Restored English Translation of Genesis: Chapter 24

G’day everyone (and a welcome to my new followers)!  Today I present my Restored English Translation (RET) of Beresheet (Genesis) chapter 24.  Yes, this is the chapter I quoted the RET of earlier in the week (in A History of Marriage – Part 1), which surprisingly no-one noticed.  As usual, the RET of chapter 24 includes the Hebrew names, with a glossary of them afterwards.  At the end is a list of where the Aleph Tavs occur, as they are no longer included in the main text.

CHAPTER 24

1 And Avraham was old, and well gone in days; and YEHOVAH had blessed Avraham in all things. 2 And Avraham said to his eldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that was put to him, “Please put your hand under my thigh. 3 And I will make you swear by YEHOVAH ELOHAY, the ELOHIM of the heavens and of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son of the Kena’ani women, among whom I live. 4 But you will go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son, for Yitschak.” 5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Should I bring your son back to the land which you came from?” 6 And Avraham said to him, “Beware for yourself that you do not bring my son back there. 7 YEHOVAH ELOHAY of the heavens, Who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and Who spoke to me, and Who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to you and your seed’; He will send His messenger before you, and you will take a wife to my son from there. 8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow you, then you will be clear from this, my oath: only do not take my son back there.” 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Avraham, and swore to him concerning this matter. 10 And the servant took 10 camels of his master’s camels, and left; for all the goods of his master were in his hand. And he arose, and went to Aram Naharayim, to the city of Nachor. 11 And he made the camels to kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that they go out to draw. 12 And he said, “YEHOVAH ELOHAY of my master Avraham, please cause her to meet before me this day, and show kindness to my master Avraham. 13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 And let it be that the girl to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink’; and she will say, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also’, let the same be she that You have appointed for Your servant Yitschak. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.” 15 And it happened, before he had done speaking, that behold, Rivkah came out (who was born to Betu’el, son of Milkah, the wife of Nachor, Avraham’s brother) with her pitcher on her shoulder. 16 And the girl was very pleasant to look upon, a virgin; neither had any man had sex with her. And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” 18 And she said, “Drink, my master.” And she hurried and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him drink she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 And she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough. And she ran again to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man wondering at her kept silent, to see whether YEHOVAH had blessed his journey or not. 22 And it happened, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of 10 shekels weight of gold, 23 and said, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to stay in?” 24 And she said to him, “I am the daughter of Betu’el the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nachor.” 25 She said to him, “We have enough of both straw and fodder, and room to lodge in.” 26 And the man bowed down and worshipped YEHOVAH. 27 And he said, “Blessed be YEHOVAH ELOHIM of my master Avraham, Who has not left my master destitute of his mercy and his truth. I being in the way, YEHOVAH led me to the house of my master’s brother.” 28 And the girl ran and told her mother’s house of these things. 29 And Rivkah had a brother, and his name was Lavan. And Lavan ran out to the man, out to the well. 30 And it was, when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of his sister Rivkah, saying, “Thus spoke the man to me”; that he came to the man, and beheld him standing by the camels at the well. 31 And he said, “Come in, you blessed of YEHOVAH! Why do you stand out here? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.” 32 And the man came into the house. And he unloaded his camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him. 33 And food was set before him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told my errand.” And he said, “Speak.” 34 And he said, “I am Avraham’s servant. 35 And YEHOVAH has blessed my master greatly, and he has become great. And He has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and male servants, and female servants, and camels, and donkeys. 36 And my master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given to him all that is his. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, ‘You will not take a wife to my son of the Kena’ani women, in whose land I live. 38 But you shall go to my father’s house, and to my family, and take a wife for my son.’ 39 And I said to my master, ‘Perhaps the woman will not follow me.’ 40 And he said to me, ‘YEHOVAH, before whom I walk, will send His messenger with you and prosper your way. And you will take a wife for my son of my family, and of my father’s house. 41 Then you will be clear from this my oath, when you come to my family; and if they do not give you one, you will be clear from my oath.’ 42 And I came this day to the well, and said, ‘YEHOVAH ELOHAY of my master Avraham, if You do now prosper my way which I go; 43 behold, I stand by the well of water; and it will be, that when the virgin comes out to draw water, and I say to her, “Please give me a little water of your pitcher to drink”; 44 and she say to me, “Both you drink, and I will also draw for your camels”, let the same be the woman whom YEHOVAH has appointed out for my master’s son.’ 45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rivkah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. And she went down to the well and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Please let me drink.’ 