1. NOW ABRAHAM was old, well advanced in years, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
2. And Abraham said to the eldest servant of his house [Eliezer of Damascus], who ruled over all that he had, I beg of you, put your hand under my thigh; [Gen. 15:2.]
3. And you shall swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I have settled,
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, But perhaps the woman will not be willing to come along after me to this country. Must I take your son to the country from which you came?
6. Abraham said to him, See to it that you do not take my son back there.
7. The Lord, the God of heaven, Who took me from my father's house, from the land of my family and my birth, Who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, To your offspring I will give this land–He will send His Angel before you, and you will take a wife from there for my son.
8. And if the woman should not be willing to go along after you, then you will be clear from this oath; only you must not take my son back there.
9. So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10. And the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, taking some of all his master's treasures with him; thus he journeyed to Mesopotamia [between the Tigris and the Euphrates], to the city of Nahor [Abraham's brother].
11. And he made his camels to kneel down outside the city by a well of water at the time of the evening when women go out to draw water.
12. And he said, O Lord, God of my master Abraham, I pray You, cause me to meet with good success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.