A Wife for Isaac
Abraham, now old and blessed, binds his chief servant by oath to seek a wife for Isaac from Abraham’s own country and family, not from the Canaanites among whom they live.
B1y now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 2So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, 3and 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, 4but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
When the servant asks whether Isaac might need to return there, Abraham forbids it and trusts the Lord to send His angel ahead. The servant then swears to carry out the charge under those terms.
5The 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?” 6Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there. 7The 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. 8And 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.” 9So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
The servant travels to Nahor’s town, stops by the well at evening, and prays for success. He asks that the chosen woman be known by her ready kindness to him and to his camels.
10Then 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. 11As 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. 12“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14Now 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.”