Genesis 24

Genesis 24:1

Now

This word is used here to mark a stop in the main story. Here the author starts to tell a new part of the story.

Genesis 24:2

Put your hand under my thigh

Abraham was about to ask the servant to swear to do something. Putting his hand under Abraham's thigh would show that he would certainly do what he would swear to do.

Genesis 24:3

swear by Yahweh

"promise me with Yahweh as your witness"

the God of heaven and the God of the earth

"the God of everything in heaven and earth"

from the daughters of the Canaanites

"from the Canaanite women" or "from the Canaanites." This refers to Canaanite females.

among whom I make my home

"among whom we live"

Genesis 24:4

But you will go

"Swear that you will go" or "But go"

my relatives

"my family"

Genesis 24:5

What if

"What should I do if"

will not be willing to follow me

"will not follow me" or "refuses to come back with me"

Must I take your son back to the land from which you came

"Should I take you son to live in the land from which you came"

Genesis 24:7

who took me from my father's house

"who took me from my father and the rest of my family"

saying, 'To your descendants I will give this land,'

"saying that he would give this land to my descendants"

he will send his angel

The words "he" and "his" refer to Yahweh.

Genesis 24:8

But if the woman is not willing to follow you

"But if the woman refuses to come with you."

you will be free from this oath of mine

"you will not have to do what you swore to me that you would do"

Genesis 24:9

swore to him

"made an oath to him"

concerning this matter

"concerning Abraham's request" or "that he would do what Abraham said"

Genesis 24:10

He also took with him all kinds of goods from his master

This means he also took many good things that his master wanted to give to the woman's family.

departed and went

"set out and went" or "he left and went"

the city of Nahor

Possible meanings are 1) the city where Nahor lived" or 2) "the city called Nahor."

Genesis 24:11

He made the camels kneel down

Camels are tall animals with long legs. He made them bend their legs and lower their bodies to the ground. "He made the camels lie down"

draw water

"get water"

Genesis 24:12

Then he said

"Then the servant said"

grant me success today and show covenant faithfulness to my master Abraham

"Show covenant faithfulness to my master Abraham by granting me success today"

grant me success

"help me to succeed" or "make me able to do what I have come here to do"

Genesis 24:13

Look, here I am standing

"You can see me standing here"

the spring of water

"the spring" or "the well"

the daughters of the men of the city

"the young women of the city"

Genesis 24:14

Let it happen like this

"Let it happen this way" or "Make this happen"

When I say to a young woman, 'Please lower your pitcher so that I may drink,'

"When I ask a young woman to let me have a drink of water from her jar"

pitcher

a medium-size jar made of clay used for holding and pouring liquids

that you have shown covenant faithfulness to my master

"that you have been faithful to the covenant you have with my master Abraham" or "you have been faithful to my master Abraham"

Genesis 24:15

behold

The word "behold" here alerts us to pay attention to the surprising information that follows.

Rebekah was born to Bethuel son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother

"Rebekah's father was Bethuel. Bethuel's parents were Milkah and Nahor. Nahor was Abraham's brother"

Genesis 24:16

No man had ever known her

This is a polite way of saying that the she had not had sexual relations with any man. You may need to use another euphemism in your language.

She went down to the spring ... and came up

The spring was somewhere lower in elevation than where the servant was standing.

Genesis 24:17

to meet her

"to meet the young woman"

Genesis 24:18

my master

"sir." Here the woman uses this term of respect to refer to the man, though she is not his slave.

Genesis 24:20

So she hurried and emptied her pitcher

"So she quickly emptied her pitcher"

the trough

"the animals' water trough." A trough is a long open container for holding water for animals to drink.

Genesis 24:21

The man

"The servant"

watched her

"watched Rebekah" or "watched the young woman"

to see

"to know" or "to determine"

had prospered his journey

"was showing him the woman who would become Isaac's wife"

or not

"or not prospered his journey"

Genesis 24:22

a gold nose ring weighing half a shekel

"an expensive gold nose ring"

two gold bracelets for her arms weighing ten shekels

"two large gold bracelets for her arms"

Genesis 24:23

Whose daughter are you

"Who is your father"

is there room in your father's house

"is there a place in your father's house"

for us

Apparently other men went on this journey with Abraham's servant. Here "us" refers to the servant and those traveling with him, but not to those to whom he was speaking.

to spend the night

"to stay tonight" or "to stay for the night"

Genesis 24:24

She said

"Rebekah said" or "the young woman said"

to him

"to the servant"

I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nahor

"Bethuel is my father, and his parents are Milkah and Nahor"

Genesis 24:25

We have plenty of both straw and feed

"We have plenty of straw and feed for the camels"

for you to spend the night

"for you to stay tonight" or "where you can stay for the night"

for you

Here "you" refers to the servant and those traveling with him.

Genesis 24:26

the man

"the servant"

Genesis 24:27

has not abandoned his covenant faithfulness and his trustworthiness toward my master

"has not stopped being faithful to his covenant and trustworthy toward my master" or "has not stopped being faithful and trustworthy to my master"

my master's relatives

"my master's family" or "my master's clan"

Genesis 24:28

ran and told her mother's household

"ran to the house and told her mother and everyone there"

all of these things

"everything that had just happened"

Genesis 24:29

Now

This word is used here to mark a stop in the main story. Here the author tells background information about Rebekah. The author introduces her brother, Laban, to the story.

Genesis 24:30

When he had seen the nose ring ... and when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister

These things happened before he ran out to the man. This tells why Laban ran out to the man.

when he had heard the words of Rebekah his sister, "This is what the man said to me,"

"when he had heard his sister Rebekah tell what the man had said to her"

behold, he

The word "behold" here adds emphasis to what follows. "it was just as she had said: he"

Genesis 24:31

you blessed of Yahweh

"you whom Yahweh has blessed"

you

Here the word "you" refers to Abraham's servant.

