Genesis 24
Clementine Vulgate, 1598Translation
Clementine Vulgate, 1598
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Erat autem Abraham senex, dierumque multorum: et Dominus in cunctis benedixerat ei.
1And Abraham was old, well stricken in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
2Dixitque ad servum seniorem domus suæ, qui præerat omnibus quæ habebat: Pone manum tuam subter femur meum,
2And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had: 'Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh.
3ut adjurem te per Dominum Deum cæli et terræ, ut non accipias uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, inter quos habito:
3And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
4sed ad terram et cognationem meam proficiscaris et inde accipias uxorem filio meo Isaac.
4But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son, even for Isaac.'
5Respondit servus: Si noluerit mulier venire mecum in terram hanc, numquid reducere debeo filium tuum ad locum, de quo egressus es?
5And the servant said unto him: 'Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land; must I needs bring thy son back unto the land from whence thou camest?'
6Dixitque Abraham: Cave nequando reducas filium meum illuc.
6And Abraham said unto him: 'Beware thou that thou bring not my son back thither.
7Dominus Deus cæli, qui tulit me de domo patris mei, et de terra nativitatis meæ, qui locutus est mihi, et juravit mihi, dicens: Semini tuo dabo terram hanc: ipse mittet angelum suum coram te, et accipies inde uxorem filio meo:
7The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my nativity, and who spoke unto me, and who swore unto me, saying: Unto thy seed will I give this land; He will send His angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence.
8sin autem mulier noluerit sequi te, non teneberis juramento: filium meum tantum ne reducas illuc.
8And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; only thou shalt not bring my son back thither.'
9Posuit ergo servus manum sub femore Abraham domini sui, et juravit illi super sermone hoc.
9And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.
10Tulitque decem camelos de grege domini sui, et abiit, ex omnibus bonis ejus portans secum, profectusque perrexit in Mesopotamiam ad urbem Nachor.
10And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; having all goodly things of his master's in his hand; and he arose, and went to Aram-naharaim, unto the city of Nahor.
11Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum juxta puteum aquæ vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:
11And he made the camels to kneel down without the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, occurre, obsecro, mihi hodie, et fac misericordiam cum domino meo Abraham.
12And he said: 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray Thee, good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.
13Ecce ego sto prope fontem aquæ, et filiæ habitatorum hujus civitatis egredientur ad hauriendam aquam.
13Behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
14Igitur puella, cui ego dixero: Inclina hydriam tuam ut bibam: et illa responderit: Bibe, quin et camelis tuis dabo potum: ipsa est quam præparasti servo tuo Isaac: et per hoc intelligam quod feceris misericordiam cum domino meo.
14So 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, even for Isaac; and thereby shall I know that Thou hast shown kindness unto my master.'
15Necdum intra se verba compleverat, et ecce Rebecca egrediebatur, filia Bathuel, filii Melchæ uxoris Nachor fratris Abraham, habens hydriam in scapula sua:
15And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16puella decora nimis, virgoque pulcherrima, et incognita viro: descenderat autem ad fontem, et impleverat hydriam, ac revertebatur.
16And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her; and she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17Occurritque ei servus, et ait: Pauxillum aquæ mihi ad bibendum præbe de hydria tua.
17And the servant ran to meet her, and said: 'Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher.'
18Quæ respondit: Bibe, domine mi: celeriterque deposuit hydriam super ulnam suam, et dedit ei potum.
18And she said: 'Drink, my lord'; and she hastened, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
19Cumque ille bibisset, adjecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.
19And when she had done giving him drink, she said: 'I will draw for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.'
20Effundensque hydriam in canalibus, recurrit ad puteum ut hauriret aquam: et haustam omnibus camelis dedit.
20And she hastened, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21Ipse autem contemplabatur eam tacitus, scire volens utrum prosperum iter suum fecisset Dominus, an non.
