A Wife for Isaac
1 Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in everything he did. 2 He said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of all that he had, “Place your hand between my thighs and make a vow. 3 I want you to make a vow in the name of the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the people here in Canaan. 4 You must go back to the country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my relatives.”
5 But the servant asked, “What if the young woman will not leave home to come with me to this land? Shall I send your son back to the land you came from?”
6 Abraham answered, “Make sure that you don't send my son back there! 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son. 8 If the young woman is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand between the thighs of Abraham, his master, and made a vow to do what Abraham had asked.
10 The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia. 11 When he arrived, he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when women came out to get water. 12 He prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and keep your promise to my master. 13 Here I am at the well where the young women of the city will be coming to get water. 14 I will say to one of them, ‘Please, lower your jar and let me have a drink.’ If she says, ‘Drink, and I will also bring water for your camels,’ may she be the one that you have chosen for your servant Isaac. If this happens, I will know that you have kept your promise to my master.”
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebecca arrived with a water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. 16 She was a very beautiful young woman and still a virgin. She went down to the well, filled her jar, and came back. 17 The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a drink of water from your jar.”
18 She said, “Drink, sir,” and quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. 19 When he had finished, she said, “I will also bring water for your camels and let them have all they want.” 20 She quickly emptied her jar into the animals' drinking trough and ran to the well to get more water, until she had watered all his camels. 21 The man kept watching her in silence, to see if the Lord had given him success.
22 When she had finished, the man took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large gold bracelets on her arms. 23 He said, “Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night?”
24 “My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah,” she answered. 25 “There is plenty of straw and fodder at our house, and there is a place for you to stay.”
26 Then the man knelt down and worshiped the Lord. 27 He said, “Praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has faithfully kept his promise to my master. The Lord has led me straight to my master's relatives.”
28 The young woman ran to her mother's house and told the whole story. 29 Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban, and he ran outside to go to the well where Abraham's servant was. 30 Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well, 31 and said, “Come home with me. You are a man whom the Lord has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have a room ready for you in my house, and there is a place for your camels.”
32 So the man went into the house, and Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and fodder. Then he brought water for Abraham's servant and his men to wash their feet. 33 When food was brought, the man said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.”
Laban said, “Go on and speak.”
34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 35 “The Lord has greatly blessed my master and made him a rich man. He has given him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys. 36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore him a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to him. 37 My master made me promise with a vow to obey his command. He said, ‘Do not choose a wife for my son from the young women in the land of Canaan. 38 Instead, go to my father's people, to my relatives, and choose a wife for him.’ 39 And I asked my master, ‘What if she will not come with me?’ 40 He answered, ‘The Lord, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family. 41 There is only one way for you to be free from your vow: if you go to my relatives and they refuse you, then you will be free.’
42 “When I came to the well today, I prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please give me success in what I am doing. 43 Here I am at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I will ask her to give me a drink of water from her jar. 44 If she agrees and also offers to bring water for my camels, may she be the one that you have chosen as the wife for my master's son.’ 45 Before I had finished my silent prayer, Rebecca came with a water jar on her shoulder and went down to the well to get water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels. 47 I asked her, ‘Who is your father?’ And she answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 I knelt down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me straight to my master's relative, where I found his daughter for my master's son. 49 Now, if you intend to fulfill your responsibility toward my master and treat him fairly, please tell me; if not, say so, and I will decide what to do.”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “Since this matter comes from the Lord, it is not for us to make a decision. 51 Here is Rebecca; take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord himself has said.” 52 When the servant of Abraham heard this, he bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 53 Then he brought out clothing and silver and gold jewelry, and gave them to Rebecca. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54 Then Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me go back to my master.”
55 But Rebecca's brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.”
56 But he said, “Don't make us stay. The Lord has made my journey a success; let me go back to my master.”
57 They answered, “Let's call her and find out what she has to say.” 58 So they called Rebecca and asked, “Do you want to go with this man?”
“Yes,” she answered.
59 So they let Rebecca and her old family servant go with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they gave Rebecca their blessing in these words:
“May you, sister, become the mother of millions!
