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.
1 Un Ābrahāms bija vecs, padzīvojis vīrs, un Tas Kungs Ābrahāmu bija svētījis pie visa. 2 Un Ābrahāms teica savam kalpam, sava nama vecākajam, kas pārvaldīja it visu, kas tam piederēja: "Liec savu roku zem manas ciskas 3 un zvēri man pie Tā Kunga, debesu Dieva un zemes Dieva, ka tu manam dēlam neņemsi sievu no kānaāniešu meitām, kuru vidū es dzīvoju, 4 bet ka tu iesi uz manu zemi un pie maniem cilts piederīgiem un tur ņemsi sievu manam dēlam Īzākam." 5 Tad kalps sacīja: "Varbūt sieva nevēlēsies nākt man līdzi uz šo zemi, vai man tad tavu dēlu aizvest atpakaļ uz zemi, no kuras tu izgāji?" 6 Un Ābrahāms sacīja viņam: "Sargies, ka tu neaizved manu dēlu turp. 7 Tas Kungs, debesu Dievs, kas mani izvedis no mana tēva nama un no manas dzimtās zemes un kas sacījis man un zvērējis man, sacīdams: taviem pēcnācējiem Es došu šo zemi,- Tas sūtīs Savu eņģeli tev pa priekšu, kad tu ņemsi manam dēlam sievu no turienes. 8 Bet, ja sieva negribēs tev sekot, tad tu no šī mana zvēresta būsi brīvs, tikai manu dēlu neved turp atpakaļ." 9 Un kalps lika savu roku zem sava kunga Ābrahāma ciskas un zvērēja tam par šo lietu. 10 Un kalps paņēma desmit kamieļus no sava kunga kamieļu pulka un devās ceļā, līdzi paņēmis visādas sava kunga mantas; un viņš cēlās un nonāca Mezopotāmijā Nahora pilsētā. 11 Un viņš lika kamieļiem apmesties pilsētas ārpusē pie akas, pret vakaru, laikā, kad ūdens smēlējas mēdza nākt, 12 un sacīja: "Kungs, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievs, liec, lai man šodien veicas, un parādi žēlastību manam kungam Ābrahāmam. 13 Lūk, te es stāvu pie ūdens avota, un pilsētas iedzīvotāju meitas nāks smelt ūdeni. 14 Tad lai notiek, ka tā meita, kurai es teikšu: padod savu trauku, es gribu dzert, - un kura sacīs: dzer, un es padzirdīšu arī tavus kamieļus, - būtu tā, kuru Tu esi novēlējis Savam kalpam Īzākam, un pēc tā es zinātu, ka Tu esi žēlastību parādījis manam kungam." 15 Un notika, iekāms viņš bija beidzis runāt, ka nāca Rebeka; viņa bija meita Betuēlam, kas bija Milkas un Ābrahāma brāļa Nahora dēls, un tai uz pleca bija ūdens trauks. 16 Un meita bija ļoti skaista izskata jaunava, un to neviens nebija aizticis, un tā nokāpa akā, pildīja savu ūdens trauku ar ūdeni un kāpa ārā. 17 Un kalps skrēja tai pretim un sacīja: "Ļauj man drusku nodzerties no tava trauka." 18 Tad viņa atbildēja: "Dzer, mans kungs!" Veikli viņa nolaida trauku savā rokā un dzirdīja viņu. 19 Un, kad viņa bija beigusi dot viņam dzert, tā teica: "Es pasmelšu arī taviem kamieļiem, līdz tie būs padzēruši." 20 Un tā steidzās un izlēja savu trauku dzirdināmā silē un tecēja vēlreiz uz avotu, lai smeltu no jauna, un tā smēla visiem viņa kamieļiem. 21 Bet vīrs noraudzījās viņā klusēdams, lai dabūtu zināt, vai Tas Kungs licis izdoties viņa ceļam vai ne. 22 Un, lūk, kad kamieļi bija beiguši dzert, vīrs paņēma zelta pieres sprādzi pusseķeļa svarā un divas zelta rokassprādzes viņas rokām desmit seķeļu svarā 23 un sacīja: "Kā meita tu esi? Un saki man - vai tava tēva namā ir vieta, kur mēs varētu pārnakšņot?" 