Isak Ware Rebeka
1Na Abraham anyin a ne mfe akɔ anim yiye. Awurade hyiraa no wɔ akwan ahorow nyinaa so. 2Da koro bi, Abraham ka kyerɛɛ ne somfo panyin a ɔhwɛ nʼagyapade nyinaa so no se, “Fa wo nsa ka me srɛ ase. 3Mepɛ sɛ woka Awurade a ɔyɛ ɔsoro ne asase Nyankopɔn ntam sɛ, worenware Kanaanfo a me ne wɔn te yi babea biara mma me babarima Isak. 4Na mmom, wobɛkɔ me man mu, mʼabusuafo nkyɛn, akɔware ɔbea abrɛ no.”
5Ɔsomfo no bisaa Abraham se, “Me wura, na sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔbea no ampene so sɛ ɔne me bɛba ɔman yi mu a, na mereyɛ no dɛn? Memfa wo babarima no nkɔ wo man no mu ana?”
6Abraham kae se, “Hwɛ yiye na woamfa me babarima no ankɔ hɔ da. 7Awurade, ɔsoro Nyankopɔn a ɔde me fi mʼagya fi ne mʼasase so baa ha na ɔkaa ntam hyɛɛ me bɔ se, ‘Mede saa asase yi bɛma wʼasefo no,’ ɔno ara na ɔbɛsoma ne bɔfo adi wʼanim akɔ, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wubenya ɔyere afi hɔ ama me babarima no. 8Sɛ ɛba sɛ, ɔbea no ampene sɛ ɔne wo bɛba a, wo ntam a wokae no nkyekyere wo. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wode me babarima no kɔ hɔ.” 9Enti, ɔsomfo no de ne nsa kaa ne wura Abraham srɛ ase, kaa saa asɛm yi ho ntam.
10Na, ɔsomfo no faa ne wura yoma no mu du kɔe. Ɔrebɛkɔ no, ogyee ne wura Abraham nkyɛn nnepa ahorow bebree kaa ho. Ɔde nʼani kyerɛɛ Mesopotamia, koduu Nahor kurow mu. 11Oduu Nahor kurotia no, ɔmaa yoma no butubutuw abura bi a ɛwɔ hɔ no ho. Na onwini adwo a ɛyɛ bere a mmea bɛtow nsu wɔ abura no mu.
12Na ɔsomfo no bɔɔ mpae se, “Awurade, me wura Abraham Nyankopɔn, hu me wura Abraham mmɔbɔ, na boa me, na mʼakwantu yi nsi yiye. 13Hwɛ, migyina abura yi so, na kurow yi mu mmabaa rebɛtow nsu. 14Ma ɛmmra mu sɛ, ababaa biara a mɛka akyerɛ no se, ‘Mesrɛ wo, soɛ na ma me wo sukuruwa no mu nsu no bi nnom no,’ sɛ ɔka se, ‘Nom bi, na mɛma wo yoma no nso bi anom’ a, ɔnyɛ ababaa a woapaw no ama wʼakoa Isak. Ɛnam eyi so bɛma mahu sɛ, woahu me wura mmɔbɔ.”
15Ogu so rebɔ mpae no na Rebeka bae a ne sukuruwa si ne bati so. Saa Rebeka no yɛ Betuel ba. Betuel no nso yɛ Abraham nuabarima Nahor ne ne yere Milka babarima. 16Na Rebeka no yɛ ɔbabun a ne ho yɛ fɛ yiye. Na ɔbarima biara mfaa ne ho nkaa no da. Osian kɔɔ abura no so, kɔhyɛɛ ne sukuruwa no nsu ma, san bae.
17Ɔsomfo no de ahoɔhare kohyiaa Rebeka, ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mesrɛ wo, hwie wo sukuruwa no mu nsu no kakra ma mennom.”
18Ntɛm ara, ɔsoɛɛ ne sukuruwa no kae se, “Me wura, gye bi nom.”
