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.
Rebeka ta ka kongwa a ninge omwalikadi waIsak
1 Ndele pefimbo olo Abraham okwa kulupa, nomafiku aye a ninga mahapu, nOmwene okwe mu nangeka noupuna mwaaishe. 2 Opo nee Abraham okwa lombwela omupiya elenga lakula lomeumbo laye, ou a pashukila oinima yaye aishe, ndele ta ti: “Eke loye li shitika koshi yetundji lange; 3 onda hala u anene nge kOmwene Kalunga keulu nedu nokutya, ove uha kongele omumwange omwalikadi movana oukadona vOvakaanan ovo ndi li mokati kavo. 4 Ndelenee inda koshilongo shetu nokepata letu u ka kongele omumwange Isak omwalikadi.” 5 Opo nee omupiya okwe mu pula ta ti: “Omwalikadi ngeenge ina hala okuuya naame moshilongo eshi, ondi na okushunifa mbela omumwoye koshilongo shinya wa dja?” 6 Ndele Abraham okwe mu nyamukula ta ti: “Likelela shili opo uha shunife vali omumwange kwinya. 7 Omwene Kalunga keulu, ou a kufa nge meumbo latate nomoshilongo omo nda dalelwa naau a popya naame nokwa anena nge neendjovo edi: ‘Oludalo loye ohandi ke li pa edu eli,’ ote ke ku tetekelifa omweengeli waye ndele ove ou na okweetela ko omumwange omwalikadi. 8 Ndelenee omwalikadi ngeenge ina hala okuuya, nena owa mangululwa kokwaana kwoye kwaame. Ove ino shunifa ashike omumwange kwinya.” 9 Opo nee omupiya okwa shitika eke laye koshi yetundji laAbraham, omwene waye, ndele okwe mu anena moshinima eshi.
10 Ndele omupiya okwa kufa eengamelo omulongo domeengamelo domwene waye ndee okwa ya e na oinima i lili noi lili iwa i na ondilo yomoinima yomwene waye. Ye okwa fikama ndele okwa ya kuMesopotamia, koshilando shaNahor. 11 Neengamelo okwe di twifa eengolo pondje yoshilando pomufima umwe, etango longuloshi, mefimbo tuu olo ovalikadi tave uya okuteka omeva, 12 ndele ye ta ti: “Omwene Kalunga kaAbraham omwene wange, monife nge elao nena ndele fila onghenda omwene wange Abraham. 13 Ame ohandi kala ofika apa pomufima fimbo ovana oukadona voonakukala moshilando tave uya okuteka omeva. 14 Nashi ningwe hano: Okakadona aka handi ka lombwela hai ti: ‘Ehenifa oshiyuma shoye, ndi nwe mo,’ ngeenge ka nyamukula taka ti: ‘Nwa, ame ohandi ka nwefa yo eengamelo doye,’ nena okakadona oko, oko wa nunina omupiya woye Isak, nosho ngaha ame hai ka shiiva, nokutya Ove owa fila onghenda omwene wange.”
15 Ye fimbo ina mana okupopya, Rebeka okwe uya po. Ye omona okakadona kaBetuel, omona waMilka, omwalikadi waNahor ondenge yaAbraham. Ye oku na oshiyuma kepepe laye. 16 Ndele okakadona aka oka li kawa, inaka kumwa komulumenhu nandenande. Ndele ko oka kulukila momufima ndele taka teke oshitoo shako ndele oka aluka mo. 17 Opo nee omupiya okwa endelela ndele ta ti: “Pe nge ndi nwe mo moshiyuma shoye omeva manini.” 18 Ndele ko oka nyamukula taka ti: “Nwa mo, omwene wange.” Opo nee oshiyuma oke shi kululila diva momake aye ndee oke mu pa a nwe. 19 Eshi ke mu pa okunwa oka tya: “Ame ohandi ka xwiila yo neengamelo doye, di nwe di kumwe.” 20 Opo nee oshiyuma oke shi tila diva metemba ndele ka tondoka, ka shuna vali momufima ka ka teke, ndele ka xwiila eengamelo daye adishe. 21 Omulumenhu okwe ka tala, a kumwa a mwenenena nokwa hala a shiive ngeenge Omwene okwe mu monifa tuu ondjila i na elao.
