Now I want you to make a promise to me. Promise to me before the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry a girl from Canaan. We live among these people, but don't let him marry a Canaanite girl.
The servant said to him, "Maybe this woman will not want to come back with me to this land. If that happens, should I take your son with me to your homeland?"
The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from my homeland to this place. That place was the home of my father and the home of my family, but he promised that this new land would belong to my family. May the Lord send his angel before you so that you can choose a wife for my son.
The servant took ten of Abraham's camels and left that place. The servant carried with him many different kinds of beautiful gifts. He went to Mesopotamia, to Nahor's city.
The servant said, "Lord, you are the God of my master Abraham. Allow me to find a wife for his son today. Please show this kindness to my master Abraham.
I am waiting for a special sign to know which is the right one for Isaac. This is the special sign: I will say to the girl, 'Please put your jar down so that I can drink.' I will know that she is the right one if she says, 'Drink, and I will also give water to your camels.' If that happens, it will be proof that she is the right one for Isaac and that you have shown kindness to my master."
Before the servant finished praying, a young woman named Rebekah came to the well. She was the daughter of Bethuel. (Bethuel was the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham's brother.) Rebekah came to the well with her water jar on her shoulder.
So Rebekah quickly poured all the water from her jar into the drinking trough for the camels. Then she ran to the well to get more water, and she gave water to all the camels.
After the camels finished drinking, he gave Rebekah a gold ring that weighed ounce. He also gave her two gold arm bracelets that weighed 2 ounces each.
She had a brother named Laban. She told him what the man had said to her. Laban was listening to her. And when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, he ran out to the well. There the man was, standing by the camels at the well.
Laban said, "Sir, you are welcome to come in! You don't have to stand outside here. I have prepared a room for you to sleep in and a place for your camels."
So Abraham's servant went into the house. Laban unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then he gave Abraham's servant water so that he and the men with him could wash their feet.
Then Laban gave him food to eat, but the servant refused to eat. He said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I came." So Laban said, "Then tell us."
The Lord has greatly blessed my master in everything. My master has become a great man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He has much silver and gold and many servants. He has many camels and donkeys.
My master forced me to make a promise to him. He said to me, 'You must not allow my son to marry a girl from Canaan. We live among these people, but I don't want him to marry one of the Canaanite girls.
The right woman will answer in a special way. She will say, "Drink this water, and I will also get water for your camels." That way I will know that she is the one the Lord has chosen for my master's son.'
"Before I finished praying, Rebekah came out to the well to get water. She had her water jar on her shoulder as she went to get water from the well. I asked her to give me some water.
She quickly lowered the jar from her shoulder and poured me some water. Then she said, 'Drink this, and I'll get some water for your camels.' So I drank the water, and she gave water to my camels.
Then I asked her, 'Who is your father?' She answered, 'My father is Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor.' Then I gave her the ring and bracelets for her arms.
I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. I thanked him for leading me straight to the granddaughter of my master's brother.
Now, tell me, will you be kind and loyal to my master and give him your daughter? Or will you refuse to give her to him? Tell me so that I will know what I should do."
Then he gave Rebekah the gifts he brought. He gave her beautiful clothes and gold and silver jewelry. He also gave expensive gifts to her mother and brother.
Then he and his men had something to eat and drink, and they spent the night there. Early the next morning they got up and the servant said, "Now we must go back to my master."
While Rebekah was leaving they said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of millions of people, and may your descendants defeat their enemies and take their cities."
She said to the servant, "Who is that young man walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "That is my master's son." So Rebekah covered her face with her veil.
Then Isaac brought the girl into his mother's tent. Rebekah became his wife that day. Isaac loved her very much. So he was comforted after his mother's death.