34. And be faid, I am Abraham's fervant: 35. And the LORD bath bleffed my mafter greatly and he is become great and he hath given him flocks, and berds, and filver, and gold, and men-servants, and maidfervants, and camels, and affes. 26. And Sarah my master's wife bare a fon to my mafter when fhe was old, and unto him hath be given all that he bath. 36. All that he bath: Having made him his Heir, ch. 21. 10, 12. and ch. 25, 5,6. 37. And my mafter made me fwear, Saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my fon of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whofe land I dwell: 38. But thou shalt go unto my fathers house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my fon. 39. And I faid unto my mafter, Peradventure the woman will not follow me. 40. And be faid unto me, The LORD before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and profper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my font of my kindred, and of my father's boufe. 41. Then halt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comeft to my kindred: and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath. 42. And I came this day unto the well, and faid, O LORD God of my mafter Abraham, if now thou do profper my way which I go: 43. Behold, I ftand by the well of water, and it fball come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I fay to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; 44. And he say to me, Both drink thou, and I will alfo draw for thy camels: let the fame be the woman wham the LORD hath appointed out for my master's fon. 45. And before I had done speaking in mine heart, Bebold, Rebekah came forth, with her pitcher on her fhoulder; and fhe went down unto the well, and drew water: and I faid unto her, Let me drink I pray thee. 46. And 46. And he made hafte, and let down her pitcher from her fhoulder, and faid, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: fo I drank, and fhe made the camels drink alfo. 47. And I asked her, and said, Whofe daughter art thou? And he faid, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's fon, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the ear-ring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands. 48. And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and bleffed the LORD God of my mafter Abraham, which had led me in the right way, to take my mafter's brother's daughter unto his fon. 49. And now if you will deal kindly and truly with my mafter, tell me: and if not, tell me that I may turn to the right band, or to the left. 50. Then Laban and Bethuel anfwered and faid, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. 50. Laban and Bethuel: Laban the Son is named before his Father, and (v. 55.) without him. It is probable that Bethuel left the management of affairs to Laban, himself being aged and infirm, and not much concerning himself in the affairs of his Houfer 51. Behold Rebekah is before thee: take her, and go, and let her be thy mafter's fon's wife, as the LORD hath Spoken. 52. And it came to pass, that when Abraham's fervant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD bowing himfelf to the earth. 53. And the fervant brought 53. Precious things: forth jewels of filver, and jewels of viz. Out of that ftore gold, and raiment, and gave them mentioned v. 10. to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother, and to her mother precious things. 54. And they did eat and drink, he, and the men that were with him, and tarried all night, and they rofe up in the morning, and he faid, Send me away unto my mafter. 55. And her brother and her mother faid, Let the damfel abide with us a few days at the leaft ten; after that The Shall go. 56. And be faid unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath profpered my way: Send me away, that I may go to my mafter. 57. And they faid, we will call the damfel, and enquire at ber mouth.. 57; Enquire at her mouth: i. e. Ask her confent as to this fudden departure. 58. And they called Rebekah, and faid unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And fhe faid, I will go. 59. And they fent away Rebekah 59. Her Nurfe: their fifter, and her nurse, and viz. Deborah, chap. Abraham's fervant, and his men. 60. And they bleffed Rebekah, and faid unto her, Thou art our fi fter, be thou the mother of thoufands of millions, and let thy feed poffefs the gate of those which hate them. 35.8. 60. Sifter: So the was to Laban; and being of that family, might well be called, by reafon of her Confanguinity, a Sifter to the reft of herkindred, 61. And Rebekah arose, and her damfels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the fervant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62. And Ifaac came from the way of the well Lahai-roi, for he dwelt in the south country. 63. And Ifaac went out to meditate in the field, at the even-tide: and he lift up his eyes and faw, and behold, the camels were coming. 63. To meditate: Or, to pray; the Hebrew word will well bear that sense. Compare Pfal. 102. V. I. which yet does not exclude Meditation accompanying it. 64. And And Rebekah lift up her eyes, and when she saw Ifaac, fhe lighted off the camel. 64. 65. For fhe had faid unto the fervant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? and the fervant had faid, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered her felf. 1 65. Therefore she took a veil. As the manner was for Women to do upon their marrying, in token of fubjection. See 1 Cor. 11. 10. and the Notes upon Gen. 20. 16. I 66. And the fervant told Ifaac all things that he had done. 67. And Ifaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and fhe became his wife, and he loved her: and Ifaac was comforted after his mother's death. 67. Sarah's Tent: Which the had apart by her felf. See u. 28. His Mother's death: This happened three years be fore, as appears by comparing Gen. 17.7. with ch.23. v. i. and chap.25. v. 20. CHAP. XXV. The ARGUMENT. The Pofterity of Abraham by Keturah. Abraham dif pofeth of his Goods, dies, and is buried. God bleffeth Ifaac. The Pofterity of Ifhmael, bis Death, and the place of his Pofterity's abode. Rebekah is barren. Ifaac prays for her. She conceived, and brought forth Jacob and Efau, A very different account given of them. Efau fold his birth-right to Jacob. bine, as fhe is called, 1 Chron. 1.32. whose Children did not inherit, (v,6, and ch. 22. 24.) Abraham's taking this Wife, contributed toward the fulfilling the pro mife made, ch. 17. v.6. Now was Sarah dead, and Ifaac married. 2. And he bare him Zimran, and Jokban, and Medan, and Midian, and Ifbbak, and Shuah. 2. She bare: By the particular and fpecial bleffing of God upon Abraham, and in order to the fulfilling his promife, ch. 17. v.6. Rom. 4. 19. Midian: See Numb.25. 6,7. 3. And Jokhan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the fons of Dedan were Affburim, and Letufhim, and Leummim. 4. And the fons of Midian, Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaab: all thefe were the children of Keturah. 5. And Abraham gave all that having in his life-time given gifts to country: Shuah: Job 2. 11. 15. 3. Sheba: Job 1. 4. Epher: From whom Africa is thought to be called, [Jofeph. Antiqu. l.i. c. 16.] 5. All that he had unto Ifaac: i. e. He made Ifaac his Heir, his other Children and 36. and ch, 21. 12. 6. From Ifaac And by this means prevented a future quarrel about the inheritance. Eaft-coun try: viz. Arabia the happy, fays Jofephus. 7. And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. 8. Then Abraham gave up the 2183. ghoft, and died in a good old age, 1821. was gathered to his people. an old man, and full of years, and 8. Gave up the ghoft: Or, expired, Several of the anci ent Verfions have fo rendred it, that they feem to imply that Abraham died an eafie death. A thing not |