A Wife for Isaac
1 Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in everything he did. 2 He said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of all that he had, “Place your hand between my thighs and make a vow. 3 I want you to make a vow in the name of the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the people here in Canaan. 4 You must go back to the country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my relatives.”
5 But the servant asked, “What if the young woman will not leave home to come with me to this land? Shall I send your son back to the land you came from?”
6 Abraham answered, “Make sure that you don't send my son back there! 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son. 8 If the young woman is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand between the thighs of Abraham, his master, and made a vow to do what Abraham had asked.
10 The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia. 11 When he arrived, he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when women came out to get water. 12 He prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and keep your promise to my master. 13 Here I am at the well where the young women of the city will be coming to get water. 14 I will say to one of them, ‘Please, lower your jar and let me have a drink.’ If she says, ‘Drink, and I will also bring water for your camels,’ may she be the one that you have chosen for your servant Isaac. If this happens, I will know that you have kept your promise to my master.”
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebecca arrived with a water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. 16 She was a very beautiful young woman and still a virgin. She went down to the well, filled her jar, and came back. 17 The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a drink of water from your jar.”
18 She said, “Drink, sir,” and quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. 19 When he had finished, she said, “I will also bring water for your camels and let them have all they want.” 20 She quickly emptied her jar into the animals' drinking trough and ran to the well to get more water, until she had watered all his camels. 21 The man kept watching her in silence, to see if the Lord had given him success.
22 When she had finished, the man took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large gold bracelets on her arms. 23 He said, “Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night?”
24 “My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah,” she answered. 25 “There is plenty of straw and fodder at our house, and there is a place for you to stay.”
26 Then the man knelt down and worshiped the Lord. 27 He said, “Praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has faithfully kept his promise to my master. The Lord has led me straight to my master's relatives.”
28 The young woman ran to her mother's house and told the whole story. 29 Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban, and he ran outside to go to the well where Abraham's servant was. 30 Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well, 31 and said, “Come home with me. You are a man whom the Lord has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have a room ready for you in my house, and there is a place for your camels.”
32 So the man went into the house, and Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and fodder. Then he brought water for Abraham's servant and his men to wash their feet. 33 When food was brought, the man said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.”
Laban said, “Go on and speak.”
34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 35 “The Lord has greatly blessed my master and made him a rich man. He has given him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys. 36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore him a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to him. 37 My master made me promise with a vow to obey his command. He said, ‘Do not choose a wife for my son from the young women in the land of Canaan. 38 Instead, go to my father's people, to my relatives, and choose a wife for him.’ 39 And I asked my master, ‘What if she will not come with me?’ 40 He answered, ‘The Lord, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family. 41 There is only one way for you to be free from your vow: if you go to my relatives and they refuse you, then you will be free.’
42 “When I came to the well today, I prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please give me success in what I am doing. 43 Here I am at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I will ask her to give me a drink of water from her jar. 44 If she agrees and also offers to bring water for my camels, may she be the one that you have chosen as the wife for my master's son.’ 45 Before I had finished my silent prayer, Rebecca came with a water jar on her shoulder and went down to the well to get water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels. 47 I asked her, ‘Who is your father?’ And she answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 I knelt down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me straight to my master's relative, where I found his daughter for my master's son. 49 Now, if you intend to fulfill your responsibility toward my master and treat him fairly, please tell me; if not, say so, and I will decide what to do.”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “Since this matter comes from the Lord, it is not for us to make a decision. 51 Here is Rebecca; take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord himself has said.” 52 When the servant of Abraham heard this, he bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 53 Then he brought out clothing and silver and gold jewelry, and gave them to Rebecca. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54 Then Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me go back to my master.”
55 But Rebecca's brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.”
56 But he said, “Don't make us stay. The Lord has made my journey a success; let me go back to my master.”
57 They answered, “Let's call her and find out what she has to say.” 58 So they called Rebecca and asked, “Do you want to go with this man?”
