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Hesekiel 16

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1 Ja Herran sana tapahtui minulle ja sanoi:

2 Sinä ihmisen poika, ilmoita Jerusalemille hänen kauhistuksensa!

3 Ja sano: sinun sukus ja syntys on Kanaanealaisten maalta, sinun isäs Amorilaisista ja sinun äitis Hetiläisistä.

4 Sinun sukus ei ole sinulta napaa leikanneet, kuin synnyit, ei ole sinua myös saunoitettu vedellä, ettäs olisit puhtaaksi tullut, eikä suolalla tahottu, eikä kapaloihin kääritty.

5 Sillä ei kenkään sinua surkutellut, että hän olis armahtanut sinua, ja osoittanut sinulle yhdenkin näistä, mutta sinä heitettiin kedolle, niin ylönkatsottu oli sinun sielus, kuin synnyit.

6 Mutta minä kävin sinun ohitses, ja näin sinun veressäs makaavan, ja sanoin sinulle: sinun pitää elämän, kuin sinä niin sinun veressäs makasit; totta sinulle sanoin minä, kuin niin veressäs makasit: sinun pitää elämän.

7 Ja minä olen enentänyt sinun moneksi tuhanneksi ja antanut sinun suureksi tulla, niinkuin hedelmän maan päällä, ja sinä olit kasvanut isoksi ja aivan kauniiksi tullut, sinun nisäs olivat kasvaneet, ja sinä olit saanut kauniit pitkät hiukset, mutta sinä olit vielä alastoin ja kaino.

8 Ja minä kävin ohitses ja katsoin päälles, ja katso, sinä olit täysikasvuinen, niin minä hajoitin hameeni liepeen sinun ylitses, ja peitin sinun häpiäs; ja minä vannoin sinulle, ja annoin itseni liittoon sinun kanssas, sanoo Herra, Herra, että sinun piti minun oleman.

9 Ja pesin sinun vedellä, ja virutin sinun verestäs, ja voitelin sinun öljyllä.

10 Ja vaatetin sinun neulotuilla vaatteilla, ja kengitin sinun Tekasjimin nahalla, ja annoin sinulle kalliit liinavaatteet, puetin sinun silkkiin.

11 Ja kaunistin sinun kaunistuksella, ja panin käsirenkaat sinun kätees ja käädyt sinun kaulaas.

12 Ja annoin otsalehden sinun otsaas, ja korvarenkaat korviis ja kunnian kruunun päähäs.

13 Niin sinä kaunistettiin kullalla ja hopialla, ja vaatetettiin kalliilla liinavaatteella, silkillä ja neulotulla työllä; sinä söit myös sämpyläleipää, hunajaa ja öljyä; ja olit ylenpaljon kaunistettu, ja sait valtakunnan.

14 Ja sinun nimes kuului kauvas pakanain seassa sinun kauneutes tähden, joka juuri täydellinen oli, senkaltaisten kaunistusten kautta, jotka minä olin pannut päälles, sanoo Herra, Herra.

15 Mutta sinä uskalsit kauneutees; ja ettäs niin ylistetty olit, teit sinä huorin, niin että sinä itses teit yhteiseksi jokaiselle, jotka kävivät ohitses, ja teit hänen tahtonsa.

16 Ja otit sinun vaatteistas, ja teit siitä kirjavat alttarit itselles, ja teit huoruuttas niiden päällä; joka ei ikänä tapahtunut ole, eikä pidä tapahtuman.

17 Ja otit sinun kunniakaluistas, jotka minä sinulle minun kullastani ja hopiastani antanut olin, ja teit niistä miehen kuvat itselles, ja teit huorin niiden kanssa.

18 Ja otit neulotut vaattees ja peitit ne niillä, ja minun öljyni ja suitsutukseni asetit sinä heidän eteensä.

19 Ruokani, jonka minä annoin syödäkses, sämpylöitä, öljyä ja hunajaa, asetit sinä heidän eteensä makiaksi hajuksi; ja niin se oli, sanoo Herra, Herra.