24 Un tā atbildēja: "Es esmu Betuēla, Milkas dēla, meita, kuru tā dzemdēja Nahoram." 25 Un viņa sacīja tam: "Gan salmu, gan siena mums ir daudz, kā arī vietas pārnakšņošanai." 26 Tad tas vīrs zemu noliecās un pielūdza To Kungu 27 un sacīja: "Slavēts lai Tas Kungs, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievs, kas Savu žēlastības solījumu nav aizmirsis un nav atrāvis Savu uzticību manam kungam; taisnā ceļā Tas Kungs mani ir novedis mana kunga brāļa namā!" 28 Bet jaunava skrēja un paziņoja mātei mājās, kas bija noticis. 29 Un Rebekai bija brālis, vārdā Lābans, un Lābans steidzās pie vīra ārā pie avota. 30 Bet, kad tas ieraudzīja pieres sprādzi un rokassprādzes uz savas māsas rokām un dzirdēja savas māsas Rebekas stāstu: tā un tā tas vīrs ar mani runājis,- tad tas izgāja pie šī vīra. Bet tas stāvēja pie kamieļiem pie akas, un Lābans teica: 31 "Nāc iekšā, tu, Tā Kunga svētītais! Kādēļ tu gribi ārā stāvēt? Jo es esmu uzposis namu un vietu kamieļiem." 32 Un vīrs devās uz māju, viņi nosegloja kamieļus un deva salmus un sienu kamieļiem, arī ūdeni, lai tas nomazgātu savas kājas, tāpat arī vīriem, kas bija ar viņu, kāju mazgāšanai. 33 Bet, kad viņam lika priekšā ēdienu, viņš sacīja: "Es neēdīšu, pirms nebūšu pateicis, kādā lietā es esmu še." Tie sacīja: "Runā!" 34 Viņš sacīja: "Es esmu Ābrahāma kalps. 35 Un Tas Kungs manu kungu ir bagāti svētījis, tas ir audzis augumā, jo Viņš tam ir devis sīklopus un liellopus, sudrabu un zeltu, kalpus un kalpones, kamieļus un ēzeļus. 36 Un mana kunga sieva Sāra dzemdējusi manam kungam dēlu, kad tas jau bija sirmgalvis. Tam viņš novēlējis visu, kas tam ir. 37 Un mans kungs lika man zvērēt, piekodinādams: tev nebūs manam dēlam sievu ņemt no Kānaāna meitām, kaut arī es dzīvoju viņa zemē. 38 Bet tev būs noiet uz mana tēva namu un manu cilti, lai manam dēlam gūtu sievu. 39 Es iebildu savam kungam: varbūt šī sieva nesekos man? 40 Tad viņš sacīja man: Tas Kungs, kura priekšā esmu staigājis, - Viņš sūtīs Savu eņģeli tev līdzi un liks tavam ceļam labi izdoties, ka tu varēsi manam dēlam gūt sievu no manas cilts un no mana tēva nama. 41 Tikai tad tu būsi atbrīvots no sava zvēresta, ja tu gan nonāksi pie manas cilts, bet tie tev to nedotu; tad tu būsi no zvēresta solījuma brīvs. 42 Un es šodien nonācu pie akas un sacīju: Kungs, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievs, ja Tu gribi būt tas, kas manam ceļam ļaus sekmēties, kuru esmu uzņēmies,- 43 redzi, es stāvu te pie ūdens avota,- lai tad notiktu, ka tā jaunava, kura iznāks smelt ūdeni un kurai es teikšu: dod, lūdzama, man nodzerties no sava trauka,- 44 lai viņa man atbildētu: dzer, un arī tavus kamieļus es gribu dzirdīt,- ir tā sieva, kuru Tas Kungs ir izraudzījis mana kunga dēlam. 