19Rebeka maa ɔsomfo no nsu no bi nom wiee no, ɔkae se, “Mɛsan akɔsaw nsu no bi abrɛ wo yoma no nyinaa nso anom.” 20Enti Rebeka de ahoɔhare hwiee ne nsu no guu anomee bi mu, san kɔsaw nsu a ɛbɛso yoma no nyinaa nom de bae. 21Ɔsomfo no hwɛɛ Rebeka komm, karii no pɛɛ sɛ ohu sɛ Awurade ama nʼakwantu no asi no yiye ana.
22Yoma no nom nsu no wiee no, ɔsomfo no yii sikakɔkɔɔ hwenemkaa a emu duru kari gram asia ne nkapo abien a ɛno nso mu duru yɛ gram ɔha dunan. 23Na obisae se, “Hena ba ne wo? Mesrɛ wo, yebenya nnabea wɔ wʼagya fi ama ade akye ana?”
24Rebeka buaa no se, “Betuel babea ne me. Me nananom ne Milka ne Nahor.” 25Ɔka kaa ho se, “Yɛwɔ sare ne mmoa aduan bebree ne baabi a mo nso mobɛda.”
26Na ɔsomfo no buu nkotodwe, sɔree Awurade Nyankopɔn se, 27“Nhyira nka Awurade, me wura Abraham Nyankopɔn, sɛ onnyaee nokwaredi ne ayamye a ɔyɛ ma me wura no. Me de, Awurade adi mʼanim wɔ mʼakwantu yi mu, de me abedu me wura abusuafo fi.”
28Rebeka tuu mmirika kɔkaa nsɛm a asisi no nyinaa kyerɛɛ ne na fifo. 29Na Rebeka wɔ nuabarima bi a ne din de Laban. Laban tee asɛm no, ɔde ahoɔhare kɔɔ ɔbarima no nkyɛn wɔ abura no so. 30Laban huu hwenemkaa no ne nkapo a egu ne nuabea no nsa no, na ɔtee asɛm a ɔbarima no ka kyerɛɛ Rebeka no, ɔkɔɔ ɔbarima no nkyɛn kohuu sɛ ogyina yoma no ho wɔ asubura no so. 31Laban ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfo no se, “Bra, wo a Awurade ahyira wo.” Obisaa ɔsomfo no se, “Adɛn nti na wugyina kurotia ha? Masiesie wo nnabea ne baabi a yoma no nso bɛda.”
32Enti ɔsomfo no kɔɔ fie hɔ maa Laban yiyii nneɛma a ɛwɔ yoma no so no. Wɔmaa yoma no sare ne aduan, afei Laban maa ɔsomfo no ne nnipa a wɔka ne ho no nsu de hohoroo wɔn anan ho. 33Eyi akyi no, ɔtoo wɔn pon. Nanso ɔsomfo no kae se, “Merempɛ sɛ medidi, gye sɛ mabɔ mʼamanneɛ.”
Laban kae se, “Bɔ wʼamanneɛ ɛ.”
34Enti ɔsomfo no bɔɔ nʼamanneɛ se, “Meyɛ Abraham somfo. 35Awurade ahyira me wura bebree, ama wayɛ ɔdefo. Wama no nguan ne anantwi, dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ, nkoa ne mfenaa ne yoma ne mfurum. 36Bio, me wura yere Sara awo ɔbabarima ama no wɔ ne mmerewabere mu; Awurade na ɔde nea ɔwɔ nyinaa ama no. 37Me wura ma mekaa ntam se, ‘Worenware Kanaanfo a me ne wɔn te yi babea biara mma me babarima Isak. 38Na mmom, wobɛkɔ me man mu, mʼabusuafo nkyɛn, akɔware ɔbea wɔ hɔ abrɛ me babarima Isak.’
39“Na mibisaa me wura se, ‘Na sɛ ɛba sɛ, ɔbea no ampene so sɛ ɔne me bɛba ɔman yi mu a, na mereyɛ no dɛn?’