22 Ndele eengamelo eshi da nwa da kumwa, omulumenhu okwa kufa olinga yoshingoldo, youdjuu wetata losekeli, noivela ivali yokomaoko yoshingoli, i fike peesekeli omulongo, 23 ndele ta ti: “Ove omona okakadona kalyelye? Lombwele nge. Meumbo laxo omu na onhele tu nangale mo?” 24 Ndele ko oke mu nyamukula taka ti: “Ame omona okakadona kaBetuel, omona waMilka ou e mu dala naNahor. 25 Ndele ko oke mu lombwela vali taka ti: Meumbo letu omu na omwiidi neendja dasha, nonhele yokunangala.” 26 Opo nee omulumenhu okwe linyongamena a twa oshipala shaye poshi ndee okwa ilikana Omwene 27 neendjovo edi: “Omwene Kalunga kaAbraham, omwene wange na hambelelwe, osheshi Ye ina anyena omwene wange ouwanghenda noudiinini waye. Omwene okwa endifa nge nondjila ei yokeumbo lamumwaina womwene wange.”
28 Opo nee okakadona oka tondoka, ka ka hepaulule meumbo laina eshi sha ningwa. 29 Ndele Rebeka okwa li e na omumwaina edina laye Laban. Ndele Laban okwa lotokela komulumenhu kwinya komufima. 30 Osheshi ye eshi a mona olinga noivela komaoko amumwaina nokwa uda eendjovo damumwaina Rebeka nokutya ope na omulumenhu ou a popya naye, ye okwa ya komulumenhu, fimbo ye a li ofika natango peengamelo pomufima, 31 ndele ta ti: “Ila meumbo, ove omunangekwa noupuna wOmwene! Oshike u li ofika pondje, manga ame nda longekida eumbo nonhele yo yeengamelo?” 32 Ndele omulumenhu okwe uya meumbo. Laban okwa mangulula eengamelo, ndele te di pe oikulya. Opo nee okwa etela omupiya waAbraham novalumenhu ava va li pamwe naye omeva okukosha eemhadi davo. 33 Opo nee vo ove mu etela eendja. Ndele ye ta ti: “Ame itandi li fimbo inandi tonga eenghundwa dange.” Ndele ye okwa nyamukula: “Popya hano.”
34 Opo nee ye okwa tya: “Ame omupiya waAbraham. 35 Ndele Omwene okwa nangeka noupuna omwene wange unene, okwe mu yambapaleka unene, ndele okwe mu pa eedi neengobe, oshisiliveli noshingoldo, ovapika ovalumenhu novapika ovakainhu, neengamelo neendongi. 36 Ndele Sara, omwalikadi womwene wange okwa dalela omwene wange omona omumati moukulupe waye. Ndele omwene wange okwe mu pa ashishe osho e kwete. 37 Ndele ye okwa anifa nge ndele ta ti: ‘Ove ino kongela omumwange omwalikadi moukadona vOvakaanan, ovo ndi li moshilongo shavo. 38 Ndelenee ou na okuya keumbo latate nokepata letu nokukongela omumwange omwalikadi oko.’
39 “Opo nee nda pula omwene wange: ‘Omwalikadi ngeenge ina hala okuuya pamwe naame.’ 40 Ndele ye okwa nyamukula nge: ‘Omwene, moipafi yaye ame nda kala nokweenda, ota ka tuma omweengeli waye pamwe naave, ndele Ye ote ku monifa elao mondjila yoye, opo u shiive okweetela omumwange omwalikadi mepata letu nomeumbo latate, 41 opo nee ove wa manguluka keano we li anena nge, ngeenge to uya kepata letu; ndele vo ngeenge inava hala oku mu ku pa, opo nee wa manguluka keano we li anena nge.’