Why are you standing outside?

"You do not need to stay outside."

Genesis 24:32

he unloaded the camels

"Laban's servants unloaded the camels" or "the camels were unloaded"

The camels were given straw and feed, and water was provided

"Laban's servants gave straw and feed to the camels, and they provided water"

to wash his feet ... him

"for Abraham's servant and the men who were with him to wash their feet"

Genesis 24:33

They set

Here, the word "they" refers to Laban's family members or to the household servants.

set food before him

"gave food to the servant"

said what I have to say

"spoken my words" or "told you why I am here"

Genesis 24:35

he has become great

Here the word "he" refers to Abraham.

become great

"become very wealthy"

He has given

The word "he" refers to Yahweh.

Genesis 24:36

bore a son to my master

"gave birth to a son"

he has given ... to him

"my master has given ... to his son"

Genesis 24:37

My master made me swear, saying

"My master made me swear that I would do what he told me to do. He said"

from the daughters of the Canaanites

"from the Canaanite women" or "from the Canaanites"

in whose land I make my home

"among whom we live"

Genesis 24:38

to my relatives

"to my own clan"

Genesis 24:39

Perhaps the woman will not follow me.

"What if the woman will not come back with me?" or "What should I do if the woman will not come back with me?"

Genesis 24:40

before whom I walk

"whom I serve"

he will prosper your way

"he will make your journey successful"

Genesis 24:41

you will be free from my oath

"you will not have to do what you swore to me that you would do"

if you come to my relatives

"if you arrive at my relatives' home" or "if you go to my relatives"

Genesis 24:42

the spring

"the well"

Genesis 24:43

let the young woman who comes ... the woman to whom I say

The servant goes back to stating his request. These are the first two things he has to say about the woman whom he hopes will come.

Genesis 24:44

let her be the woman

The servant finishes his request.

Genesis 24:45

speaking in my heart

"praying" or "praying quietly"

behold, Rebekah came

"suddenly Rebekah came" or "I was surprised because I saw Rebekah coming"

Genesis 24:47

ring ... bracelets

In this story, all of these items were made of gold. See how you translated these in Genesis 24:22.

Genesis 24:48

led me by the way that is right

"brought me here"

who had led me

"because Yahweh led me"

my master's relative

This refers to Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor.

Genesis 24:49

Now therefore

"Now." Here "Now" does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.

if you are prepared to show steadfast love and faithfulness to my master, tell me

"tell me if you will love my master and be faithful to him by giving Rebekah to be his son's wife"

you

The word "you" refers to Laban and Bethuel.

But if not

"But if you are not prepared to treat my master with steadfast love and faithfulness"

so that I may turn to the right hand or to the left

"so that I may continue on my journey"

Genesis 24:50

The thing has come from Yahweh

"Yahweh has caused all of this to happen"

we cannot speak to you either bad or good

"we dare not judge what Yahweh is doing"

Genesis 24:51

Rebekah is before you

"Here is Rebekah"

Genesis 24:52

their words

"what Laban and Bethuel said"

he bowed down

Bowing down before God is an expression of worship to him.

Genesis 24:53

articles of silver and articles of gold

"silver and gold items" or "things made of silver and gold"

precious gifts

"expensive gifts" or "valuable gifts"

Genesis 24:54

he and the men who were with him

"Abraham's servant and his men"

stayed there overnight

"slept there that night"

arose in the morning

"got up the next morning"

Send me away

"Let me leave and return"

Genesis 24:55

a few more days, at least ten

"at least ten more days"

Genesis 24:56

he said

"Abraham's servant said"

to them

"to Rebekah's brother and mother"

Do not hinder me

"Do not delay me" or "Do not make me wait"

Yahweh has prospered my way

"Yahweh has caused me to succeed in the purpose my journey"

Send me on my way

"Allow me to leave"

Genesis 24:59

So they sent their sister Rebekah

"So the family sent Rebekah"

her female servant

This refers to the female servant who had fed Rebekah when she was a baby, cared for her when she was a child, and still served her.

Genesis 24:60

may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands

"may you be the ancestor of millions of people" or "may you have very many descendants"

may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them

"may your descendants completely defeat those who hate them"

Genesis 24:61

Then Rebekah arose, and she and her servant girls mounted the camels

"Then Rebekah and her servant girls went and got on the camels"

Thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way

"In this way Abraham's servant took Rebekah with him and returned to where he had come from"

Genesis 24:62

Now

This word marks a change in the story. It was telling about the servant finding a wife, and now it will tell about Isaac.

Beer Lahai Roi

This is the name of a water well in the Negev. See how you translated it in Genesis 16:14.

Genesis 24:63

Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening

"One evening Isaac went out to the field to think." This must have been a long time after the servant and Rebekah left her home since they had to travel a long distance.

When he looked up and saw, behold, there were camels coming!

"When he looked up he was surprised to see camels coming"

Genesis 24:64

Rebekah looked

"Rebekah looked up"

she jumped down from the camel

"she quickly got off the camel"

Genesis 24:65

So she took her veil, and covered herself

"So she covered her face with her veil." This is a sign of respect and modesty towards the man she will marry. The full meaning of this can be made explicit.

veil

a piece of cloth used to cover a person's head, shoulders and face

Genesis 24:67

took Rebekah, and she became his wife

"married Rebekah" or "took her as his wife"

So Isaac was comforted

"So Rebekah comforted Isaac"