Genesis 24

1 By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

1 亚伯拉罕年纪老迈，向来在一切事上耶和华都赐福给他。

2 So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,

2 亚伯拉罕对管理他全业最老的仆人说：「请你把手放在我大腿底下。

3 and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,

3 我要叫你指着耶和华—天地的主起誓，不要为我儿子娶这迦南地中的女子为妻。

4 but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

4 你要往我本地本族去，为我的儿子以撒娶一个妻子。」

5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

5 仆人对他说：「倘若女子不肯跟我到这地方来，我必须将你的儿子带回你原出之地吗？」

6 Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.

6 亚伯拉罕对他说：「你要谨慎，不要带我的儿子回那里去。

7 The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.

7 耶和华—天上的主曾带领我离开父家和本族的地，对我说话，向我起誓说：『我要将这地赐给你的后裔。』他必差遣使者在你面前，你就可以从那里为我儿子娶一个妻子。

8 And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”

8 倘若女子不肯跟你来，我使你起的誓就与你无干了，只是不可带我的儿子回那里去。」

9 So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.

9 仆人就把手放在他主人亚伯拉罕的大腿底下，为这事向他起誓。

10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.

10 那仆人从他主人的骆驼里取了十匹骆驼，并带些他主人各样的财物，起身往美索不达米亚去，到了拿鹤的城。

11 As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.

11 天将晚，众女子出来打水的时候，他便叫骆驼跪在城外的水井那里。

12 “O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

12 他说：「耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神啊，求你施恩给我主人亚伯拉罕，使我今日遇见好机会。

13 Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.

13 我现今站在井旁，城内居民的女子们正出来打水。

14 Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

14 我向那一个女子说：『请你拿下水瓶来，给我水喝』，她若说：『请喝！我也给你的骆驼喝。』愿那女子就作你所预定给你仆人以撒的妻。这样，我便知道你施恩给我主人了。」

15 Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.

15 话还没有说完，不料，利百加肩头上扛着水瓶出来。利百加是彼土利所生的；彼土利是亚伯拉罕兄弟拿鹤妻子密迦的儿子。

16 Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

16 那女子容貌极其俊美，还是处女，也未曾有人亲近她。她下到井旁，打满了瓶，又上来。

17 So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”

17 仆人跑上前去迎着她，说：「求你将瓶里的水给我一点喝。」

18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.

18 女子说：「我主请喝！」就急忙拿下瓶来，托在手上给他喝。

19 After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”

19 女子给他喝了，就说：「我再为你的骆驼打水，叫骆驼也喝足。」

20 And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.

20 她就急忙把瓶里的水倒在槽里，又跑到井旁打水，就为所有的骆驼打上水来。

21 Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.

21 那人定睛看她，一句话也不说，要晓得耶和华赐他通达的道路没有。

22 And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.

22 骆驼喝足了，那人就拿一个金环，重半舍客勒，两个金镯，重十舍客勒，给了那女子，

23 “Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

23 说：「请告诉我，你是谁的女儿？你父亲家里有我们住宿的地方没有？」

24 She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”

24 女子说：「我是密迦与拿鹤之子彼土利的女儿」；

25 Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”

25 又说：「我们家里足有粮草，也有住宿的地方。」

26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,

26 那人就低头向耶和华下拜，

27 saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

27 说：「耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神是应当称颂的，因他不断地以慈爱诚实待我主人。至于我，耶和华在路上引领我，直走到我主人的兄弟家里。」

28 The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.

28 女子跑回去，照着这些话告诉她母亲和她家里的人。

29 Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.

29–30 利百加有一个哥哥，名叫拉班，看见金环，又看见金镯在他妹子的手上，并听见他妹子利百加的话，说那人对我如此如此说。拉班就跑出来往井旁去，到那人跟前，见他仍站在骆驼旁边的井旁那里，

30 As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.

31 “Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

31 便对他说：「你这蒙耶和华赐福的，请进来，为什么站在外边？我已经收拾了房屋，也为骆驼预备了地方。」

32 So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.

32 那人就进了拉班的家。拉班卸了骆驼，用草料喂上，拿水给那人和跟随的人洗脚；

33 Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”

33 把饭摆在他面前，叫他吃，他却说：「我不吃，等我说明白我的事情再吃。」拉班说：「请说。」

34 “I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.