20 Ja sinä otit poikas ja tyttäres, jotka minulle synnyttänyt olit, ja uhrasit ne heille syötää; luuletkos niin halvaksi huoruutes?

21 Ja sinä teuraaksi teit minun lapseni, ja annoit polttaa heitä heidän edessänsä.

22 Et kuitenkaan sinä ole kaikessa kauhistuksessas ja huoruudessas koskaan ajatellut nuoruutes aikaa, kuinka paljas ja alastoin sinä olit, ja makasit veressäs.

23 Joka tapahtui kaiken sinun pahuutes jälkeen. Voi! voi sinuas! sanoo Herra, Herra.

24 Sinä rakensit itselles korkeudet, ja teit sinulles kukkulat kaikille kaduille.

25 Ja kaikkein teiden suihin rakensit sinä kukkulas, ja teit sinun kauneutes kauhistukseksi; sinä hajoitit jalkas jokaiselle, joka kävi siitä ohitse, ja teit suurta salavuoteutta.

26 Ensin sinä teit salavuoteutta lähimmäistes Egyptin lasten kanssa, joilla suuri liha oli, ja teit suurta salavuoteutta kehoittaakses minua.

27 Ja katso, minä ojensin käteni sinua vastaan ja hillitsin senkaltaisen tapas, ja hylkäsin sinun vihollistes Philistealaisten tyttärien tahtoon, jotka häpesivät sinun häpeemätöntä työtäs.

28 Sitte sinä teit huoruutta Assurin lasten kanssa, ja et taitanut heistä kyllääs saada; ja kuin sinä olit tehnyt huoruutta heidän kanssansa, ja et taitanut heistä kyllääntyä;

29 Enensit sinä vielä sitte sinun huoruuttas Kanaanin maalla, Kaldeaan asti, ja et sinä vielä sittenkään taitanut silläkään kyllääntyä.

30 Kuinka siis minun pitäis ympärileikkaaman sinun sydämes, sanoo Herra, Herra: ettäs senkaltaisen julkihuoran töitä teet?

31 Siinä, ettäs niin rakennat korkeutes joka tien suuhun, ja teet kukkulas kaikille kaduille, ja et ole niinkuin muu portto, joka rahalla ostettaman pitää,

32 Taikka niinkuin joku huorivaimo, joka miehensä siaan laskee toisen.

33 Kaikille portoille annetaan lahjoja; mutta sinä annat kaikille sinun värtämiehilles palkan, ja lahjoitat heitä, että heidän joka paikasta sinun tykös tuleman pitäis, huoruutta tekemään sinun kanssas.

34 Ja löydetään sinun tykönäs sinun huotuudessas juuri vastoin sitä mikä tapa on muiden vaimoin kanssa, ettei sinun perässäs juosta; ja että sinä palkan annat, ja ei sinulle palkkaa anneta, niin sinä teet juuri vastahakoisin.

35 Sentähden sinä portto, kuule Herran sanaa:

36 Näin sanoo Herra, Herra: ettäs niin mielelläs annat rahaa, ja julistat häpiäs huoruutes kautta värtämiehelles ja kaiken sinun kauhistukses epäjumalain kanssa, ja vuodatat lastes veren, jonkas heille uhraat;

37 Sentähden, katso, minä tahdon koota kaikki sinun värtämiehes, joiden kanssa sinä olet hekumassa elänyt, ynnä kaikkein niiden kanssa, joita ystävinäs pidät, ja joita vihaat; ja minä tahdon ne koota sinua vastaan joka taholta, ja julistaa sinun häpiäs, että heidän kaikki sinun häpiäs näkemän pitää.

38 Ja minä annan käydä huoran ja verenvuodattajan oikeuden sinun ylitses, ja annan vuodattaa sinun veres julmuudella ja kiivaudella.

39 Ja minä annan sinut heidän käsiinsä, että heidän pitää särkemän sinun korkeutes, ja kukistaman sinun kukkulas, ja riisuman sinun vaattees, ja ottaman sinulta pois sinun kunniakappalees, ja antaman istua sinun alasti ja paljaana.