“Yes,” she answered.
59 So they let Rebecca and her old family servant go with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they gave Rebecca their blessing in these words:
“May you, sister, become the mother of millions!
May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!”
61 Then Rebecca and her young women got ready and mounted the camels to go with Abraham's servant, and they all started out.
62 Isaac had come into the wilderness of “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me” and was staying in the southern part of Canaan. 63 He went out in the early evening to take a walk in the fields and saw camels coming. 64 When Rebecca saw Isaac, she got down from her camel 65 and asked Abraham's servant, “Who is that man walking toward us in the field?”
“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her scarf and covered her face.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent that his mother Sarah had lived in, and she became his wife. Isaac loved Rebecca, and so he was comforted for the loss of his mother.
Toko Ogye Yisika ri
1 'Dooko Abarayama te agoambago ro, tana ndroa na te amba, ago OPI äṛu nda te ŋga cini ya. 2 Nda atate dri'ba ruindu'bai cini ndaro ro ri ekye: “Molo'baru miri, mi'ba drí miro ta'balakole maro ya ago nyäṛuru. 3 Male miri ruäṛune OPI, Lu vo'buyakuru ro ndi 'bädri be rosi, anjioko ko miri toko ogyene ŋgwa maro ri ni ndiriŋwa Kanana'bai ro lakosi se mabe ori lakoigye ono, 4 oko beṛo miri oyine 'bädri andivo maro roya, ago miri toko usune ŋgwa maro Yisika ri ni 'didiri maro lakosi.”
5 Oko ruindu'ba ana ejitate ekye: “Ondro ka'do toko se musube tana ŋgwa miro 'do kole tezo ikyine mabe 'bädri se ono ya oko ni, 'dooko inye'do mazona ŋgwa miro te kovole 'bädri se nyeṛibe ni kigye ana ya ya?”
6 Abarayama zatadrite ekye: “Beṛo ko miri ŋgwa maro logone 'bädri se ana ya; 7 OPI, Lu vo'buyakuru ro ezi ma teni 'ba täpi maro ro yasi, ago ni wari 'didiri maro ro yasi, ago 'ba tao'baro te märi ekye yozona 'bädri se ono 'da zelevoi maro ri. Nda ozona malaika ndaro 'da mile miro ya, ago nyusuna toko 'da ŋgwa maro ri ni lau. 8 Ago ondro ka'do toko na 'do kole kote eṛine mibe, 'dooko nya'dona ndi dritai roni tao'baro se ono yasi. Oko beṛo ko miri ŋgwa maro logone lau.” 9 Ta'dota ruindu'ba se ana 'ba drí ndaro te ta'balakole 'desi ndaro Abarayama roya, ago 'ba tao'ba te tase Abarayama katabe ana oyene.
10 Ago ruindu'ba se ana ru gamelei te 'butealo ni gamelei 'desi ndaro ro lakosi ndi ŋgapäṛi amba azaka se liŋgyiliŋgyiro 'desi ndaro ro kai yibe, ago oyite Mesopotamia ya 'bakici Naora roya. 11 Ago ondro nda kosate oko, 'dooko te orivoya tandrolero, ndi nda rite gamelei ndaro be loline koro aza kala lototi 'bakici lomvo, ago ana ni saa se 'ditoko kabe gyi ondi sina owo. 12 Ndi nda mätute ekye: “OPI, Lu 'desi maro Abarayama ro ono, molo'baru miri, kitu ondro ono si ono, nyozo ŋgase mabe mio'ba tana ro ono märi ago nyaka'da tao'ba se miro 'desi maro Abarayama ri ono. 13 Yauono ma orivoya edrevoya koro ono kala, se ndiriŋwa 'bakici ono ro kayi oye ikyine gyi ondine. 14 Mi'ba ŋguti se ma oyebe atane rigye makye: ‘Mi'ba luku'du miro vuru ago nyozo mämvu gyi robe,’ se katate märi ekye: ‘Mimvu ago mozona gyi kpa gamelei miro ri,’ 'do mi'ba ka'do ni anya se minjibe a'done ruindu'ba miro Yisika ri owo. Tase ono si mänina ndi anjioko nyäti tao'baro se miro 'desi maro Abarayama ri te.”
