Ibrahim was old, and well stricken in age. Allah had blessed Ibrahim in all things. 2Ibrahim said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh. 3I will make you swear by Allah, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. 4But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Ishaq.“
5The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?“
6Ibrahim said to him, “Beware that you do not bring my son there again. 7Allah, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your seed.'[1] He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8If the woman is not willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again.“
9The servant put his hand under the thigh of Ibrahim his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 10The servant took ten camels, of his master’s camels, and departed, having all fine things of his master’s in his hand. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water. 12He said, “Allah, the God of my master Ibrahim, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Ibrahim. 13Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink.’ She will say, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ Let her be the one you have appointed for your servant Ishaq. Thereby will I know that you have shown kindness to my master.“
15It happened, before he had done speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Ibrahim’s brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up. 17The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.“
18She said, “Drink, my lord.“ She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink. 19When she had done giving him drink, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking.“ 20She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21The man looked steadfastly at her, holding his peace, to know whether Allah had made his journey prosperous or not. 22It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 23and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father’s house for us to lodge in?“
24She said to him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.“ 25She said moreover to him, “We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.“
26The man bowed his head, and worshiped Allah. 27He said, “Praise be to Allah, the God of my master Ibrahim, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Allah has led me in the way to the house of my master’s relatives.“
28The young lady ran, and told her mother’s house about these words. 29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. 30It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, “This is what the man said to me,“ that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring. 31He said, “Come in, you blessed of Allah. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.“
32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33Food was set before him to eat. But he said, “I will not eat until I have told my message.“
He said, “Speak on.“
34He said, “I am Ibrahim’s servant. 35Allah has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and donkeys. 36Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him. 37My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ 39I said to my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’ 40He said to me, ‘Allah, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father’s house. 41Then will you be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they do not give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’ 42I came this day to the spring, and said, ‘Allah, the God of my master Ibrahim, if now you do prosper my way which I go. 43Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes forth to draw, to whom I will say, Give me, I pray you, a little water from your pitcher to drink. 44She will tell me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels.“Let the same be the woman whom Allah has appointed for my master’s son.’ 45Before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she made the camels drink also. 47I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. 48I bowed my head, and worshiped Allah, and blessed Allah, the God of my master Ibrahim, who had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter for his son. 49Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me. That I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.“
50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, “The thing proceeds from Allah. We cannot speak to you bad or good. 51Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her, and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as Allah has spoken.“
52It happened that when Ibrahim’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Allah. 53The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. 54They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.“
55Her brother and her mother said, “Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go.“
56He said to them, “Do not hinder me, seeing Allah has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.“
57They said, “We will call the young lady, and ask her.“ 58They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?“
She said, “I will go.“
59They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Ibrahim’s servant, and his men. 60They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them.“
61Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62Ishaq came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi. For he lived in the land of the South. 63Ishaq went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming. 64Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Ishaq, she dismounted from the camel. 65She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?“
The servant said, “It is my master.“
She took her veil, and covered herself. 66The servant told Ishaq all the things that he had done. 67Ishaq brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Ishaq was comforted after his mother’s death.
[1] 24:7 Explained in the Injil, Galatians 3:16.