40 Ja heidän pitää antaman tulla sinun vastaas suuren väkijoukon, jotka pitää sinua kivittämän kuoliaaksi ja hakkaaman miekoillansa rikki;

41 Ja tulella polttaman sinun huonees, ja näyttämän sinulle sinun oikeutes monen vaimon silmäin edessä; ja minä tahdon tehdä lopun sinun huoruudelles, ettei sinun enään pidä antaman rahaa.

42 Ja kuin minä olen antanut minun vihani levätä sinun päälläs, niin pitää minun kiivauteni sinusta luopuman, että minä mahtaisin olla levossa, ja en enään vihastua.

43 Ettes muistanut nuoruutes aikaa, vaan kehoitit minua näillä kaikilla, sentähden tahdon minä myös panna kaikki sinun menos sinun pääs päälle, sanoo Herra, Herra, ettes tekisi sitä pahaa kaikkein sinun kauhistustes kanssa.

44 Katso, kaikki jotka itsiänsä sananlaskussa harjoittavat, ne pitää tämän sananlaskun sinusta sanoman: tytär on niinkuin äitikin.

45 Sinä olet äitis tytär, joka hylkäsi miehensä ja lapsensa; ja sinä olet sisartes sisar, jotka jättivät pois miehensä ja lapsensa; teidän äitinne on Hetiläinen, ja teidän isänne Amorilainen.

46 Samaria on sinun vanhempi sisares tyttärinensä, joka vasemmalla puolellas tykönäs asuu; ja Sodoma on sinun nuorempi sisares tyttärinensä, joka asuu oikialla puolellas.

47 Vaikka et sinä kuitenkaan heidän teillänsä vaeltanut, taikka tehnyt heidän kauhistustensa jälkeen, niin ei siitä paljo puutu, ettet sinä pahempia asioita tehnyt ole kuin he, kaikissa sinun menoissas.

48 Niin totta kuin minä elän, sanoo Herra, Herra, Sodoma, sinun sisares tyttärinensä, ei ole niin tehnyt kuin sinä ja sinun tyttäres.

49 Katso, se oli sinun sisares, Sodoman synti: ylpeys, ja kaikissa yltäkylläisyys, ja hyvä rauha, joka hänellä ja hänen tyttärillänsä oli: mutta köyhiä ja tarvitsevia ei he auttaneet;

50 Mutta he olivat ylpiät, ja tekivät kauhistuksen minun edessäni; sentähden olen myös minä heittänyt heidät pois, kuin minä sen näin.

51 Niin ei myös Samaria ole tehnyt puoliakaan sinun syntejäs; mutta sinä olet paljon enemmin tehnyt sinun kauheuttas kuin hän, ettäs olet tehnyt sisares hyväksi kaikkein sinun kauhistustes suhteen, joita sinä tehnyt olet.

52 Niin kanna myös häpiäs, sinä, joka sisares hyväksi teet synteis kautta, joissa sinä suuremmat ja olet tehnyt heitä paremmaksi kuin sinä olet: niin häpee nyt ja kanna häpiäs, ettäs sisares, hyväksi tehnyt olet.

53 Mutta minä tahdon kääntää heidän vankiutensa: Sodoman vankiuden ja hänen tytärtensä, ja Samarian vankiuden ja hänen tytärtensä, ja sinun vankiutes vangit heidän keskellänsä,

54 Niin että sinun täytyy kantaa sinun häpiäs ja pilkkas kaiken sen edestä, jonka tehnyt olet, jolla heitä olet lohduttava.

55 Ja sinun sisares Sodoma ja hänen tyttärensä pitää käännetyksi tuleman, niinkuin he ennen ovat olleet, ja Samaria ja hänen tyttärensä pitää käännetyksi tuleman, niinkuin he ennen ovat olleet; ja sinun myös tytärtes kanssa pitää käännetyksi tuleman, niinkuin te ennen olleet olette.