40“Me wura Abraham buae se, ‘Awurade a manantew nʼanim no bɛsoma ne bɔfo, adi wʼanim, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, wʼakwantu no besi yiye, na woanya ɔyere ama me babarima afi mʼabusua mu a ɛyɛ mʼagya fi no mu. 41Afei, sɛ ɛba sɛ, woba mʼabusua mu, na sɛ wɔamfa ɔbea no amma wo a, wo ntam a wokae no renkyekyere wo.’
42“Mebaa asubura no so nnɛ no, mesrɛe sɛ, ‘Awurade, me wura Abraham Nyankopɔn, sɛ ɛyɛ wo pɛ a, ma akwantu yi nsi me yiye! 43Hwɛ, migyina abura yi so. Sɛ ababaa bi bɛtow nsu wɔ ha, na meka kyerɛ no se, “Mesrɛ wo, soɛ na ma me wo sukuruwa no mu nsu no kakra nnom” no, 44na sɛ ɔka se, “Nom bi, na mɛma wo yoma no nso bi anom” a, ɔnyɛ ababaa a Awurade apaw no ama me wura Abraham babarima Isak no.’
45“Ansa na mewie me koma mu mpaebɔ no, Rebeka puee a sukuruwa si ne bati so. Rebeka kɔɔ abura no so, kɔtow nsu, na meka kyerɛɛ no se, ‘Mesrɛ wo, ma me nsu no bi nnom.’
46“Ntɛm ara, ɔsoɛɛ ne sukuruwa no kae se, ‘Me wura, gye bi nom na mɛsan asaw nsu no bi abrɛ wo yoma no nyinaa nso anom.’ Enti menom nsu no bi, na ɔmaa yoma no nyinaa nso bi nomee.
47“Mibisaa no se, ‘Hena ba ne wo?’
“Rebeka buae se, ‘Betuel ba ne me. Me nenanom ne Milka ne Nahor.’
“Ɛhɔ ara na mede hwenemkaa no hyɛɛ ne hwenem, na mede nkapo no nso guu ne nsa. 48Afei, mebɔɔ me mu ase sɔree Awurade. Mekamfoo Awurade a ɔyɛ me wura, Abraham Nyankopɔn, a wadi mʼanim de me afa ɔkwan pa so, ama manya me wura nuabarima nena aware ama ne babarima no. 49Afei, sɛ wobɛyɛ me wura adɔe adi no nokware a, ka kyerɛ me. Sɛ ɛnte saa nso a, ka kyerɛ me, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, mehu ɔkwan ko a mɛfa so.”
50Laban ne Betuel buae se, “Saa asɛm yi fi Awurade nti, yenni ho asɛm biara. 51Rebeka ni. Momfa no nkɔ, na ɔnkɔware mo wura no babarima no, sɛnea Awurade ahyɛ no.”
52Bere a Abraham somfo no tee nea wɔkae no, obuu nkotodwe wɔ Awurade anim. 53Na ɔsomfo no yii sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ nnwinne ne ntade maa Rebeka. Ɔsan de nneɛma a ɛsom bo yiye yɛɛ Rebeka nuabarima ne ne na ayɛ. 54Afei, ɔsomfo no ne nnipa a wɔka ne ho no didi nomee, na wɔda maa ade kyee.
Ade kyee anɔpa a wɔsɔree no, ɔsomfo no kae se, “Munnya me kwan, na mensan nkɔ me wura nkyɛn.”
55Nanso Rebeka nuabarima no ne ne na buaa ɔsomfo no se, “Ma ababaa no ntena yɛn nkyɛn bɛyɛ sɛ nnafua du bi, na ɛno akyi, wode no akɔ.”
56Akoa no buaa wɔn se, “Awurade ahyira mʼakwantu yi so ama me yi de, mesrɛ mo, monnnye me nnka ha. Munnya me kwan, na mensan nkɔ me wura nkyɛn.”
57Afei, wosii gyinae sɛ, “Momma yɛmfrɛ ababaa no, na yemmisa nʼadwene.” 58Enti wɔfrɛɛ Rebeka bisaa no se, “Wopɛ sɛ wo ne saa ɔbarima yi kɔ ana?”