21And the man looked stedfastly on her; holding his peace, to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
22Postquam autem biberunt cameli, protulit vir inaures aureas, appendentes siclos duos, et armillas totidem pondo siclorum decem.
22And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
23Dixitque ad eam: Cujus es filia? indica mihi, est in domo patris tui locus ad manendum?
23and said: 'Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?'
24Quæ respondit: Filia sum Bathuelis, filii Melchæ, quem peperit ipsi Nachor.
24And she said unto him: 'I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore unto Nahor.'
25Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et fœni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.
25She said moreover unto him: 'We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.'
26Inclinavit se homo, et adoravit Dominum,
26And the man bowed his head, and prostrated himself before the LORD.
27dicens: Benedictus Dominus Deus domini mei Abraham, qui non abstulit misericordiam et veritatem suam a domino meo, et recto itinere me perduxit in domum fratris domini mei.
27And he said: 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who hath not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master; as for me, the LORD hath led me in the way to the house of my master's brethren.'
28Cucurrit itaque puella, et nuntiavit in domum matris suæ omnia quæ audierat.
28And the damsel ran, and told her mother's house according to these words.
29Habebat autem Rebecca fratrem nomine Laban, qui festinus egressus est ad hominem, ubi erat fons.
29And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban; and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the fountain.
30Cumque vidisset inaures et armillas in manibus sororis suæ, et audisset cuncta verba referentis: Hæc locutus est mihi homo: venit ad virum qui stabat juxta camelos, et prope fontem aquæ:
30And it came to pass, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying: 'Thus spoke the man unto me,' that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the fountain.
31dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? præparavi domum, et locum camelis.
31And he said: 'Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have cleared the house, and made room for the camels.'
32Et introduxit eum in hospitium: ac destravit camelos, deditque paleas et fœnum, et aquam ad lavandos pedes ejus, et virorum qui venerant cum eo.
32And the man came into the house, and he ungirded the camels; and he gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men that were with him.
33Et appositus est in conspectu ejus panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.
33And there was set food before him to eat; but he said: 'I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.' And he said: 'Speak on.'
34At ille: Servus, inquit, Abraham sum:
34And he said: 'I am Abraham's servant.
35et Dominus benedixit domino meo valde, magnificatusque est: et dedit ei oves et boves, argentum et aurum, servos et ancillas, camelos et asinos.
35And 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 men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and asses.
36Et peperit Sara uxor domini mei filium domino meo in senectute sua, deditque illi omnia quæ habuerat.
36And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
37Et adjuravit me dominus meus, dicens: Non accipies uxorem filio meo de filiabus Chananæorum, in quorum terra habito:
37And my master made me swear, saying: Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
38sed ad domum patris mei perges, et de cognatione mea accipies uxorem filio meo.
38But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.
39Ego vero respondi domino meo: Quid si noluerit venire mecum mulier?
39And I said unto my master: Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
40Dominus, ait, in cujus conspectu ambulo, mittet angelum suum tecum, et diriget viam tuam: accipiesque uxorem filio meo de cognatione mea, et de domo patris mei.
40And 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;
41Innocens eris a maledictione mea, cum veneris ad propinquos meos, et non dederint tibi.
41then shalt thou be clear from my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give her not to thee, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
42Veni ergo hodie ad fontem aquæ, et dixi: Domine Deus domini mei Abraham, si direxisti viam meam, in qua nunc ambulo,
42And I came this day unto the fountain, and said: O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now Thou do prosper my way which I go:
43ecce sto juxta fontem aquæ, et virgo, quæ egredietur ad hauriendam aquam, audierit a me: Da mihi pauxillum aquæ ad bibendum ex hydria tua:
43behold, I stand by the fountain of water; and let it come to pass, that the maiden that cometh forth to draw, to whom I shall say: Give me, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher to drink;
44et dixerit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis hauriam: ipsa est mulier, quam præparavit Dominus filio domini mei.
