24:59 So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, accompanied by her female attendant, with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 They blessed Rebekah with these words: 6
“Our sister, may you become the mother 7 of thousands of ten thousands!
May your descendants possess the strongholds 8 of their enemies.”
24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with 9 the man. So Abraham’s servant 10 took Rebekah and left.
24:62 Now 11 Isaac came from 12 Beer Lahai Roi, 13 for 14 he was living in the Negev. 15 24:63 He 16 went out to relax 17 in the field in the early evening. 18 Then he looked up 19 and saw that 20 there were camels approaching. 24:64 Rebekah looked up 21 and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 24:65 and asked 22 Abraham’s servant, 23 “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” “That is my master,” the servant replied. 24 So she took her veil and covered herself.
24:66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened. 24:67 Then Isaac brought Rebekah 25 into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took her 26 as his wife and loved her. 27 So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. 28
1 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, indicating a reason for the preceding request.
3 tn After the preceding imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
4 tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”
5 tn The imperfect verbal form here has a modal nuance, expressing desire.
6 tn Heb “and said to her.”
7 tn Heb “become thousands of ten thousands.”
8 tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. In an ancient Near Eastern city the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”). A similar phrase occurs in Gen 22:17.
9 tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”
10 tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
11 tn The disjunctive clause switches the audience’s attention to Isaac and signals a new episode in the story.
12 tn Heb “from the way of.”
13 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” See Gen 16:14.
14 tn This disjunctive clause is explanatory.
15 tn Or “the South [country].”
16 tn Heb “Isaac”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
17 tn The meaning of this Hebrew term is uncertain (cf. NASB, NIV “to meditate”; NRSV “to walk”).
18 tn Heb “at the turning of the evening.”
19 tn Heb “And he lifted up his eyes.” This idiom emphasizes the careful look Isaac had at the approaching caravan.
20 tn Heb “and look.” The clause introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) invites the audience to view the scene through Isaac’s eyes.
21 tn Heb “lifted up her eyes.”
22 tn Heb “and she said to.”
23 tn Heb “the servant.” The word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
24 tn Heb “and the servant said.” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
25 tn Heb “her”; the referent has been specified here in the translation for clarity.
26 tn Heb “Rebekah”; here the proper name was replaced by the pronoun (“her”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
27 tn Heb “and he took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her.”
28 tn Heb “after his mother.” This must refer to Sarah’s death.