Rebeka buae se, “Yiw, mɛkɔ!”
59Enti wogyaa Rebeka ne ɔbea a ogyigyee no ne mmofraase no ne Abraham somfo no ne ne nkurɔfo kwan. 60Wohyiraa Rebeka se,
“Onuabea, Awurade nka wo ho,
na wʼase nnɔ mpempem!
Awurade mma wʼasefo no
nni wɔn atamfo nyinaa so nkonim.”
61Na Rebeka ne ne mmaawa siesiee wɔn ho, tenatenaa wɔn yoma so ne Abraham somfo no kɔe. Eyi ne ɔkwan a Abraham somfo no faa so de Rebeka kɔe.
62Saa bere no na Isak a na anka ɔte Negeb no fi hɔ abɛtena Beer-Lahai-Roi. 63Da koro anwummere bi a Isak kotuu mpase wɔ sare so refa adwene no, ɔtoo nʼani huu sɛ yoma sa so reba. 64Rebeka nso too nʼani, na ohuu Isak. Rebeka si fii ne yoma no so, 65bisaa Abraham somfo no se, “Ɔbarima bɛn na ɔnam sare yi so rebehyia yɛn yi?”
Ɔsomfo no buae se, “Ɔyɛ me wura babarima.” Enti Rebeka yii ne nkataanim de kataa nʼanim.
66Abraham somfo no bɔɔ Isak nsɛm a asisi no nyinaa ho amanneɛ. 67Isak de Rebeka kɔɔ ne na Sara ntamadan mu. Na ɔwaree no ma ɔbɛyɛɛ ne yere. Na ɔdɔ no yiye. Eyi maa Isak werɛ kyekyee wɔ ne na Sara wu akyi.
Abraham’s Servant Finds a Wife for Isaac
1By that time Abraham was very old. The Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. 2The best servant in his house was in charge of everything Abraham had. Abraham said to him, “Put your hand under my thigh. 3The Lord is the God of heaven and the God of earth. I want you to make a promise to me in his name. I’m living among the people of Canaan. But I want you to promise me that you won’t get a wife for my son from their daughters. 4Instead, promise me that you will go to my country and to my own relatives. Get a wife for my son Isaac from there.”
5The servant asked Abraham, “What if the woman doesn’t want to come back with me to this land? Then should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
6“Make sure you don’t take my son back there,” Abraham said. 7“The Lord, the God of heaven, took me away from my father’s family. He brought me out of my own land. He made me a promise. He said, ‘I will give this land to your family after you.’ The Lord will send his angel ahead of you. So you will be able to get a wife for my son from there. 8The woman may not want to come back with you. If she doesn’t, you will be free from your promise. But don’t take my son back there.” 9So the servant put his hand under Abraham’s thigh. He promised to do what his master wanted.
10The servant chose ten of his master’s camels and left. He loaded the camels with all kinds of good things from his master. He started out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11He stopped near the well outside the town. There he made the camels get down on their knees. It was almost evening, the time when women go out to get water.
12Then he prayed, “Lord, you are the God of my master Abraham. Make me successful today. Be kind to my master Abraham. 13I’m standing beside this spring. The daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out here to get water. 14I will speak to a young woman. I’ll say to her, ‘Please lower your jar so I can have a drink.’ Suppose she says, ‘Have a drink of water, and I’ll get some for your camels too.’ Then let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. That’s how I’ll know you have been kind to my master.”
15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out. She was carrying a jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Milkah’s son Bethuel. Milkah was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16The young woman was very beautiful. No man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring. She filled her jar and came up again.
17The servant hurried to meet her. He said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18“Have a drink, sir,” she said. She quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll get water for your camels too. I’ll keep doing it until they have had enough to drink.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the stone tub. Then she ran back to the well to get more water. She got enough for all his camels. 21The man didn’t say a word. He watched her closely. He wanted to learn whether the Lord had given him success on the journey he had made.
