1 PETER 3:7
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your
wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs
with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder
your prayers.
GENESIS 24:1-6
1 Abraham was now very old, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2 He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that
he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the
LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife
for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4 but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son
Isaac.” 5 The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come
back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you
came from?” 6 “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham
said.
GENESIS 24:7-10
7 “The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s
household and my native land and 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 get a wife for my son from there. 8 If the
woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from
this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put
his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him
concerning this matter. 10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his
master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He
set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor.
GENESIS 24:11-12
11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it
was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.
12 Then he prayed, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, make me
successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
GENESIS 24:13-16
13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the
townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to
a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and
she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ - let her be the one you
have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have
shown kindness to my master.” 15 Before he had finished praying
Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of
Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with
her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
GENESIS 24:17-21
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water
from your jar.” 18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar
to her hands and gave him a drink. 19 After she had given him a drink, she
said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to
drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the
well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without
saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not
the LORD had made his journey successful.
GENESIS 24:22-27
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring
weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels 23 Then he
asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your
father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24 She answered him, “I am the
daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25 And she added,
“We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the
night.” 26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, 27 saying,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not
abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD
has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”