44and she 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 appointed for my master's son.
45Dumque hæc tacitus mecum volverem, apparuit Rebecca veniens cum hydria, quam portabat in scapula: descenditque ad fontem, et hausit aquam. Et aio ad eam: Da mihi paululum bibere.
45And before I had done speaking to my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the fountain, and drew. And I said unto her: Let me drink, I pray thee.
46Quæ festinans deposuit hydriam de humero, et dixit mihi: Et tu bibe, et camelis tuis tribuam potum. Bibi, et adaquavit camelos.
46And 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.
47Interrogavique eam, et dixi: Cujus es filia? Quæ respondit: Filia Bathuelis sum, filii Nachor, quem peperit ei Melcha. Suspendi itaque inaures ad ornandam faciem ejus, et armillas posui in manibus ejus.
47And I asked her, and said: Whose daughter art thou? And she said: The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore unto him. And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands.
48Pronusque adoravi Dominum, benedicens Domino Deo domini mei Abraham, qui perduxit me recto itinere, ut sumerem filiam fratris domini mei filio ejus.
48And I bowed my head, and prostrated myself before the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
49Quam ob rem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: sin autem aliud placet, et hoc dicite mihi, ut vadam ad dextram, sive ad sinistram.
49And 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.'
50Responderuntque Laban et Bathuel: A Domino egressus est sermo: non possumus extra placitum ejus quidquam aliud loqui tecum.
50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said: 'The thing proceedeth from the LORD; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
51En Rebecca coram te est, tolle eam, et proficiscere, et sit uxor filii domini tui, sicut locutus est Dominus.
51Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.'
52Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terram Dominum.
52And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth unto the LORD.
53Prolatisque vasis argenteis, et aureis, ac vestibus, dedit ea Rebeccæ pro munere: fratribus quoque ejus et matri dona obtulit.
53And 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.
54Inito convivio, vescentes pariter et bibentes manserunt ibi. Surgens autem mane, locutus est puer: Dimitte me, ut vadam ad dominum meum.
54And 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.'
55Responderuntque fratres ejus et mater: Maneat puella saltem decem dies apud nos, et postea proficiscetur.
55And her brother and her mother said: 'Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.'
56Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.
56And he said unto them: 'Delay me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.'
57Et dixerunt: Vocemus puellam, et quæramus ipsius voluntatem.
57And they said: 'We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.'
58Cumque vocata venisset, sciscitati sunt: Vis ire cum homine isto? Quæ ait: Vadam.
58And they called Rebekah, and said unto her: 'Wilt thou go with this man?' And she said: 'I will go.'
59Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites ejus,
59And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
60imprecantes prospera sorori suæ, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.
60And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her: 'Our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those that hate them.'
61Igitur Rebecca et puellæ illius, ascensis camelis, secutæ sunt virum: qui festinus revertebatur ad dominum suum.
61And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
62Eo autem tempore deambulabat Isaac per viam quæ ducit ad puteum, cujus nomen est Viventis et videntis: habitabat enim in terra australi:
62And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the land of the South.
63et egressus fuerat ad meditandum in agro, inclinata jam die: cumque elevasset oculos, vidit camelos venientes procul.
63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.
64Rebecca quoque, conspecto Isaac, descendit de camelo,
64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she alighted from the camel.
65et ait ad puerum: Quis est ille homo qui venit per agrum in occursum nobis? Dixitque ei: Ipse est dominus meus. At illa tollens cito pallium, operuit se.
65And she said unto the servant: 'What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us?' And the servant said: 'It is my master.' And she took her veil, and covered herself.
66Servus autem cuncta, quæ gesserat, narravit Isaac.
66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67Qui introduxit eam in tabernaculum Saræ matris suæ, et accepit eam uxorem: et in tantum dilexit eam, ut dolorem, qui ex morte matris ejus acciderat, temperaret.
67And 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 for his mother.
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