22The camels finished drinking. Then the man took out a gold nose ring. It weighed about a fifth of an ounce. He also took out two gold bracelets. They weighed about four ounces. 23Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? And please tell me something else. Is there room in your father’s house for us? Can we spend the night there?”
24She answered, “I’m the daughter of Bethuel. He’s the son Milkah had by Nahor.” 25She continued, “We have plenty of straw and feed for your camels. We also have room for you to spend the night.”
26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 27He said, “I praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. The Lord hasn’t stopped being kind and faithful to my master. The Lord has led me on this journey. He has brought me to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28The young woman ran home. She told her mother’s family what had happened. 29Rebekah had a brother named Laban. He hurried out to the spring to meet the man. 30Laban had seen the nose ring. He had seen the bracelets on his sister’s arms. And he had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. So Laban went out to the man. He found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31“The Lord has given you his blessing,” he said. “So come with me. Why are you standing out here? I’ve prepared my house for you. I also have a place for the camels.”
32So the man went to the house. The camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought for the camels. And water was brought for him and his men to wash their feet. 33Then food was placed in front of him. But he said, “I won’t eat until I’ve told you what I have to say.”
“Then tell us,” Laban said.
34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35The Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he has become rich. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold. He has also given him male and female servants, camels and donkeys. 36My master’s wife Sarah had a son by him when she was old. He has given that son everything he owns. 37My master made me promise him. He said, ‘I’m living in the land of the people of Canaan. But promise me that you won’t get a wife for my son from their daughters. 38Instead, go to my father’s family and to my own relatives. Get a wife for my son there.’
39“Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman won’t come back with me?’
40“He replied, ‘I have walked faithfully with the Lord. He will send his angel with you. He will give you success on your journey. So you will be able to get a wife for my son. She will be from my own relatives and from my father’s family. 41When you go to my relatives, suppose they refuse to give her to you. Then you will be free from the promise you made to me.’
42“Today I came to the spring. I said, ‘Lord, you are the God of my master Abraham. Please make me successful on this journey I’ve made. 43I’m standing beside this spring. A young woman will come out to get water. I’ll say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar.” 44Suppose she says, “Have a drink of water, and I’ll get some for your camels too.” Then let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
45“Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out. She was carrying a jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and got water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46“She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder. She said, ‘Have a drink, and I’ll get water for your camels too.’ So I drank. She also got water for the camels.
47“I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel. He’s the son Milkah had by Nahor.’
“Then I put the ring in her nose. I put the bracelets on her arms. 48And I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. He had led me on the right road. He had led me to get for my master’s son the granddaughter of my master’s brother. 49Now will you be kind and faithful to my master? If you will, tell me. And if you won’t, tell me. Then I’ll know which way to turn.”
50Laban and Bethuel answered, “The Lord has done all of this. We can’t say anything to you one way or the other. 51Here is Rebekah. Take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the Lord has said.”
52Abraham’s servant heard what they said. So he bowed down to the Lord with his face to the ground. 53He brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing. He gave all of them to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and her mother. 54Then Abraham’s servant and the men who were with him ate and drank. They spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, Abraham’s servant said, “Send me back to my master.”
55But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman stay with us ten days or so. Then you can go.”
56But he said to them, “Don’t make me wait. The Lord has given me success on my journey. Send me on my way so I can go to my master.”
57Then they said, “Let’s get Rebekah and ask her about it.” 58So they sent for her and asked, “Will you go with this man?”
“Yes, I’ll go,” she said.
59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way with Abraham’s servant and his men. They also sent Rebekah’s servant with her. 60And they gave Rebekah their blessing. They said to her,
“Dear sister, may your family grow
by thousands and thousands.
May they take over
the cities of their enemies.”
61Then Rebekah and her female servants got ready. They got on their camels to go back with the man. So Abraham’s servant took Rebekah and left.
62By that time Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi. He was living in the Negev Desert. 63One evening he went out to the field. He wanted to spend some time thinking. When he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel. 65She asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”
“He’s my master,” the servant answered. So she covered her face with her veil.
66Then the servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah. And he married Rebekah. She became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother died.
