Episode 9: Finding a wife for Isaac

(Genesis 23-24)

Sarah dies

23 ^1-2 Sarah died when she was 127 years old. ¹⁹ Abraham buried her in a cave.

Abraham makes his servant swear (that he won't let Isaac marry a Canaanite)

24 ¹ When Abraham was old, he said to his oldest servant,

^2-3 Put your hand under my thigh and swear to God that you'll not allow my son to marry a Canaanite.

⁴ Go to the country where my family lives and find a wife for Isaac.

⁵ The servant said,

What if the woman isn't willing to come back with me? Should I bring Isaac with me?

No, don't bring Isaac with you. ⁷ God will send an angel to help find a wife for him. ⁸ If the woman still won't come back with you, I release you from your vow.

⁹ So the servant put his hand under Abraham's thigh and swore.

The servant finds a wife for Isaac - Rebekah

¹⁰ Abraham's servant took ten camels and departed for the city of Nahor in Mesopotamia.

¹¹ When he arrived, he went to the well where the women came to get water.

^12-14 And he prayed, saying,

God, I'm standing here where the women come to get water.

Help me find a wife for my master's son by using these words when a woman comes to get water.

I'll say to her, "Let me have a drink of water, please."

Then she'll say, "Here, have a drink. And here's some water for your camels."

Let that woman be the one I should bring back to my master's son.

¹⁵ While he was still talking to God, Rebekah came by.

¹⁶ She was a good-looking virgin, and she went to the well to fill her pitcher.

¹⁷ Abraham's servant ran to her and said, "Let me have a drink of water, please."

¹⁸ And Rebekah said, "Sure. Have a drink. And here's some water for your camels."

^22-23 The servant gave her a gold earring, two gold bracelets, and said to her,

Who is your father? And is there room for me to stay in his house?

²⁴ She said, "My father is Bethuel. And there's room for you to stay with us."

⁵⁸ When Abraham's servant arrived at Rebekah's house, Rebekah's brother and father asked her,

Do you want to marry the son of this man's master?"

⁵⁹ Rebekah said, "Yes."

⁶⁰ They blessed her and said, "Have thousands of millions of babies."

⁶⁷ So they returned to Canaan. When they arrived, Isaac took Rebekah into his mother's tent and she became his wife.