Rebekah

20Some time later, someone told Abraham some news. They said, "Milcah has had children too. She had them for your brother Nahor.

And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;

NoteThis list of names may seem odd here. It is here because of one name at the end. Bethuel's daughter Rebekah will later marry Isaac.

21Her first son was Huz. Then came his brother Buz, and Kemuel, the father of Aram,

Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,

NoteThe firstborn is the oldest son. Back then the oldest son got the biggest share of the family's things.

22and Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel."

And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah had these eight sons for Nahor, Abraham's brother.

And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

24Nahor also had a concubine named Reumah. She also had children: Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

NoteA concubine was a woman who lived with a man like a wife. But she did not have the same place in the family that a wife had. Her children were still part of the family.

10The servant took ten of his master's camels and left. He had all kinds of good things from his master with him. He got up and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

NoteCamels carry heavy loads and can walk a long way without water. Mesopotamia was very far off, many weeks of travel.

11He made the camels kneel down outside the city, by a well. It was evening, the time when the women come out to get water.

And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water under the ground. Women went there every day and carried water home in jars.

12He said, "LORD, God of my master Abraham, please let things go well for me today. Please be kind to my master Abraham."

And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

13"Look, I am standing here by the well. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to get water."

Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

14"Let it happen this way. I will say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar so I can drink.' She may say, 'Drink, and I will give your camels water too.' Let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. Then I will know you have been kind to my master."

And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

15Before he finished speaking, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel. Bethuel was the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor. Nahor was Abraham's brother.

And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

NoteRebekah came from Abraham's own family, far away. That is just what Abraham had asked his servant to find.

16The girl was very pretty to look at. She had never been with a man. She went down to the well, filled her jar, and came back up.

And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

NoteThis means Rebekah was not married and had no husband.

17The servant ran to meet her. He said, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar."

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18She said, "Drink, sir." She quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19When he had finished drinking, she said, "I will get water for your camels too. I will keep going until they have had enough."

And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20She quickly emptied her jar into the water trough. She ran back to the well for more water. She got water for all his camels.

And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

NoteA trough is a long open box that animals drink from. Ten thirsty camels drink a huge amount of water. Rebekah worked hard for a long time.

21The man watched her in wonder and said nothing. He was waiting to learn if the LORD had made his trip go well.

And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold ring. It weighed half a shekel. He also took two gold bracelets for her arms. They weighed ten shekels.

And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

NoteA shekel was a weight, like ounces or grams today. Gold was weighed on a scale, not counted like coins.

23He said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there room in your father's house for us to stay the night?"

And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?

24She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel. He is the son Milcah had with Nahor."

And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

25She also said, "We have plenty of straw and food for animals. We have room for you to stay."

She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

NoteStraw is dried grass. Animals eat it and sleep on it.

26The man bowed his head down and worshiped the LORD.

And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

NoteTo worship means to bow down low and tell God he is great.

27He said, "Praise the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. He has kept on being kind and true to my master. As I traveled, the LORD led me right to the house of my master's family."

And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

28The girl ran and told the people in her mother's house about these things.

And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.

NoteThe women and girls of a family lived in their own part of the home.

29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man at the well.

And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30Laban had seen the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms. He had heard Rebekah say, "This is what the man said to me." So he came to the man. The man was standing by the camels at the well.

And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

31Laban said, "Come in. The LORD has blessed you. Why are you standing out here? I have made the house ready, and there is room for the camels."

And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

32The man came into the house. The loads were taken off the camels. Straw and food were given to the camels. Water was brought to wash his feet and the feet of the men with him.

And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.

NoteThe roads were dusty and people wore sandals. Washing a guest's feet was a kind way to welcome him.

33Food was set in front of him to eat. But he said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I came." He said, "Go ahead and speak."

And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

NoteGuests were usually fed first. He had news he wanted to tell right away.

34He said, "I am Abraham's servant."

And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.

35"The LORD has blessed my master very much, and he has become great. The LORD has given him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, men servants, women servants, camels, and donkeys."

And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

NoteThese servants worked for Abraham all the time and lived in his house.

36"Sarah, my master's wife, had a son for my master when she was old. My master has given his son everything he owns."

And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

NoteBack then a father's things went to his son when the father died.

37"My master made me swear a promise. He said, 'Do not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites. I live in their land.'"

And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

38"'Instead, go to my father's house and to my family, and get a wife for my son.'"

But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

39"I said to my master, 'Maybe the woman will not come with me.'"

And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.

40"He said to me, 'I walk before the LORD. He will send his angel with you and make your trip go well. You will get a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.'"

And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:

NoteTo walk before the LORD means to live your whole life following God.

41"'When you come to my family, you will be free from my promise. If they will not give you a wife for him, you are free from my promise.'"

Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

42"Today I came to the well. I said, 'LORD, God of my master Abraham, please make my trip go well.'"

And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:

43"'Look, I am standing by the well. A young woman will come out to get water. I will say to her, "Please give me a little water from your jar to drink."'"

Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

44"'She may say to me, "Drink, and I will get water for your camels too." Let her be the woman the LORD has chosen for my master's son.'"

And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master’s son.

45"Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out. Her jar was on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got water. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'"

And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.

46"She hurried and lowered her jar from her shoulder. She said, 'Drink, and I will give your camels water too.' So I drank, and she gave the camels water too."

And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.

47"I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' She said, 'I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son Milcah had with Nahor.' Then I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her arms."

And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

NoteA nose ring was jewelry women wore then, the way people wear earrings now.

48"I bowed my head down and worshiped the LORD. I praised the LORD, the God of my master Abraham. He led me the right way. He led me the right way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son."