May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!”
61 Then Rebecca and her young women got ready and mounted the camels to go with Abraham's servant, and they all started out.
62 Isaac had come into the wilderness of “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me” and was staying in the southern part of Canaan. 63 He went out in the early evening to take a walk in the fields and saw camels coming. 64 When Rebecca saw Isaac, she got down from her camel 65 and asked Abraham's servant, “Who is that man walking toward us in the field?”
“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her scarf and covered her face.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent that his mother Sarah had lived in, and she became his wife. Isaac loved Rebecca, and so he was comforted for the loss of his mother.
Līgava Īzakam
1 Ābrahāms bija vecs, jau gados, un Kungs bija svētījis Ābrahāmu it visā. 2 Un Ābrahāms teica savam kalpam, kas bija vecākais viņa namā un pārvaldīja visu, kas viņam piederēja: “Liec nu savu roku zem mana gurna, 3 un es tevi nozvērinu pie Kunga, debesu Dieva un zemes Dieva, ka tu neņemsi manam dēlam sievu no kanaāniešu meitām, pie kuriem es mītu, 4 bet gan iesi uz manu zemi, uz vietu, kur esmu dzimis, un tur ņemsi sievu manam dēlam Īzakam!” 5 Kalps viņam teica: “Varbūt tā sieva negribēs nākt man līdzi uz šo zemi, vai tad man jāved tavs dēls uz to zemi, no kuras tu esi nācis?” 6 Bet Ābrahāms sacīja: “Sargies, ka tu nevestu manu dēlu uz turieni atpakaļ! 7 Kungs, debesu Dievs, kas ņēma mani no mana tēva nama un zemes, kur esmu dzimis, un kas runāja uz mani un zvērēja, sacīdams: “Šo zemi es došu taviem pēcnācējiem,” – viņš sūtīs savu eņģeli tev pa priekšu, un tu ņemsi manam dēlam sievu no turienes! 8 Un, ja tā sieva negribēs iet tev līdzi, tad tu esi brīvs no šī zvēresta, – tikai neved manu dēlu atpakaļ uz turieni!” 9 Un kalps lika roku zem sava kunga Ābrahāma gurna un zvērēja viņam par to.
10 Un kalps ņēma desmit sava kunga kamieļus un devās ceļā – tam līdzi bija visādi viņa kunga labumi, un viņš cēlās un gāja uz Aram-Naharaimu, uz Nāhora pilsētu. 11 Viņš noguldīja savus kamieļus uz ceļiem pie ūdens akas ārpus pilsētas ap vakara laiku, kad sievas nāk smelt ūdeni. 12 Un viņš teica: “Kungs, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievs! – lai jel šodien man tā notiek, ka tu parādi žēlastību manam kungam Ābrahāmam. 13 Redzi, es stāvu pie ūdens avota, un šīs pilsētas ļaužu meitas nāk smelt ūdeni. 14 Lai ir tā – kurai es teikšu: pasniedz jel savu krūku, ka padzeros, – un kura teiks: dzer un arī tavus kamieļus es padzirdīšu! – to tu būsi izraudzījis savam kalpam Īzakam, un tā es zināšu, ka tu esi parādījis žēlastību manam kungam!”
