The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 14

24:10. And he took ten camels of his master's herd, and departed, carrying something of all his goods with him, and he set forward and went on to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nachor.

24:11. And when he had made the camels lie down without the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are wont to come out to draw water, he said:

24:12. O Lord, the G.o.d of my master, Abraham, meet me today, I beseech thee, and shew kindness to my master, Abraham.

24:13. Behold, I stand nigh the spring of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will come out to draw water:

24:14. Now, therefore, the maid to whom I shall say: Let down thy pitcher that I may drink: and she shall answer, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let it be the same whom thou hast provided for thy servant Isaac: and by this, I shall understand that thou hast shewn kindness to my master.

24:15. He had not yet ended these words within himself, and behold Rebecca came out, the daughter of Bathuel, son of Melcha, wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder:

24:16. An exceeding comely maid, and a most beautiful virgin, and not known to man: and she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher, and was coming back.

24:17. And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.

24:18. And she answered: Drink, my lord. And quickly she let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him drink.

24:19. And when he had drunk, she said: I will draw water for thy camels also, till they all drink.

24:20. And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave to all the camels.

24:21. But he musing, beheld her with silence, desirous to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

24:22. And after that the camels had drunk, the man took out golden earrings, weighing two sicles; and as many bracelets, of ten sicles weight.

24:23. And he said to her: Whose daughter art thou? tell me: is there any place in thy father's house to lodge?

24:24. And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.

24:25. And she said, moreover, to him: We have good store of both straw and hay, and a large place to lodge in.

24:26. The man bowed himself down, and adored the Lord,

24:27. Saying: Blessed be the Lord G.o.d of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master's brother.

24:28. Then the maid ran, and told in her mother's house all that she had heard.

24:29. And Rebecca had a brother, named Laban, who went out in haste to the man, to the well.

24:30. And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister's hands, and had heard all that she related, saying, Thus and thus the man spoke to me: he came to the man who stood by the camels, and near to the spring of water,

24:31. And said to him: Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; why standest thou without? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.

24:32. And he brought him into his lodging; and he unharnessed the camels, and gave straw and hay, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were come with him.

24:33. And bread was set before him. But he said: I will not eat, till I tell my message. He answered him: Speak.

24:34. And he said: I am the servant of Abraham:

24:35. And the Lord hath blessed my master wonderfully, and he is become great: and he hath given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and a.s.ses.

24:36. And Sara, my master's wife, hath borne my master a son in her old age, and he hath given him all that he had.

24:37. And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the Chanaanites, in whose land I dwell:

24:38. But thou shalt go to my father's house, and shalt take a wife of my own kindred for my son:

24:39. But I answered my master: What if the woman will not come with me?

24:40. The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father's house.

24:41. But thou shalt be clear from my curse, when thou shalt come to my kindred, if they will not give thee one.

24:42. And I came today to the well of water, and said: O Lord G.o.d of my master, Abraham, if thou hast prospered my way, wherein I now walk,

24:43. Behold, I stand by the well of water, and the virgin, that shall come out to draw water, who shall hear me say: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher:

24:44. And shall say to me: Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman, whom the Lord hath prepared for my master's son.

24:45. And whilst I pondered these things secretly with myself, Rebecca appeared, coming with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder: and she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her: Give me a little to drink.

24:46. And she speedily let down the pitcher from her shoulder, and said to me: Both drink thou, and to thy camels I will give drink. I drank, and she watered the camels.

24:47. And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she answered: I am the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him. So I put earrings on her to adorn her face, and I put bracelets on her hands.

24:48. And falling down, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord G.o.d of my master, Abraham, who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son.

24:49. Wherefore, if you do according to mercy and truth with my master, tell me: but if it please you otherwise, tell me that also, that I may go to the right hand, or to the left.

24:50. And Laban and Bathuel answered: The word hath proceeded from the Lord: we cannot speak any other thing to thee but his pleasure.

24:51. Behold, Rebecca is before thee, take her and go thy way, and let her be the wife of thy master's son, as the Lord hath spoken.

24:52. Which when Abraham's servant heard, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.

24:53. And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, and garments, he gave them to Rebecca, for a present. He offered gifts also to her brothers, and to her mother.

24:54. And a banquet was made, and they ate and drank together, and lodged there. And in the morning, the servant arose, and said: Let me depart, that I may go to my master.

24:55. And her brother and mother answered: Let the maid stay, at least, ten days with us, and afterwards she shall depart.

24:56. Stay me not, said he, because the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master.

24:57. And they said: Let us call the maid, and ask her will.

Let us call the maid, and ask her will... Not as to her marriage, as she had already consented, but of her quitting her parents and going to her husband.

24:58. And they called her, and when she was come, they asked: Wilt thou go with this man? She said: I will go.