15 Dri teinye ndäri mätu ndaro onde ako oko, Rebeka ŋgwa Betuela ro se ni ŋgwa Mileka toko Naora ädrupi Abarayama ro ana esate, luku'du gyi ro anyaro be depere anyaro dri. 16 Anya liŋgyi tawi ago kpa ŋguti 'boroŋwa yi se mano aza ru drî driko sina. Ndi anya cite gyi ondine ni koro ya, ago ondro kondi gyi te twi luku'du anyaro ya oko, anya efote tesi. 17 Ago ruindu'ba se ana mute drîna utune, ago atate ekye: “Molo'baru miri nyozo gyi aza fereŋwa umvune märi ni luku'du miro yasi.”
18 Ago anya atate ekye: “Mimvuna ndi 'desi maro;” ago anya eri luku'du anyaro te ndriŋwa vuru, ago ozo gyi te ndäri umvune. 19 Ondro nda konde gyi umvu te oko, anya ekye: “Mandina kpa gamelei miro ri madale gyi ojona ànya lutu.” 20 Ndi anya so gyi se luku'du anyaro ya 'do te ndriŋwa karaṛi ya, ago go cite koro ya ondine, ago anya ndite ozote gamelei cini ndaro ri. 21 Ruindu'ba ana ndrevote anya dri titiitiro teinye ata ako, le unine kode OPI ozo kandrakado gite aba ndaro ya ya.
22 Ondro gamelei kondeyi gyi umvute oko, nda ru iŋgyi läguläguro te sote konvo anyaro ya, ago 'ba beji läguläguro ritu te kufu anyaro ya. 23 Ndi nda ekye: “Mi ŋguti a'di roya? Molo'baru miri nyiti tana märi. Inye'do vo gibe zo täpi miro roya orizana ämäri kigye ya?”
24 'Dooko anya zatadrite ndäri ekye: “Ma ŋguti Betuela se Mileka kutibe Naora ri ana ro. 25 Kyekyepa ndi moyo käyi robe orivoya amba, ago vo oriro orivoya miri oriza zo amaro ya.”
26 Ndi mano se ana edi drî te ago mätu OPI te. 27 Nda ekye: “Räṛu ka'do OPI, Lu 'desi maro Abarayama ro ri se äti tao'ba ndaro se 'desi maro ri ono te 'diriro. Tana OPI, lepe ma te dori ŋgyero 'ba 'didiri 'desi maro roya.”
28 Ago ŋguti se ana mute ago pe tase cini ana tana te lidri zo endre ndaro roya ana ri. 29 Rebeka orivoya ädrupi be se ävuruna orivoya Labana, ago nda mute tesi ruindu'ba se Abarayama ro ana re koro kala. 30 Tana nda ndre iŋgyi läguläguro ndi beji läguläguro se asobe konvo ago kufu Rebeka roya kai te, ago eri ata Rebeka endreŋwa ndaro rote, se mano gi ana katabe anyari ana. Ndi nda kyite ruindu'ba Abarayama ro ana re, ago ndre nda te edrevoya gamelei ndaro be koro kala. 31 Ndi nda atate ekye: “Nyeṛi moyi mibe 'bäru, mi orivoya mano se OPI käṛube ono owo; tana e'di nyedre gwo noŋwa niya? Mede zo te nja tana mi ago vo orivoya tana gamelei miro.” 32 Ta'dota ruindu'ba Abarayama ro ikyite 'bäru, ago Labana onji ŋgase cini gamelei ndaro kundu ana te vuru, ago ozo moyo käyi ro ndi kyekyepa be te gamelei ri. Ago nda ozo gyi te ruindu'ba Abarayama ro ri ndi ànya se nda be ana be pa ànyaro ojazana. 33 Ondro a'ba ŋgaonya te nda kandra onyane oko, nda atate ekye: “Ŋgaonya onyane märi dri i'do madale mitina takaci eṛi maro ro noŋwa tana lutu.”