45 Un, iekāms es biju beidzis savā sirdī tā spriest, redzi, nāca Rebeka, un trauks tai bija uz viņas pleca, un viņa nokāpa akā un smēla ūdeni, bet es viņai sacīju: dod, lūdzu, arī man dzert. 46 Tad tā steidzās un nolaida trauku un sacīja: dzer, un arī taviem kamieļiem es došu dzert. Un es dzēru, un arī manus kamieļus tā dzirdīja. 47 Tad es jautāju viņai un sacīju: kā meita tu esi? Un tā atbildēja: Milkas. Un es liku viņai pieres sprādzi pie vaiga un rokassprādzes ap viņas rokām. 48 Es zemu noliecos un pielūdzu To Kungu, un es slavēju To Kungu, mana kunga Ābrahāma Dievu, kas mani bija vadījis pa taisnu ceļu, lai ņemtu brāļa meitu mana kunga dēlam par sievu. 49 Bet tagad, ja jūs patiesi gribat mīlestību un uzticību parādīt manam kungam, sakiet man to; un, ja ne, sakiet arī to man, lai es varētu doties pa labi vai pa kreisi." 50 Un Lābans un Betuēls atbildēja un sacīja: "No Tā Kunga tas ir nācis - mēs nevaram tev teikt ne labu, ne ļaunu. 51 Lūk, Rebeka stāv tavā priekšā; ņem to un ej. Un viņa lai ir Tava kunga dēla sieva, kā Tas Kungs to ir gribējis." 52 Un notika, kad Ābrahāma kalps dzirdēja viņu vārdus, viņš metās zemē Tā Kunga priekšā. 53 Pēc tam tas izņēma visas sudraba un visas zelta dārglietas un drēbes un deva tās Rebekai; viņš deva dārgas dāvanas arī viņas brālim un viņas mātei. 54 Un viņi ēda un dzēra - viņš un arī tie vīri, kas bija ar viņu, un tie palika pa nakti; un tie cēlās no rīta, un viņš sacīja: "Atlaid mani pie mana kunga." 55 Bet viņas brālis un viņas māte sacīja: "Ļauj, lai meitene paliek kādas pāris desmit dienas vēl pie mums, pēc tu varēsi iet." 56 Bet viņš sacīja tiem: "Neaizturiet mani! Tas Kungs manam ceļam ir licis labi izdoties, atlaidiet mani, ka es noeimu pie sava kunga." 57 Tad tie sacīja: "Ataicināsim meiteni un jautāsim viņai." 58 Un viņi pasauca Rebeku un jautāja viņai: "Vai tu gribi sekot šim vīram?" Un viņa atbildēja: "Es iešu." 59 Un tie atlaida Rebeku un tās aukli, un Ābrahāma kalpu, un tos vīrus, kas tam bija. 60 Un viņi svētīja Rebeku un sacīja viņai: "Tu, mūsu māsa, topi par tūkstošu tūkstošiem, un lai tavi pēcnācēji ieņem savu naidnieku vārtus." 61 Un Rebeka cēlās ar savām kalponēm un sēdās uz kamieļiem un jāja aiz kalpa. Tā tas kalps, paņēmis Rebeku, devās ceļā. 62 Bet Īzāks nāca no Lehaj-roi avota, jo viņš bija Negebas iemītnieks. 63 Īzāks ap vakara laiku bija izgājis laukā Dievu pielūgt. Tas pacēla savas acis un ieraudzīja tanī brīdī kamieļus nākam. 64 Un Rebeka pacēla savas acis un, ieraudzījusi Īzāku, nolaidās no kamieļa. 65 Un viņa sacīja kalpam: "Kas ir šis vīrs, kas tur staigā pa lauku un nāk mums pretim?" Un kalps atbildēja: "Tas ir mans kungs." 66 Tad viņa paņēma savu plīvuru un apsedzās. 67 Un kalps izstāstīja Īzākam visu, ko bija darījis. 68 Un Īzāks veda Rebeku uz savas mātes telti, un viņš to ņēma, un tā kļuva viņa sieva, un viņš to mīlēja. Tā Īzāks atguva mieru pēc savas mātes nāves.