And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.

49"Now tell me if you will be kind and true to my master. If not, tell me that too. Then I can turn to the right or to the left."

And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

NoteTo turn to the right or the left means to go and look somewhere else.

50Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "This comes from the LORD. We cannot say anything to you, bad or good."

Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

NoteThey mean they cannot argue about it, not one way and not the other.

51"Look, Rebekah is right here. Take her and go. Let her be the wife of your master's son, as the LORD has said."

Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground. He worshiped the LORD.

And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

53The servant brought out silver jewelry, gold jewelry, and clothes. He gave them to Rebekah. He also gave fine gifts to her brother and her mother.

And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

NoteGifts to the bride and her family were part of getting married then.

54He and the men with him ate and drank and stayed all night. In the morning they got up. He said, "Send me back to my master."

And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.

55Her brother and her mother said, "Let the girl stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she may go."

And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

56He said to them, "Do not hold me back. The LORD has made my trip go well. Send me away so I can go to my master."

And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

57They said, "We will call the girl and ask her what she says."

And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.

NoteThey called Rebekah in so she could answer for herself.

58They called Rebekah and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."

And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

59So they sent their sister Rebekah away. They also sent her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.

And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.

NoteA nurse was a woman who had taken care of Rebekah since she was a baby.

60They blessed Rebekah. They said to her, "You are our sister. May you be the mother of thousands and thousands. May your children take the gates of the people who hate them."

And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

NoteGates were the big doors in the wall around a city. Taking the gates meant winning over your enemies.

61Rebekah and her servant girls got ready. They rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.

And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

NoteThe trip back was hundreds of miles across dry country.

62Isaac had come from the way of the well called Lahai-roi. He was living in the south country.

And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

NoteLahai-roi was the name of a well out in the dry land. The south country had few towns and little rain.

63In the evening Isaac went out to the field to think quietly. He looked up and saw camels coming.

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

64Rebekah looked up too. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.

And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

65She had asked the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant had said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.

For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

NoteA veil is a cloth a woman wore over her face. A bride covered her face before she met the man she would marry.

66The servant told Isaac everything he had done.

And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

67Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother died.

And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

NoteAbraham's family lived in tents, not houses. They moved from place to place to find grass for their animals.

19This is the family story of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham was the father of Isaac.

And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. She was the daughter of Bethuel, a man from Syria, from Padanaram. She was the sister of Laban the Syrian.

And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

NotePadanaram was far to the north, in the land called Syria. Rebekah's family lived there. Her brother Laban will come into the story again later.

21Rebekah could not have children. So Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife. The LORD listened to him, and Rebekah became pregnant.

And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

NoteIsaac was forty when he married. He was sixty when the twins came. So they waited about twenty years for a baby.

22The babies inside her pushed and struggled with each other. She said, "If it is like this, why is it happening to me?" So she went to ask the LORD.

And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

NoteTo ask the LORD meant to pray and then wait for God to answer.

23The LORD said to her, "Two nations are inside you. Two kinds of people will come from you and be split apart. One people will be stronger than the other. The older one will serve the younger one."

And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

NoteA nation here means a big group of people who come from one family. The older son was usually the leader of the family. God is saying the younger one will lead instead.

24When the time came for her to give birth, there were twins inside her.

And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

25The first baby came out red. Hair covered him all over, like a fur coat. They named him Esau.

And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.

NoteIn their language, the name Esau sounds like their word for hairy.

26After that his brother came out, holding on to Esau's heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

NoteIn their language, the name Jacob sounds like their word for heel. It also means someone who grabs, or who takes another person's place.

27The boys grew up. Esau was very good at hunting, a man of the open fields. Jacob was a quiet man who stayed among the tents.

And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

NoteFamilies like theirs lived in tents and moved with their sheep and goats. Staying among the tents means Jacob stayed close to home.

28Isaac loved Esau, because he ate the wild meat Esau brought him. But Rebekah loved Jacob.

And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

1There was a time when food would not grow in the land. This was a second time. The first was back in Abraham's days. Isaac went to Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, in a town called Gerar.

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

NoteThe Philistines were a people who lived near the sea. They were not part of Isaac's family. Gerar was one of their towns.

2The LORD showed himself to Isaac. He said, "Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I show you."

And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

NoteIn the Bible, LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name. Egypt was a country far to the south. It had a big river, so food grew there even when other lands were dry.

3"Stay in this land as a visitor. I will be with you, and I will bless you. I will give all these lands to you and to your family after you. I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham."

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

NoteTo bless someone means to be good to them and help them.

4"I will make your family as many as the stars in the sky. I will give all these lands to your family. Through your family, all the nations on earth will be blessed."

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5"I say this because Abraham listened to my voice. He did what I told him. He kept my commands, my rules, and my laws."

Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6So Isaac lived in Gerar.

And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:

7The men of that place asked him about his wife. He said, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife." He thought the men there might kill him because of Rebekah, because she was beautiful.

And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

NoteLong ago a strong man might kill a husband to take his wife. A brother would only be asked for permission. That is why Isaac said sister.

8Isaac had been there a long time. Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, looked out of a window. He saw Isaac touching and holding Rebekah in the way a husband holds his wife.

And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

9Abimelech called Isaac and said, "She really is your wife! Why did you say she was your sister?" Isaac said, "Because I thought I might be killed because of her."

And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10Abimelech said, "What have you done to us? One of our men could easily have slept with your wife. Then you would have brought guilt on all of us."

And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11So Abimelech gave an order to all his people. He said, "Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death."

And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

NotePut to death means killed as a punishment by the king.