圣经Abraham was of old age, and the Lord had always blessed him in all things.
Abraham said to the oldest servant in charge of his entire business, ‘Please place your hand under my thigh.’.
I will make you swear by the Lord of heaven and earth that you will not marry this woman from the land of Canaan for my son.
You are going to my own land and tribe to marry a wife for my son Isaac.
The servant said to him, “If the woman refuses to come with me to this place, must I bring your son back to the place where you came from?”?
Abraham said to him, Be careful not to bring my son back there.
The Lord of heaven has led me away from my father’s house and the land of my people, speaking to me and swearing to me, saying, I will give this land to your descendants. He will send messengers before you, and you can take a wife for my son from there.
If the woman refuses to come with you, the oath I made you swear will be of no use to you, but you shall not bring my son back there.
The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him about this matter.
The servant took ten camels from his master’s camels and brought all kinds of goods from his master. He got up and went to Mesopotamia to the city of Nahor.
As the evening approached, when the women came out to fetch water, he made the camels kneel at the well outside the city.
He said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please be kind to my master Abraham, so that I may find a good opportunity today.
I am currently standing by the well, and the women of the city residents are coming out to fetch water.
To which woman shall I say, Take down a water bottle, and give me water to drink? If she says, Drink, and I will give your camels water, may that woman be the wife whom you have reserved for your servant Isaac. In this way, I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.
Before she could finish speaking, Rebecca came out with a water bottle on her shoulder. Rebekah was born to Bethuli. Bethuel was the son of Micah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
The woman had an extremely handsome appearance, still a virgin, and no one had ever approached her. She went down to the well, filled the bottle, and came up again.
The servant ran up to meet her and said, “Please give me some water from the bottle to drink.”.
The woman said, “Drink, my lord.” She quickly took down a bottle and placed it in her hand to give him a drink.
The woman gave him a drink and said, ‘I will fetch water for your camels again, so that they can also drink enough.’.
She quickly poured the water from the bottle into the trough, and then ran to the well to fetch water, bringing water to all the camels.
The man fixed his gaze on her, not saying a word, to know if the Lord had given him a clear path.
When the camel had drunk enough, the man took a gold ring weighing half a shekel and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave it to the woman,
Tell me, whose daughter are you? Does your father have a place for us to stay at home.
The woman said, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Micah and Nahor.
It is also said that our family has plenty of food and shelter.
The man lowered his head and worshipped the Lord,
Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, for he constantly treats my master with love and truth. As for me, the Lord led me on the way, straight to the house of my master’s brother.
The woman ran back and told her mother and her family according to these words.
Rebekah had a brother named Laban who saw a golden ring and a golden bracelet in his sister’s hand. He also heard Rebekah’s words, saying, “This is what that person said to me.”. Laban ran out towards the well and approached the man, only to find him still standing by the well next to the camel.
And he said to him, You who have been blessed by the Lord, come in. Why are you standing outside? I have cleaned up the house and prepared a place for the camels.
That person entered Laban’s house. Laban unloaded the camels, fed them with hay, and washed the feet of the man and his companions with water,
He placed the food in front of him and asked him to eat it, but he said, “I won’t eat it until I understand my situation.”. Laban said, please speak.
He said, I am Abraham’s servant.
The Lord has greatly blessed my master, making him great. He has also given him flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, gold and silver, servants, camels, and donkeys.
My master’s wife Sarah gave birth to a son when she was old. My master also gave everything to this son.
My master made me swear, saying, Do not marry a woman from the land of Canaan for my son.
You must go to my father’s house, to my own tribe, and marry a wife for my son.
I told my master that I’m afraid the woman won’t come with me.
And he said, The Lord, whom I serve, will send his messengers with you, to make your way clear, and you will be able to marry my son in my father’s house and my family.
As long as you come to my own tribe, the oath I make you swear will have nothing to do with you. If they do not hand over the woman to you, the oath I have made you will have nothing to do with you.
I came to the well today and said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, may you make my way clear.
I am now standing by the well and saying to the woman who came out to fetch water, please give me some water from your bottle to drink.
If she says, just drink, and I will fetch water for your camels. May that woman be the wife that the Lord has appointed for my master’s son.
Before I could finish speaking in my heart, Rebekah came out, carrying a water bottle on her shoulder, and went down to the well to fetch water. I said to her, please give me water to drink.
She quickly took the bottle from her shoulder and said, “Drink, I’ll give your camel too.”. I drank it. She gave my camel another drink.
I asked her, whose daughter are you? She said, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Micah and Nahor. I put the ring on her nose and the bracelet on her hands.
Then I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord, praising the God of my master Abraham. Because he guided me on the path of harmony, allowing me to obtain the granddaughter of my master’s brother and marry my master’s son.
If you now wish to treat my master with kindness and honesty, tell me. If not, please let me know so that I can either go left or right.
Laban and Bethuel answered, ‘This is from the Lord, and we cannot say good or bad to you.’.
See, Rebekah is before you. Take her away and give her to your master’s son as his wife, as the Lord has said.
Abraham’s servants heard these words and fell to the ground before the Lord.
At that moment, the servant took out gold, silver, and clothing and gave them to Rebekah, as well as treasures to her brother and mother.
The servant and his followers ate and drank, and stayed overnight. In the morning, the servant said, “Send me back to my master.”.
Rebekah’s brother and mother said to let the woman stay with us for a few more days, at least ten days, and then she can go.
The servant said, Since the Lord has given me a clear path, do not delay me. Send me away and return to my master.
They said, let’s call the woman and ask her.
I called Rebecca and asked her, “Are you going with this person?”? Rebecca said, I’ll go.
So they sent their sister Rebekah and her wet nurse, along with Abraham’s servants and those who followed them, all away.
And they blessed Rebekah, saying, Our sister, may you be the mother of millions. May your descendants receive the gates of their enemies.
Rebekah and her maids got up, rode on camels, and followed the servant. The servant then took Rebekah and left.
At that time, Isaac was living in the south and had just returned from Beerlah Hailei.
As it was getting late, Isaac came out to ponder in the field. He looked up and saw some camels coming.
When Rebekah lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac, she quickly got off the camel,
Ask the servant, ‘Who is this person who is coming to meet us in the field?’. The servant said, It is my master. Rebekah took a handkerchief and covered her face.
The servant told Isaac everything he had done.
Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, married her, and loved her. Isaac received comfort only after his mother was gone.
