After Sarah was laid in the tomb, and the days of her mourning were accomplished, Abraham, being well stricken in years, and desirous of seeing his son Isaac established as his heir, called to him the most confidential of his servants, and took from him a solemn oath, that he would go into the land of Mesopotamia, to the country and kindred of Abraham, and thence take for Isaac a wife from among those who maintained the pure worship of the Creator; for, said the Patriarch, "thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell." The servant accordingly sware to him; and being assigned a retinue worthy of his embassy, departed to the city of Nahor, where Bethuel, the nephew of Abraham, abode.

It was the cool of evening when this faithful messenger arrived at a well without the city-" even the time that women went out to draw water;" and the servant prayed to the God of his master for good speed to his errand and kindness to Abraham; and entreated, saying "O Lord, let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, 'Let down the pitcher, 1 pray thee, that I may drink;' and she shall say, “Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also;' let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master." And before he had done speaking in his heart,

Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder;— a damsel fair to look upon, a virgin, with modest gait and cheerful countenance. Her did the servant of Abraham run to meet as she came up from the well; and he entreated her according to the tenor of his prayer, and her reply was conformable to the words also set forth in his supplication. Moreover, Rebekah gave drink to the servant, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well, and drew water for all the camels.

The steward, who had not expected so literal a performance of his desires, was mute with wonder; but when the camels had done drinking, he took from among the presents with which he had been entrusted a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight, and two golden bracelets of ten shekels weight, and bestowing them upon the maiden, enquired the name of her father, and solicited hospitality for himself and his retinue. It was with exceeding joy that he learned her parentage, insomuch that he bowed his head to the dust, and worshipped the Lord. Rebekah was astonished at his words and his liberality, and ran and told the members of her father's household what she had heard and seen. Then Laban, the brother of the damsel, when he had seen the ear-ring and the bracelets upon Rebekah's hands, and heard her narration,

came forth to the well, and said to Abraham's servant, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? I have prepared the house and room for the camels." Thus invited, the messenger and those who were with him went and lodged in the house of his master's nephew.

If the family of Bethuel were gratified with the simple and honest manners of the good steward before, how greatly was their delight increased when he related to them the story of his errand, and told them how God had prospered Abraham, and made him great and rich to such a degree, that his alliance and friendship were eagerly sought by the Canaanitish princes and chiefs but that Abraham had taken from his servant an oath, to procure for Isaac a wife from among the daughters of Syria, of the kindred of Abraham. Bethuel, and Laban his son, when the steward had concluded, exclaimed with one accord, "The thing proceedeth from the Lord; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. Behold, Rebekah is before thee; take her and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the Lord hath spoken."

Then was a feast made for Abraham's servants; and the steward brought forth jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and splendid raiment, and gave them to Rebekah as presents from her future spouse; and to the father, mother, and brother of the damsel also did he give many precious things, to testify