'Dooko Labana ekye: “Ka'do inye dia nyiti tana.”
34 Ndi nda ekye: “Ma orivoya ruindu'ba Abarayama ro. 35 OPI äṛu 'desi maro te ndra, ago nda a'dote ŋgaamba be, ozo timele, indrii, tii, logo läguläguro ndi mo'di be, ruindu'bai àgoro ndi ndiriŋwa robe, gamelei ndi doŋgyii be te ndäri amba. 36 Ago Sara toko 'desi maro ro ti ŋgwa kpate ndäri agoro tokoadraŋwa anyaro si, ago 'desi maro ozo ŋgase cini nda be sina ono te ndäri. 37 'Desi maro 'ba ma te tao'baro o'bane ruäṛu si ota ndaro orone, nda ekye: ‘Beṛo ko miri toko ogyene ŋgwa maro ri ni ndiriŋwa Kanana'bai ro lakosi, se mabe ori wari na ya ono. 38 Oko nyoyi toko ogyene ŋgwa maro ri ni lidri täpi maro ro ago ni 'didiri maro lakosi.’ 39 'Dooko meji 'desi maro te makye: ‘Oko ondro ka'do toko na 'do kole kote osone mavo oko ndi ni?’ 40 Nda zatadrite ekye: ‘OPI maro se mabe orona ondoalo 'do ozona malaika ndaro 'da mibe ago edena liti 'da kadoro miri, ago nyusuna toko 'da ŋgwa maro ri ni lidri modo maro lakosi ni katidri täpi maro ro yasi. 41 'Dooko nya'dona ndi dritai roni ruäṛu miro yasi, ondro misate 'didiri maro lako, ago ondro ka'do ànya kozoyi anya ca kote miri nya'dona ndi dritai roni tao'ba maro yasi.’
42 “'Dooko kitu ondro ono si mesate koro kala oko, mämätute makye: ‘OPI, Lu 'desi maro Abarayama ro ono, rägu mi'ba tase mabe oyi tana ro ono a'done kadoro. 43 Ma begi edrevoya koro ono kala ono, ondro ŋguti 'boroŋwa aza kikyite gyi ondine, ago matate rigye makye molo'baru miri nyozo gyi fereŋwa märi ni luku'du miro yasi mämvu robe, 44 ago ondro katate märi ekye mimvu, ago mandina kpa gamelei miro ri oko, mi'ba anya ka'do ni ŋguti se minjibe a'done toko ŋgwa 'desi maro ro ri owo.’
45 “Ago dri teinye mätu titiitiro maro ondeako oko, Rebeka esate luku'du gyi robe depere anyaro dri, ago anya cite koro ya gyi ondine, ndi anya ndite. Ago matate anyari makye: ‘Molo'baru miri, nyozo gyi mämvu robe.’ 46 Ago anya eri luku'du anyaro te vuru ndriŋwa ni depere anyaro drisi, anya atate ekye: ‘Mimvu, ago mozona kpa gamelei miro ri umvune.’ Ndi mämvu gyi te ago anya ozo kpate gamelei maro ri. 47 Ndi 'dooko meji anya te makye: ‘Mi ŋguti a'di roya?’ Ago anya ekye: ‘Ma ŋguti Betuela ŋgwa Naora ro ro se Mileka kutibe ndäri ana.’ 'Dooko maso iŋgyi te konvo anyaro ya, ago maso bejii te kufu anyaro ya. 48 'Dooko medi drî maro te vuru, ago mämätu OPI te, ago märäṛu OPI, Lu 'desi maro Abarayama rote, se lepe mate ŋgyero ŋguti 'didiri 'desi maro ro usune toko ro ŋgwa ndaro ri ono ta. 49 Ka'do inye te ämiri ta'diri ago endaro atane ayani ta 'desi maro rota. Nyiti ta amiro, ondro ka'do ata amiro ka'do ko ŋgye, nyiti tana märi, 'dooko mäni tase märi oyene robe.”
