ll know what to do next.”
50Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord
has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. 51Here is Rebekah; take her and
go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as
the Lord has directed.”
52 When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed down to the ground and worshiped the Lord. 53 Then he brought out silver
and gold jewelry and clothing and presented
them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive presents to her brother and mother. 54Then they ate
their meal, and the servant and the men with him
stayed there overnight.
But early the next morning, Abraham’s servant
said, “Send me back to my master.”
55 “But we want Rebekah to stay with us at least
ten days,” her brother and mother said. “Then
she can go.”
56But he said, “Don’t delay me. The Lord has
made my mission successful; now send me back
so I can return to my master.”
57 “Well,” they said, “we’ll call Rebekah and ask
her what she thinks.” 58So they called Rebekah.
“Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked
her.
And she replied, “Yes, I will go.”
59 So they said good-bye to Rebekah and sent
her away with Abraham’s servant and his men.
The woman who had been Rebekah’s childhood
nurse went along with her. 60They gave her this
blessing as she parted:
46She
“Our sister, may you become
the mother of many millions!
May your descendants be strong
and conquer the cities of their enemies.”
61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls mounted
the camels and followed the man. So Abraham’s
servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
