亞伯拉罕為以撒娶妻
1亞伯拉罕已經年邁，耶和華在一切的事上都賜福給他。 2亞伯拉罕對他的老總管說：「請你把手放在我大腿底下， 3我要你憑耶和華——掌管天地的上帝起誓，你不會找這迦南的女子做我兒子的妻子。 4你要回到我的家鄉，在我的親族中為以撒物色妻子。」 5老總管問他：「如果那女子不肯跟我到這裡來，我要把你兒子帶回你的家鄉嗎？」 6亞伯拉罕說：「你千萬不可帶我的兒子回那裡！ 7因為帶領我離開父家和本鄉的耶和華——天上的主，曾經向我說話，起誓應許把這片土地賜給我的後代。祂必派天使在你前面引路，幫助你在那裡為我兒子找到妻子。 8如果那女子不肯跟你來，你也算履行了你向我起的誓，只是你不可帶我兒子回那裡。」 9於是，老總管就把手放在他主人亞伯拉罕的大腿底下，為這事向他起誓。
10老總管帶著主人的十匹駱駝和各種上好的禮物，啟程前往美索不達米亞，來到拿鶴住的城。 11黃昏，婦女們出來打水的時候，他讓駱駝跪在城外的井旁， 12然後禱告說：「我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝耶和華啊，求你施恩給我家主人亞伯拉罕，讓事情今天能夠成就。 13現在，我站在這泉水旁，城裡的少女正出來打水。 14如果我對哪個少女說『請放下你的水罐，讓我喝點水』，如果她說『請喝，我也打水給你的駱駝喝』，願那女子做你為自己的僕人以撒選定的妻子。這樣，我可以知道你施恩給我的主人了。」
老總管井旁遇利百加
15老總管的話還沒有說完，就有一位名叫利百加的少女肩上扛著水罐走出來。她是彼土利的女兒，彼土利是亞伯拉罕的兄弟拿鶴和密迦所生的兒子。 16利百加長得非常美麗，是個處女，沒有男人親近過她。她下到井旁，把水罐盛滿了水後上來。 17老總管跑上前去對她說：「求你給我一點水喝。」 18她回答說：「我主，請喝！」說完，立刻放下水罐，托在手上讓他喝。 19等他喝完以後，利百加又說：「我再為你的駱駝打些水來，讓牠們喝個飽。」 20於是，她馬上把水罐裡的水倒進水槽裡，又跑到井邊為所有的駱駝打水。 21當時，老總管在一旁靜靜地注視著利百加，要看看耶和華是否使他此行順利。
22駱駝喝過水以後，老總管拿出一隻約六克重的金環和一對約一百一十克重的金鐲給利百加， 23對她說：「請問你是誰的女兒？你父親家裡有地方讓我們住宿嗎？」 24利百加回答說：「我是彼土利的女兒，我父親是拿鶴和密迦的兒子。 25我家裡有充足的糧草，也有地方讓你留宿。」 26老總管聽了，就俯伏敬拜耶和華， 27說：「我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝耶和華當受稱頌，因為祂一直以慈愛和信實對待我的主人，引導我一路走到我主人兄弟的家裡。」
28利百加跑回家中，把這事告訴了母親和家人。 29利百加有個哥哥名叫拉班。 30他看見妹妹的金環和手上的金鐲，聽了她敘述老總管的話，就跑到井旁，見老總管跟駱駝仍然站在那裡， 31便對他說：「你這蒙耶和華賜福的人，請到我家。為什麼站在外面呢？我已經為你預備好了房間，也為駱駝預備了地方。」 32老總管就到了拉班的家裡，拉班卸下駱駝背上的東西，給駱駝餵上草料，打水給老總管和隨行的人洗腳。 33他們備好了晚餐給他吃，老總管卻說：「不，等我說明來意後再吃。」拉班說：「請說。」
34老總管說：「我是亞伯拉罕的僕人。 35耶和華賜給我主人極大的福氣，使他非常富有。耶和華賜給他牛群、羊群、金子、銀子、男女僕婢、駱駝和驢。 36我主人的妻子撒拉在晚年生了一個兒子，主人把所有的財產都給了他。 37主人要我起誓，他說，『你不可以給我的兒子娶迦南女子為妻， 38你要到我家鄉的親族中為我兒子物色妻子。』 39我問我的主人，『如果那女子不願意跟我回來怎麼辦？』 40他說，『我一向事奉的耶和華必會派天使與你同行，使你一路順利，為我兒子在家鄉的親族中物色妻子。 41你去就是履行了你向我起的誓，如果我的親族不肯把女子交給你，你也算履行了你向我起的誓。』
42「所以，今天我來到井旁時曾禱告說，『我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝耶和華啊，求你使我一路順利。 43我現在站在井旁，有女子出來打水的時候，我會向她要水喝， 44如果她說，請喝，我也打水給你的駱駝喝，就讓她做你為我家主人的兒子預備的妻子吧。』
45「我心中的話還沒有說完，就看見利百加肩上扛著水罐到井旁打水。我上前向她要水喝， 46她就連忙放下肩上的水罐，說，『請喝，我也打水給你的駱駝喝。』我喝了，她又打水給駱駝喝。 47我問她是誰家的女兒，她說，『是拿鶴和密迦的兒子彼土利的女兒。』我就替她戴上金鼻環和金手鐲， 48然後俯伏敬拜耶和華——我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝，因為祂引導我走正確的路，找到了主人兄弟的孫女兒給主人的兒子做妻子。 49現在，你們若願意以慈愛和信實對待我的主人，答應這門親事，請告訴我；如果不答應，也請告訴我，好讓我知道應該怎麼辦。」
50拉班和彼土利回答說：「既然是耶和華的安排，我們不能再多說什麼。 51你看，利百加就在這裡，你可以照耶和華的話，把她帶回去給你主人的兒子做妻子。」 52亞伯拉罕的僕人聽見這話，就俯伏在地上敬拜耶和華， 53然後拿出金銀首飾和衣裳送給利百加，又把貴重的禮物送給她的哥哥和母親。 54老總管和隨行的人用過晚飯以後，在那裡住了一夜。第二天早晨，老總管說：「請讓我返回我主人那裡。」 55但利百加的哥哥和母親說：「讓利百加和我們住上十來天再去吧！」 56可是，老總管說：「既然耶和華已經使我一路順利，請你們不要挽留我，請讓我回到我主人那裡。」 57他們說：「我們問問利百加的意見吧。」 58他們就叫來利百加，問她：「你願意跟這個人同去嗎？」利百加說：「我願意！」 59於是，他們讓利百加和她的奶媽跟老總管及隨行的人一同離去， 60並為利百加祝福，說：
「我們的妹妹啊，
願你成為千萬人之母！
願你的後代戰勝仇敵！」
以撒與利百加成婚
61於是，利百加和她的婢女們準備妥當，騎上駱駝，跟著老總管離去。
62那時，以撒住在南地，他剛從庇耳·拉海·萊回來。 63傍晚的時候，以撒來到田間默想，他抬頭一看，見一隊駱駝迎面而來。 64利百加抬頭看見以撒，就從駱駝上下來， 65問老總管：「那從田間來迎接我們的是誰？」老總管說：「是我的主人！」利百加聽了就蒙上面紗。 66老總管向以撒講述整個事情的經過。 67以撒就帶利百加進入他母親撒拉的帳篷，娶她為妻，並且很愛她。自從母親去世後，以撒這才得到安慰。
Isaac and Rebekah
1Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, ‘Put your hand under my thigh. 3I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.’
5The servant asked him, ‘What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?’
6‘Make sure that you do not take my son back there,’ Abraham said. 7‘The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, “To your offspring24:7 Or seed I will give this land” – he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. 8If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.’ 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
10Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim24:10 That is, North-west Mesopotamia and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11He made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was towards evening, the time the women go out to draw water.
