29. Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, who ran out to meet the man at the spring.
30. He had seen the nose-ring and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man had said. So he rushed out to the spring, where the man was still standing beside his camels.
31. Laban said to him, “Come and stay with us, you who are blessed by the lord! Why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels?”
32. So the man went home with Laban, and Laban unloaded the camels, gave him straw for their bedding, fed them, and provided water for the man and the camel drivers to wash their feet.
33. Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.”“All right,” Laban said, “tell us.”
34. “I am Abraham’s servant,” he explained.
35. “And the lord has greatly blessed my master; he has become a wealthy man. The lord has given him flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, a fortune in silver and gold, and many male and female servants and camels and donkeys.
36. “When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37. And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.
38. Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’
39. “But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me?’
40. He responded, ‘The lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family.
41. Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you will be free from my oath.’
42. “So today when I came to the spring, I prayed this prayer: ‘O lord, God of my master, Abraham, please give me success on this mission.
43. See, I am standing here beside this spring. This is my request. When a young woman comes to draw water, I will say to her, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”
44. If she says, “Yes, have a drink, and I will draw water for your camels, too,” let her be the one you have selected to be the wife of my master’s son.’