50 'Dooko Labana ndi Betuela be zayitadrite ekye: “Tase ono kikyibe ni OPI resi ono ronye, mänina ko ta aza atane miri koziro kigye. 51 Rebeka begi 'do miru anya, ago nyoyi anya be toko ro ŋgwa 'desi miro ro ri, oso ata OPI ro ronye.”
52 Ondro ruindu'ba Abarayama ro keri ata ànyaro te oko, nda edi drî te vuru ago mätu OPI te. 53 'Dooko nda ru mo'di läguläguro, logo läguläguro ndi boŋgo be te ozote Rebeka ri, ago ozo ŋgapäṛi lagyeamba be kpate ädrupi anyaro ri ndi endre anyaro be.
54 'Dooko nda ndi 'dise nda be kai yibe nyayi ago mvuyi ŋgate, ago u'duyite raa lau. Ondro ànya kefoyite kyenoŋbo si oko, nda atate ekye: “Mì'ba mago teri kovole 'desi maro re.”
55 Oko ädrupi Rebeka ro ndi endre anyaro be atayite ekye: “Mi'ba ŋgutiŋwa ono dri orine ama yibe oso u'du 'butealo ronye, 'dooko anya o'dena gwo oyine.”
56 Oko nda atate ànyari ekye: “Nyìŋbi ma ko, oso ta maro OPI ko'ba bete a'done kadoro ono ronye ono, mì'ba moyi 'desi maro re.”
57 Ànya zatadrite ekye: “Mäzina te ŋguti modo ayani, ago mejina te kala anyaro ayani.” 58 Ta'dota ànya ziyi Rebeka te ago ejiyi anya te ekye: “Inye'do nyoyina ndi mano se ono be ya?”
Ago anya ekye: “Owo, moyina ndi nda be.”
59 Ndi ànya zoyi endreŋwa ànyaro Rebeka ndi ruindu'ba ànyaro aza be te oyine ruindu'ba Abarayama ro ndi lidri se nda be ana yibe. 60 Ago ànya äṛuyi Rebeka te ekye:
“Mi endreŋwa amaro ono nya'do ndi endre lidri tere'benye ro ro!
Ago zelevoi miro kopeyi 'bakicii kyila'baazii ànyaro ro ndi rii ṛe.”
61 'Dooko Rebeka ndi ruindu'ba anyaro se tokoro ana be riyite gamelei dri, ndi ruindu'ba se Abarayama ro ana yibe ndi oyiyite.
62 Yisika ikyite liti se Bera Lai Roi ro ana ya orine Negebe ya lau. 63 Ago Yisika fote ämvu ya tandrolero, ka ugu ta azaka usuna, ondro keŋga mi te oko, nda ndre gamelei te ikyivoya. 64 Ago Rebeka keŋga mi anyaro te ago kondre Yisika te oko, anya efote vuru ni gamele drisi. 65 Ago atate ruindu'ba se ana ri ekye: “Manona aza ka aba ämvu yasi ka eziikyi ämädri ro ana a'di owo ya?”
Ago ruindu'ba ana zatadrite ekye: “'Do 'desi maro owo.” Ndi Rebeka ru boŋgo anyaro te ago tako mi anyaro te sina.
66 Ago ruindu'ba iti tase cini nda koyebe ana tana te Yisika ri. 67 'Dooko Yisika ru Rebeka te, loci anya te zo boŋgoro se endre ndaro Sara koribe kigye ana ya. Anya a'dote toko ro ndäri, ago Yisika lu anya tawi, se 'ba ori ndaro te a'done kadoro odra endre ndaro ro vosi.