Genesis 24
(1) Abraham Sends Manager to Find Wife for Isaac
Abraham was old and the Existing One had blessed him in every way. Abraham met with the senior manager of his entire household and told him,
“Please swear something to me. Place your hand on my hip [where swords are kept] and swear to the Existing One (the God of heaven and earth) that you won’t let my son marry a Canaanite girl. Even though we live in Canaan, go back to my home country and choose his wife from my tribe.”
The manager asked,
“What if the girl doesn’t want to come back here? Should I let your son move back to your home country?”
Abraham said,
“Whatever you do, don’t take him back there!
“The Existing One is the God of heaven, and he led me away from my home country. He spoke to me and swore that He’d give this region to my descendants. The Existing One will send his representative ahead of you, and you’ll find a wife for my son there. If she isn’t willing to travel back with you, then you’ll be freed from this oath. Just make sure you don’t take my son back there.”
So the manager placed his hand on his boss’s hip and made the oath.
(10) Manager Prays for a Sign
So Abraham’s manager packed 10 of his boss’s camels with plenty of supplies, and made the journey to the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia [Nahor means “snorting”]. When he got there, the manager brought the camels to a well outside the city and parked them there. By that time, it was dusk, which is when the women go to draw water from the well. So Abraham’s manager said,
“Oh Existing One, you are my boss’s God. Please show up today and provide something good for Abraham. I’m standing by this city’s well, and the young women are about to come out here. I’ll ask them to lower their jars and get get me a drink. If any of them offers to water my camels too, then let her be the one you’ve appointed for Isaac. That’s how I’ll know you’ve done something good for my boss.”
Before he had even finished speaking, a woman named Rebekah came out with a jar on her shoulder [Rebekah means “ensnarer”]. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was Milcah’s son. [Milcah was the wife of Abraham’s brother, Nahor.] Rebekah was exceptionally beautiful, and she had never had relations with a man. When she got to the well, she lowered her jar and pulled up some water. So Abraham’s manager ran over to meet her and said,
“Hello there! Can I please have some of that water to drink?”
She quickly brought her jar down and said,
“Please sir, go ahead and drink.”
(19) Rebekah Gives Manager the Sign
After Abraham’s manager finished drinking, Rebekah said,
“Let me pull up some water for your camels there, too! I’d be happy to pull up however much they need.”
So she quickly poured out the jar into the trough, hurried back to the well, and pulled up as much water as they needed. Meanwhile, Abraham’s manager stared speechlessly wondering whether or not the Existing One was the one causing his success.
When his camels had finished drinking, Abraham’s manager took out a gold ring that weighed 6 grams along with two bracelets weighing 110 grams. He asked,
“Whose daughter are you? And does your dad have enough room in his house for us to lodge there?”
She told him,
“My dad is Bethuel, and his parents are Nahor and Milcah. We have plenty of room at our house and plenty of food for your animals too.”
When Abraham’s servant heard all that, he bowed down and worshiped the Existing One, saying,
“The Existing One is blessed. Abraham’s God has been so kind and reliable to my boss. The Existing One has even guided me straight to Abraham’s brother’s house!”
(28) Manager Lodges with Rebekah’s Family
So Rebekah ran along and told her family about what had happened. She had a brother named Laban (which means “white”), and when Laban heard Rebekah’s story and saw the jewelry, he ran out to the man at the spring and said,
“Come stay with us! We can tell you have been blessed by the Existing One. You don’t have to stay out here—we prepared a guest room for you at our house and a place for your camels.”
So Abraham’s manager went to their house, and Laban unloaded the camels. Laban also fed the camels and gave Abraham’s servants water to clean themselves up. But when they brought out the dinner, Abraham’s manager stopped them and told them the whole story starting with the oath he made to Abraham. When he finished telling the story, Abraham’s manager said,
“So, do you want to cooperate with my boss? If not, let me know so I can keep looking.”
Laban and Bethuel replied,
“Since the Existing One is behind all this, it doesn’t matter what we think. Go ahead and take Rebekah back with you. Let her marry your boss’s son like the Existing One said.”
When Abraham’s worker heard that, he bowed so low to the Existing One that his face touched the floor. Then he brought out golden artifacts, silver trinkets, and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive things to Rebekah’s brother and mom. Then Abraham’s men ate dinner and spent the night.
(54b) Rebekah Leaves with Abraham’s Manager
When everyone woke up the next morning, Abraham’s manager said,
“We better head out and get back to my boss.”
But Rebekah’s mom and brother said,
“Please, let her stay with us a little longer before you go. How about 10 days?”
But Abraham’s manager said,
“We really shouldn’t hang around since the Existing One has been bringing us so much success. Please, let us be on our way.”
But Rebekah’s family said,
“Well, let’s ask Rebekah and see what she wants to do.”
When they asked Rebekah, she told them she was ready to go, so they said their goodbyes, and sent her off with Abraham’s manager. They blessed her, saying,
“Sister, may you blossom into ten million descendants, and may they capture the cities of their enemies.”
After that, Rebekah and her maids stood up, mounted their camels, and left, following Abraham’s manager.
(62) Isaac Marries Rebekah
At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev [which is in southern Judah]. One evening, when he had gone to think at a well in the fields of southern Israel, he looked up and realized that some camels were approaching. When Rebekah saw him, she fell off her camel and asked Abraham’s manager,
“Who is that man in the field walking towards us?”
Abraham’s manager told her,
“That’s my boss!”
Rebekah took her shawl and covered herself up, and the manager told Isaac everything that had happened.
Then Isaac brought Rebekah into Sarah’s tent, took her as his wife, and loved her, finding comfort after his mother had passed away.
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