Back to Genesis 24

Genesis 24:42-44

I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go— behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.’

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Genesis 24:42-44 sits inside this longer paragraph.

He said, “I am Abraham’s servant. Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. Yahweh has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys. Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him. My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, but you shall go to my father’s house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’ He said to me, ‘Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father’s house. Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my relatives. If they don’t give her to you, you shall be clear from my oath.’ I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go— behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,” then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.’ Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ She hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.’ So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink. I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.’ I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, 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. Now if you will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. If not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—

    behold, I am standing by this spring of water. Let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, “Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,”

    then she tells me, “Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,”—let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master’s son.’

  • KJV King James Version

    And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:

    Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;

    And she 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 out for my master’s son.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    And 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:

    behold, 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;

    and 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.

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Cross-references (20)

  • Genesis 24:13-14 (v43) Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let it happen, that the…
  • Genesis 24:14 (v44) Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will…
  • Nehemiah 1:11 (v42) Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your…
  • Genesis 24:12-14 (v42) He said, “Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, I am standing…
  • Ezra 8:21 (v42) Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us,…
Show all 20 cross-references
  • Psalms 37:5 (v42) Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this:
  • Psalms 90:17 (v42) Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us. Establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands.
  • Romans 1:10 (v42) requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
  • Genesis 2:22 (v44) Yahweh God made a woman from the rib which he had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
  • Genesis 24:31 (v42) He said, “Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.”
  • Genesis 39:3 (v42) His master saw that Yahweh was with him, and that Yahweh made all that he did prosper in his hand.
  • Proverbs 16:33 (v44) The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yahweh.
  • Proverbs 18:22 (v44) Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh.
  • Proverbs 19:14 (v44) House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.
  • Isaiah 32:8 (v44) But the noble devises noble things; and he will continue in noble things.
  • Acts 10:7-8 (v42) When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on…
  • Acts 10:22 (v42) They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed…
  • 1 Timothy 2:10 (v44) but with good works, which is appropriate for women professing godliness.
  • Hebrews 13:2 (v44) Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
  • 1 Peter 3:8 (v44) Finally, all of you be like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous,

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (8 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv42, 44 Or, way.

Or, way.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv42–44 Gen 24:42 And I came this day unto the…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v42 i.e. The design or course in which I am…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv42–44 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv42–43 Verse 42. O Lord God of my master] As…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On v42 42. And I came this day] Gen_24:42-48 recapitulate the…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v43 (43) The virgin.—Not the word used in Gen_24:16, nor…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v42 General Information:
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