Rebeka
15 Pirms viņš vēl bija beidzis runāt, redzi, nāk Rebeka ar krūku uz pleca. Viņa bija dzimusi Betuēlam, Ābrahāma brāļa Nāhora sievas Milkas dēlam. 16 Meitene bija ļoti glīta – jaunava, un vīrs vēl nebija tai bijis klāt, un viņa nokāpa pie avota, piepildīja savu krūku un kāpa augšā. 17 Kalps skrēja viņai pretī un sacīja: “Ļauj man jel mazliet veldzēties ar ūdeni no tavas krūkas!” 18 Un viņa teica: “Dzer, mans kungs!” Viņa nocēla no pleca savu krūku un deva tam dzert. 19 Kad viņa bija to padzirdījusi, tā teica: “Es smelšu arī taviem kamieļiem, līdz tie būs padzēruši!” 20 Viņa steidza, tukšoja silē savu krūku un atkal skrēja uz aku smelt, un viņa smēla visiem viņa kamieļiem. 21 Un tas vīrs vērās viņā kā mēms, nezinādams, vai Kungs licis izdoties viņa ceļam vai ne. 22 Kad kamieļi beidza dzert, tas vīrs deva viņai pusšekeļa smagu zelta gredzenu un divas rokassprādzes – desmit zelta šekeļu svarā. 23 Un viņš teica: “Kā meita tu esi? Saki jel man – vai tava tēva namā ir vieta, kur mums pārnakšņot?” 24 Un viņa tam teica: “Es esmu Betuēla, Milkas dēla, meita, kuru viņa dzemdēja Nāhoram.” 25 Un viņa tam teica: “Gan salmu, gan barības mums ir daudz, gan vietas, kur pārnakšņot!” 26 Un tas vīrs klanījās un zemojās Kungam. 27 Viņš teica: “Slavēts Kungs, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievs, kas nav atrāvis manam kungam savu žēlastību un uzticību – Kungs mani ir vadījis ceļā uz mana kunga brāļa namu!”
28 Un meitene skrēja un to visu izstāstīja savas mātes namā. 29 Rebekai bija brālis, vārdā Lābans, un Lābans skrēja laukā uz avotu pie tā vīra. 30 Un, kad viņš redzēja rokassprādzes uz savas māsas rokām un gredzenu un dzirdēja savas māsas Rebekas vārdus: tā runāja ar mani tas vīrs, – tad viņš devās pie tā vīra, un, redzi, šis ar kamieļiem stāvēja pie avota. 31 Un viņš teica: “Nāc! Kunga svētība! Kāpēc tu stāvi laukā? Es esmu sagatavojis māju un vietu kamieļiem!” 32 Un tas vīrs gāja uz namu un noņēma kamieļiem nastas. Lābans deva kamieļiem barību un salmus, un ūdeni, ar ko mazgāt kājas tam vīram un tiem, kuri bija kopā ar viņu. 33 Un viņam lika priekšā ēdienu, bet viņš teica: “Es neēdīšu, kamēr nebūšu pateicis savu sakāmo!” Un tas teica: “Runā!” 34 Un viņš teica: “Es esmu Ābrahāma kalps! 35 Un Kungs ir svētījis manu kungu tik ļoti, ka viņš ir kļuvis jo varens. Viņš ir devis viņam avis un vēršus, sudrabu un zeltu, vergus un verdzenes, kamieļus un ēzeļus! 36 Un Sāra, mana kunga sieva, manam kungam dzemdēja dēlu, kad jau bija kļuvusi veca, un viņš tam ir devis visu, kas tam ir! 37 Un mans kungs mani nozvērināja, sacīdams: neņem manam dēlam sievu no kanaāniešiem, kuru zemē es dzīvoju, 38 bet gan ej uz mana tēva namu, pie manas dzimtas, un ņem sievu manam dēlam tur. 39 Un es teicu savam kungam: varbūt tā sieva nenāks man līdzi?! 40 Bet viņš man teica: Kungs, kura priekšā es staigāju, sūtīs savu eņģeli tev līdzi un sekmēs tavu ceļu, un tu ņemsi manam dēlam sievu no manas dzimtas un mana tēva nama! 41 Tikai tad tu būsi brīvs no zvēresta man, ja būsi nonācis pie manas dzimtas, bet, ja viņi tev to nedos, tad tu esi brīvs no zvēresta!