34 他说：「我是亚伯拉罕的仆人。

35 “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.

35 耶和华大大地赐福给我主人，使他昌大，又赐给他羊群、牛群、金银、仆婢、骆驼，和驴。

36 My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.

36 我主人的妻子撒拉年老的时候给我主人生了一个儿子；我主人也将一切所有的都给了这个儿子。

37 My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell,

37 我主人叫我起誓说：『你不要为我儿子娶迦南地的女子为妻。

38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’

38 你要往我父家、我本族那里去，为我的儿子娶一个妻子。』

39 Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’

39 我对我主人说：『恐怕女子不肯跟我来。』

40 And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house.

40 他就说：『我所事奉的耶和华必要差遣他的使者与你同去，叫你的道路通达，你就得以在我父家、我本族那里，给我的儿子娶一个妻子。

41 And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’

41 只要你到了我本族那里，我使你起的誓就与你无干。他们若不把女子交给你，我使你起的誓也与你无干。』

42 So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success!

42 「我今日到了井旁，便说：『耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神啊，愿你叫我所行的道路通达。

43 Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’

43 我如今站在井旁，对哪一个出来打水的女子说：请你把你瓶里的水给我一点喝；

44 and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.

44 她若说：你只管喝，我也为你的骆驼打水；愿那女子就作耶和华给我主人儿子所预定的妻。』

45 And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’

45 我心里的话还没有说完，利百加就出来，肩头上扛着水瓶，下到井旁打水。我便对她说：『请你给我水喝。』

46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.

46 她就急忙从肩头上拿下瓶来，说：『请喝！我也给你的骆驼喝。』我便喝了；她又给我的骆驼喝了。

47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.

47 我问她说：『你是谁的女儿？』她说：『我是密迦与拿鹤之子彼土利的女儿。』我就把环子戴在她鼻子上，把镯子戴在她两手上。

48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.

48 随后我低头向耶和华下拜，称颂耶和华—我主人亚伯拉罕的 神；因为他引导我走合式的道路，使我得着我主人兄弟的孙女，给我主人的儿子为妻。

49 Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”

49 现在你们若愿以慈爱诚实待我主人，就告诉我；若不然，也告诉我，使我可以或向左，或向右。」

50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.

50 拉班和彼土利回答说：「这事乃出于耶和华，我们不能向你说好说歹。

51 Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”

51 看哪，利百加在你面前，可以将她带去，照着耶和华所说的，给你主人的儿子为妻。」

52 When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.

52 亚伯拉罕的仆人听见他们这话，就向耶和华俯伏在地。

53 Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

53 当下仆人拿出金器、银器，和衣服送给利百加，又将宝物送给她哥哥和她母亲。

54 Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”

54 仆人和跟从他的人吃了喝了，住了一夜。早晨起来，仆人就说：「请打发我回我主人那里去吧。」

55 But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”

55 利百加的哥哥和她母亲说：「让女子同我们再住几天，至少十天，然后她可以去。」

56 But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”

56 仆人说：「耶和华既赐给我通达的道路，你们不要耽误我，请打发我走，回我主人那里去吧。」

57 So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”

57 他们说：「我们把女子叫来问问她」，

58 They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.

58 就叫了利百加来，问她说：「你和这人同去吗？」利百加说：「我去。」

59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.

59 于是他们打发妹子利百加和她的乳母，同亚伯拉罕的仆人，并跟从仆人的，都走了。

60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

60 他们就给利百加祝福说： 我们的妹子啊，愿你作千万人的母！ 愿你的后裔得着仇敌的城门！

61 Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

61 利百加和她的使女们起来，骑上骆驼，跟着那仆人，仆人就带着利百加走了。

62 Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.

62 那时，以撒住在南地，刚从庇耳·拉海·莱回来。

63 Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.

63 天将晚，以撒出来在田间默想，举目一看，见来了些骆驼。

64 And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel

64 利百加举目看见以撒，就急忙下了骆驼，

65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

65 问那仆人说：「这田间走来迎接我们的是谁？」仆人说：「是我的主人。」利百加就拿帕子蒙上脸。

66 Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.

66 仆人就将所办的一切事都告诉以撒。

67 And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

67 以撒便领利百加进了他母亲撒拉的帐棚，娶了她为妻，并且爱她。以撒自从他母亲不在了，这才得了安慰。