56 Ja ei pidä (enää) Sodoma sinun sisares huutoon tuleman sinun suussas, (niinkuin) ylpeytes aikana.

57 Kuin pahuutes ei vielä julki ollut, niinkuin siihen aikaan, kuin Syrian ja Philistealaisten tyttäret häpäisivät sinua joka paikassa, ja kaikki sen ympäristö katsoi sinun ylön;

58 Kuin sinun täytyi kantaa pahuuttas ja kauheuttas, sanoo Herra, Herra.

59 Sillä näin sanoo Herra, Herra: minä tahdon tehdä sinulle, niinkuin sinä tehnyt olet, ettäs valan katsoit ylön ja särjit liiton.

60 Mutta minä tahdon muistaa minun liittoni, jonka minä kanssas tehnyt olen nuoruutes aikana, ja tahdon tehdä ijankaikkisen liiton sinun kanssas.

61 Niin sinun pitää mielees johdattaman sinun teitäs, ja häpeemän, kuin olet ottava tykös vanhemmat ja nuoremmat sisares, jotka minä sinulle tyttärikses antava olen; vaan ei sinun liitostas.

62 Mutta minä tahdon tehdä minun liittoni sinun kanssas, että sinun ymmärtämän pitää, että minä olen Herra:

63 Ettäs sitä ajattelisit ja häpeäisit, ja et rohkeaisi häpiän tähden suutas avata, koska minä sinulle anteeksi antava olen kaikki, mitäs tehnyt olet, sanoo Herra, Herra.

   


SWORD version by Tero Favorin (tero at favorin dot com)

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Arcana Coelestia # 9127

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9127. 'There shall be no bloodguilt for him' means that he is not guilty of the violence done. This is clear from the meaning of 'blood' in the highest sense as Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good, and in the internal sense springing from this as the truth of good, dealt with in 4735, 6378, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850, 7877. Consequently 'shedding blood' means doing violence to God's truth or the truth of good, and also to good itself. For anyone who does violence to truth does it also to good, since truth is wedded so closely to good that one is never without the other. Therefore if violence is done to one it is also done to the other. From all this it is evident that 'there shall be no bloodguilt for him' means not being guilty of the violence done to truth or to good.

[2] A person who has no knowledge of the internal sense of the Word can only think that 'blood' in the Word means blood, and that 'shedding blood' simply means killing someone. But the internal sense does not deal with the life of a person's body, only with that of his soul, that is, with his spiritual life, which will go on living forever. This life is described in the Word, in the sense of the letter, by means of such things as constitute the life of the body, namely flesh and blood. And since a person's spiritual life springs from and is maintained by the good that belongs to charity and the truth that belongs to faith, the good belonging to charity is meant in the internal sense of the Word by 'flesh' and the truth belonging to faith by 'blood'. In an even more internal sense the good belonging to love to the Lord is meant by 'flesh' and the good belonging to love towards the neighbour by 'blood'. In the highest sense however, in which solely the Lord is the subject, 'flesh' is the Lord's Divine Good, thus the Lord Himself in respect of Divine Good, while 'blood' is Divine Truth emanating from the Lord, thus the Lord in respect of Divine Truth. These things are understood in heaven by flesh and blood when a person reads the Word. And the same things are understood when the person attends the Holy Supper, though in this the bread is the flesh and the wine is the blood; for 'the bread' has exactly the same meaning as flesh and 'the wine' exactly the same meaning as blood.

[3] But those who think only on the level of the senses, as most people in the world do at the present day, do not understand any of this. Therefore let them keep to the faith they have, so long as they believe that the Holy Supper and the Word have a holiness within them because they come from God. Maybe they do not know where that holiness lies; even so, let those who are endowed with some inner degree of perception, that is, who can think on a level above the senses, consider whether 'blood' is used to mean blood and 'flesh' to mean flesh in Ezekiel,

Son of man, thus said the Lord Jehovih, Say to every bird of the air, to every wild animal of the field, Assemble and come, gather yourselves from all around to My sacrifice which I am sacrificing for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, so that you may eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of the mighty, and [drink] the blood of the princes of the earth. And you will drink blood till you are drunk, from My sacrifice which I will sacrifice for you. You will be glutted at My table with horse and chariot, and with the mighty, and with every man of war. Thus will I set My glory among the nations. Ezekiel 39:17-21.