42 Kad es šodien nonācu pie avota, es teicu: Kungs, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievs! Ja tu esi gribējis, lai tiešām sokas mans ceļš, kurā esmu devies, 43 tad, redzi, es stāvu pie ūdens avota, un lai notiek tā – es teikšu tai jaunavai, kura nāks smelt: dod jel man mazliet padzerties no savas krūkas! 44 Un, ja viņa man teiks: dzer tu pats, un arī tavus kamieļus es padzirdīšu, – tad tā būs sieva, kuru Kungs izraudzījis mana kunga dēlam! 45 Pirms es vēl biju beidzis pie sevis runāt, redzi, nāca Rebeka ar krūku uz pleca, un viņa nokāpa pie avota un smēla, un es viņai teicu: dod jel man padzerties! 46 Un viņa steidza, nocēla savu krūku un teica: dzer, un tavus kamieļus es padzirdīšu! Un es dzēru, un arī kamieļus viņa padzirdīja. 47 Un es jautāju viņai: kā meita tu esi? Un viņa teica: es esmu Betuēla, Nāhora dēla, meita, kuru viņam dzemdēja Milka! – un es liku gredzenu viņas nāsī un rokassprādzes uz rokām. 48 Un es klanījos un zemojos Kungam, es slavēju Kungu, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievu, kurš vadījis mani pa īsto ceļu, ka ņemu sava kunga brāļameitu viņa dēlam! 49 Un tagad, ja jūs gribat izrādīt laipnību un būt godīgi pret manu kungu, sakiet man jā vai nē, lai es zinu, uz kuru pusi doties!”
50 Lābans un Betuēls atbildēja: “Šī lieta ir nākusi no Kunga, mēs nevaram tev teikt ne jā, ne nē. 51 Redzi, Rebeka ir tavā priekšā, ņem un ej, un lai viņa kļūst sieva tava kunga dēlam, kā Kungs ir teicis!” 52 Kad Ābrahāma kalps dzirdēja viņu sacīto, viņš zemojās Kungam līdz zemei. 53 Un kalps ņēma sudraba traukus un zelta traukus, un drānas un deva Rebekai un arī bagātīgas dāvanas viņas brālim un mātei. 54 Un viņi ēda un dzēra – viņš un tie vīri, kas bija kopā ar viņu, viņi pārnakšņoja, cēlās no rīta, un viņš teica: “Atlaidiet mani pie mana kunga!” 55 Bet viņas brālis un māte teica: “Lai meitene paliek pie mums vēl kādas desmit dienas, lai viņa iet pēc tam!” 56 Bet viņš tiem teica: “Nekavējiet mani! Kungs ir sekmējis manu ceļu! Atlaidiet mani, un es iešu pie sava kunga!” 57 Bet viņi teica: “Pasauksim meiteni un pajautāsim viņai pašai!” 58 Viņi pasauca Rebeku un jautāja viņai: “Vai tu iesi kopā ar šo vīru?” Un viņa teica: “Es iešu!” 59 Un viņi atlaida Rebeku, savu māsu, un viņas zīdītāju, un Ābrahāma kalpu ar viņa vīriem. 60 Tie svētīja Rebeku un viņai teica:
“Mūsu māsa!
Topi par daudziem tūkstošiem!
Un lai tavi pēcnācēji iemanto
savu naidnieku vārtus!”
61 Un cēlās Rebeka un viņas kalpones, viņas jāšus uz kamieļiem devās līdzi tam vīram. Un kalps ņēma Rebeku un devās ceļā. 62 Īzaks bija atnācis no Beēr-Lahaj-Roī, un viņš piemita Negebas zemē. 63 Un pret vakaru Īzaks iznāca, lai paklaiņotu laukā, un viņš pacēla savas acis, skatījās, un redzi – kamieļi nāca! 64 Un Rebeka pacēla savas acis, un viņa ieraudzīja Īzaku, un viņa lēca no kamieļa! 65 Un viņa teica kalpam: “Kas ir tas vīrs, tas tur, kas tur nāk mums pretī pa lauku?” Kalps teica: “Tas ir mans kungs.” Un viņa paņēma sejas apsegu un apklājās. 66 Un kalps pastāstīja Īzakam visu, ko viņš bija darījis. 67 Un Īzaks atveda Rebeku uz savas mātes Sāras telti, un viņš ņēma Rebeku, un viņa kļuva tam par sievu, un viņš mīlēja viņu. Tad Īzaks samierinājās ar savas mātes nāvi.