12Then he prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14May it be that when I say to a young woman, “Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too” – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.’
15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17The servant hurried to meet her and said, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar.’
18‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19After she had given him a drink, she said, ‘I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.’ 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.
22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka24:22 That is, about 5.7 grams and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.24:22 That is, about 115 grams 23Then he asked, ‘Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?’
24She answered him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.’ 25And she added, ‘We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.’
26Then the man bowed down and worshipped the Lord, 27saying, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.’
28The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31‘Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,’ he said. ‘Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.’
32So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33Then food was set before him, but he said, ‘I will not eat until I have 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 abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 37And my master made me swear an oath, and said, “You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.”
39‘Then I asked my master, “What if the woman will not come back with me?”
40‘He replied, “The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. 41You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you – then you will be released from my oath.”
42‘When I came to the spring today, I said, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’ 44and if she says to me, ‘Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,’ 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, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
46‘She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.” So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
47‘I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?”
‘She said, “The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.”
‘Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48and I bowed down and worshipped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.’
50Laban and Bethuel answered, ‘This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.’
52When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, ‘Send me on my way to my master.’
55But her brother and her mother replied, ‘Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you24:55 Or she may go.’
56But he said to them, ‘Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.’
57Then they said, ‘Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.’ 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, ‘Will you go with this man?’
‘I will go,’ she said.
59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
‘Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands;
may your offspring possess
the cities of their enemies.’
61Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63He went out to the field one evening to meditate,24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65and asked the servant, ‘Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?’
‘He is my master,’ the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
66Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