Also in John, in Revelation,

I saw an angel standing in the sun, who called out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying in the middle of heaven, Gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and those seated on them, and the flesh of all, free men and slaves, small and great. Revelation 19:17-18.

It is obvious that in these places 'flesh' is not used to mean flesh or 'blood' to mean blood.

The same applies then to the Lord's 'flesh' and 'blood' in John,

The bread which I shall give is My flesh. Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you will have no life in you. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. This is the bread which came down from heaven. John 6:50-58.

The Lord's flesh is the Divine Good of His Divine Love, and His blood is Divine Truth emanating from His Divine Good. This may be recognized from the consideration that they are the food which nourishes a person's spiritual life.

[4] This explains why He goes on to say, 'My flesh is truly food, and My blood is truly drink', and also, 'This is the bread which came down from heaven'. And since a person is joined to the Lord through love and faith, He also says, 'He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him'. But as stated above, this matter can be understood only by those who are able to think on a level above the bodily senses, in particular by those who believe in and love the Lord, because the Lord raises them from the life of their bodily senses up to the life of their spirit. That is, He raises them from the light of the world into the light of heaven, the light in which conceptions of things that are material, that is, impressions in the mind that are acquired by the body fade from view.

[5] Anyone therefore who knows that 'blood' means God's truth coming from the Lord can also see that 'shedding blood' in the Word does not mean killing or taking a person's physical life but killing or taking the life of his soul, that is, destroying his spiritual life, which consists of faith in and love to the Lord. When 'blood' is used to refer to blood shed unlawfully it means God's truth destroyed by falsities arising from evil, as is evident in the following places: In Isaiah,

When the Lord will have washed the excrement of the daughters of Zion and washed away the blood 1 of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgement and by a spirit of purging ... Isaiah 4:4.

In the same prophet,

Your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity. Their feet run to evil, and they hasten to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Isaiah 59:3, 7.

In Jeremiah,

Yes, in your skirts the blood of poor innocent souls is found. Jeremiah 2:34.

In the same prophet,

... for the sins of the prophets, the iniquities of the priests who shed in the midst of Jerusalem the blood of the righteous. They went astray blind in the streets, they are defiled with blood. Things which have no power they touch with their garments. Lamentations 4:13-14.

In Ezekiel,

I passed by you and saw you weltering in your blood, 1 and I said, Live in your blood; 1 I indeed said to you, Live in your blood. 1 I washed you with water and washed away your blood 1 from upon you, and anointed you with oil. Ezekiel 16:6, 9.

In the same prophet,

You, son of man, will you dispute with the city of blood? 1 Declare to her all her abominations. By your blood which you have shed you have become guilty, and by the idols which you have made you are defiled. Behold, the princes of Israel, each according to his power, 2 have been among you and have shed blood. Men of intrigue have been among you, [ready] to shed blood, and among you have eaten on the mountains. Ezekiel 22:2-4, 6, 9.

In Joel,

I will give portents in heaven and on earth, blood and fire, and a column of smoke. The sun will be turned into thick darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day [of Jehovah] comes. Joel 2:30-31.

And in John,

The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became like blood. Revelation 6:12.

In the same book,

The second angel sounded, and so to speak a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third part of the sea became blood. Revelation 8:8.

In the same book,

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of one dead, from which every living soul died in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and into the fountains of water, and blood was made. Revelation 16:3-4.

[6] In these places 'blood' is not used to mean the life-blood of the human body when it has been shed, but the blood of spiritual life, which is God's truth, when violence has been done to it by falsity arising from evil. 'Blood' has a similar meaning in Matthew,

On you will come the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel even to the blood of Zechariah, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Matthew 23:35.