46 And she hurried and let down her pitcher from her, and said, ‘Drink, and I will give your camels drink also.’ So I drank, and she made the camels drink also. 47 And I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Betu’el, Nachor’s son, whom Milkah bore to him.’ And I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands. 48 And I bowed my head and worshipped YEHOVAH, and I blessed YEHOVAH ELOHAY of my master Avraham, Who had led me in the right way to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49 And now if you 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.” 50 Then Lavan and Betu’el answered and said, “The thing proceeds from YEHOVAH. We cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rivkah is before you. Take her and go, and let her be your master’s son’s wife, as YEHVOAH has spoken.” 52 And when the servant of Avraham heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth to YEHOVAH. 53 And the servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rivkah. He also gave gems to her brother and to her mother. 54 And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and spent the night. And they rose up in the morning, and he said, “Send me away to my master.” 55 And her brother and her mother said, “Let the girl stay with us, perhaps 10 days. Afterwards she will go.” 56 And he said to them, “Do not hinder me, seeing YEHOVAH has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.” 57 And they answered, “We will call the girl and inquire of את her mouth.”
58 And they called Rivkah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” And she answered, “I will go.” 59 And they sent away their sister Rivkah, and her nurse, and the servant of Avraham’s, and his men. 60 And they blessed Rivkah and said to her, “Our sister, you will become of thousands of myriads, and may your seed possess the gate of those who hate them.” 61 And Rivkah and her maidens rose up, and they rode on the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rivkah and went his way. 62 And Yitschak came from the way of the well Lachai-Roy, for he lived in the land of the Negev. 63 And Yitschak went out to meditate in the field as it came towards evening. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw; and behold, the camels were coming. 64 And Rivkah lifted up her eyes, and she saw Yitschak; and she dismounted off the camel. 65 And she said to the servant, “Who is this man that walks in the field to meet us?” And the servant had answered, “It is my master.” And she took the veil, and covered herself. 66 And the servant told Yitschak all the things that he had done. 67 And Yitschak brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rivkah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. And Yitschak was comforted after his mother’s death.
Glossary
Avraham – Abraham
YEHOVAH – The Lord
YEHOVAH ELOHAY – The Lord God
ELOHIM – God
Kena’ani – Canaanite
Yitschak – Isaac
Aram Naharayim – Mesopotamia
Nachor – Nahor
Rivkah – Rebecca
Betu’el – Bethuel
Milkah – Milcah
YEHOVAH ELOHIM – The Lord God
Lavan – Laban
Lachai-Roy – Lahai Roi, or Well of Life
Where the Aleph Tavs occur
Verse 1: And Avraham was old, and well gone in days; and YEHOVAH had blessed את Avraham in all things.
Verse 5: And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Should I bring back את your son to the land which you came from?”
Verse 6: And Avraham said to him, “Beware for yourself that you not bring back את my son there.
Verse 7: YEHOVAH ELOHAY of the heavens, Who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and Who spoke to me, and Who swore to me, saying, ‘To your seed I will give את land this’; He will send His messenger before you, and you will take a wife to my son from there.
Verse 8: And if the woman will not be willing to follow you, then you will be clear from my oath את this: only את my son do not take back there.”
Verse 9: And put the servant את his hand under the thigh of his master Avraham, and swore to him concerning this matter.
Verse 23: and said, “Whose daughter את are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to stay in?”
Verse 30: And it was, when he saw the ring and את the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of his sister Rivkah, saying, “Thus spoke the man to me”; that he came to the man, and beheld him standing by the camels at the well.
Verse 35: And YEHOVAH has blessed את my master greatly, and he has become great. And He has given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and male servants, and female servants, and camels, and donkeys.
Verse 36: And my master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given את to him all that is his.
Verse 47: And I asked her, and said, ‘Whose daughter את are you?’ And she said, ‘The daughter of Betu’el, Nachor’s son, whom Milkah bore to him.’ And I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
Verse 48: And I bowed my head and worshipped YEHOVAH, and I blessed את YEHOVAH ELOHAY of my master Avraham, Who had led me in the right way to take את the daughter of my master’s brother for his son.
Verse 49: And now if you will deal kindly and truly with את my master, tell me; and if not, tell me that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”
Verse 52: And when heard servant of Avraham’s את their words, he bowed himself to the earth to YEHOVAH.
Verse 57: And they answered, “We will call the girl and inquire of את her mouth.”
Verse 59: And they sent away את Rivkah their sister, and את her nurse, and את servant of Avraham’s, and את his men.
Verse 60: And they blessed את Rivkah and said to her, “Our sister, את you will become of thousands of myriads, and may possess your seed את the gate of those who hate them.”
Verse 61: And Rivkah and her maidens rose up, and they rode on the camels, and followed the man. And took the servant את Rivkah and went his way.
Verse 64: And lifted up Rivkah את her eyes, and she saw את Yitschak; and she dismounted off the camel.