42 “Ame onde uya nena komufima ndele handi ti: ‘Omwene, Kalunga kaAbraham, omwene wange, ngeenge owa hala okumonifa nge elao mondjila yange, 43 ame handi kala ofika apa pomufima, nashi ningwe ngaha: Moukadona ava tave uya okuteka, ngeenge onda lombwele po kamwe hai ti: Pe nge ndi nwe mo omeva manini moshitoo shoye, 44 ndee ko taka nyamukula nge taka ti: Nwa mo ove mwene ndele neengamelo doye ohandi di xwiile, ou omwalikadi, Omwene e mu nunina omona womwene wange.’ 45 Ame fimbo inandi mana natango okulipopila momutima wange, Rebeka okwe uya noshitoo shaye kepepe ndee ta kulukile komufima ndele ta teke. Opo nee ame nde mu lombwela: ‘Pe nge ndi nwe mo!’ 46 Ndele ye okwa kulula diva oshitoo shaye kepepe ndele ta ti: ‘Nwa mo, nohandi ka xwiila eengamelo doye.’ Ndele ame onda nwa mo, nokwa xwiila yo eengamelo. 47 Opo nee nde ka pula ndele handi ti: ‘Ove omona walyelye?’ Ndele ko oka nyamukula: ‘Omona okakadona kaBetuel, omona waNahor, ou e mu dalelwa kuMilka.’ Opo nee nda tula olinga keyulu lako noivela yokomaoko komaoko ako, 48 ndele ame onde linyongamena nokutwa oshipala poshi koshipala shOmwene Kalunga kaAbraham, omwene wange, ou a endifa nge nondjila ya yuka opo ndi monene omona womwene wange, omona okakadona kamumwaina womwene wange. 49 Nye ngeenge omwa hala okumonifa omwene wange onghenda noudiinini, shi lombweleni nge. Nongeenge hasho, lombweleni nge, opo ndi shiive okuya kolulyo ile kolumosho.”
50 Opo nee Laban naBetuel ova nyamukula ndele tava ti: “Oshinima eshi osha dja kOmwene. Fye itatu dulu okupopya kwoove nande owii ile ouwa. 51 Rebeka oye ou e li ofika koshipala shoye, mu kufa po, indeni, opo ye a ka ninge omwalikadi womona womwene woye, ngaashi Omwene a tonga.” 52 Ndele omupiya waAbraham eshi a uda eendjovo davo, ye okwe linyongamena poshi koshipala shOmwene. 53 Opo nee omupiya okwa longolola oinima oisiliveli noingoldo noikutu, nde te i pe Rebeka. Komumwaina nokuina ye okwa yandja omilongelo di na ondilo. 54 Ndele vo ova lya nova nwa, ye novalumenhu ava va li pamwe naye, ndele ova nangala oufiku oo. Vo eshi va penduka ongula inene, ye ota ti: “Lekeleni nge ndi ye komwene wange.” 55 Ndelenee mumwaina naina tava ti: “Okakadona naka kale pufye efiku limwe ile omafiku omulongo, opo mu dule okuya.” 56 Ndelenee ye okwe va nyamukula ta ti: “Inamu kelela nge, osheshi Omwene okwa monifa nge elao mondjila yange. Lekeleni nge ndi shiive okushuna komwene wange.” 57 Opo nee vo tava ti: “Natu ifaneni okakadona, koovene ka pulwe.” 58 Ndele vo ova ifana Rebeka ndele tave mu pula: “Owa hala okuya pamwe nomulumenhu ou?” Ndele ye okwa nyamukula: “Heeno.” 59 Opo nee vo ova lekela mumwaina Rebeka nomuyakuli waye pamwe nomupiya waAbraham novalumenhu vaye. 60 Ndele vo ova nangeka noupuna Rebeka ndele tava ti kuye:
“Omumwameme, mwoove namu dalwe
omayovi omilongo,
noludalo loye nali nangale moshivelo shovanaita naave.”
61 Opo nee Rebeka nomuyakuli waye ove lilongekida nova londa keengamelo nokushikula omulumenhu. Osho ngaha omupiya okwa kufa Rebeka ndele okwa shuna.
62 Ndele Isak okwe uya langhele puBeer-Lahai-Roi, osheshi ye okwa kala moshilongo shokoumbangalanhu. 63 Ndele Isak okwa ya a ka endaenda komaalala etango longuloshi. Ndele ye eshi a yelula omesho aye okwa mona eengamelo tadi uya. 64 Rebeka yo okwa yelula omesho aye nokwa mona Isak. Opo nee ye okwa londoloka kongamelo, 65 ndele ta ti komupiya: “Omulumenhu olyelye ou te tu shakeneke mealala?” Nomupiya okwa nyamukula ta ti: Oye mwene wange. Opo nee Rebeka okwa kufa oshikaiwa ndele okwe liuvika. 66 Opo nee omupiya okwa hepaululila Isak ashishe eshi a ninga. 67 Ndele Isak okwe mu twala monduda yaina Sara, ndele okwa tambula Rebeka, ndele okwa ninga omwalikadi waye. Ndele ye okwa li e mu hole. Osho ngaha Isak a hekelekwa kefyo laina.