These words mean that from earliest times down to the present the Jews had been doing violence to the truths of the Word, to such an extent that they were unwilling to accept any inner, heavenly truth at all. Therefore they did not accept the Lord either. The shedding of His blood by them was a sign of their total rejection of God's truth; for the Lord was Divine Truth itself, which is the Word made flesh, John 1:1, 14. Their total rejection of God's truth that came from the Lord and was the Lord is meant by the following in Matthew,

Pilate washed his hands before the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person; you yourselves see [to it]. And answering, all the people said, His blood be on us and on our children. Matthew 27:24-25.

This accounts for the following incident described in John,

One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. He who has seen has testified, and the testimony is true; and he knows that he is saying things that are true, so that you may believe. John 19:34-35.

The reason why water also came out is that 'water' means God's truth in its outward form, the kind of truth that the letter consists of. For the meaning of 'water' as truth, see 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, 8568.

[7] All this also shows what is meant by being made pure by the Lord's blood, namely accepting the truth of faith from Him, 7918, 9088. Thus it also shows what is meant by the following in John, in Revelation,

They conquered the dragon by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their 3 testimony. Revelation 12:11.

'The blood of the Lamb' is Divine Truth that comes from the Lord, as also is 'the word of their testimony'. 'The blood of the lamb' is innocent blood, for 'a lamb' means innocence, 3519, 3994, 7840. God's truth emanating from the Lord in heaven has innocence at the centre of it; for none other than those possessing innocence have any feeling for it, 2526, 2780, 3111, 3183, 3495, 3994, 4797, 6013, 6107, 6765, 7836 (end), 7840, 7877, 7902.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, bloods

2. literally, arm

3. The Latin means His but the Greek means their, which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Genesis 24

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1 Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh.

3 I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.

4 But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

5 The servant said to him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?"

6 Abraham said to him, "Beware that you don't bring my son there again.

7 Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, 'I will give this land to your seed.' He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

8 If the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again."

9 The servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

10 The servant took ten camels, of his master's camels, and departed, having a variety of good things of his master's with him. He arose, and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor.

11 He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.

12 He said, "Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham.

13 Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.

14 Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, 'Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,' and she will say, 'drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'--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."

15 It happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher on her shoulder.

16 The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin, neither had any man known her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher, and came up.

17 The servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher."

18 She said, "Drink, my lord." She hurried, and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him Drink.

19 When she had done giving him drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking."

20 She hurried, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.

21 The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.

22 It happened, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten 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 lodge in?"

24 She said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."

25 She said moreover to him, "We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in."

26 The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.

27 He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, Yahweh has led me in the way to the house of my master's relatives."

28 The young lady ran, and told her mother's house about these words.

29 Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.

30 It happened, when he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he came to the man. Behold, he was standing by the camels at the spring.

31 He said, "Come in, you blessed of Yahweh. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels."

32 The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

33 Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." He said, "Speak on."

34 He said, "I am Abraham's servant.

35 Yahweh has blessed my master greatly. He has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master when she was old. He has given all that he has to him.

37 My master made me swear, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,

38 but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.'

39 I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'

40 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 of my relatives, and of my father's house.

41 Then will you 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.'

42 I came this day to the spring, and said, 'Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go--

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

44 and she will tell me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"--let her be the woman whom Yahweh has appointed for my master's son.'

45 Before I had finished speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder. She went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, 'Please let me drink.'

46 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.

47 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.

48 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.

49 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."

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The thing proceeds from Yahweh. We can't speak to you bad or good.

51 Behold, Rebekah is before you. Take her, and go, and let her be your master's son's wife, as Yahweh has spoken."

52 It happened that when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Yahweh.

53 The servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.

54 They ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and stayed all night. They rose up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."

55 Her brother and her mother said, "Let the young lady stay with us a few days, at least ten. After that she will go."

56 He said to them, "Don't hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master."

57 They said, "We will call the young lady, and ask her."

58 They called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said, "I will go."

59 They sent away Rebekah, their sister, with her nurse, Abraham's servant, and his men.

60 They blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them."

61 Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

62 Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South.

63 Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming.

64 Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.

65 She said to the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." She took her veil, and covered herself.

66 The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.

67 Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.