Genesis 24:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell,

NIV: And my master made me swear an oath, and said, 'You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,

NASB: My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live;

CSB: My master put me under this oath: 'You will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live

NLT: And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.

KJV: And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:

NKJV: Now my master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell;

Abraham's servant has described the wealthy status of Abraham and his unmarried son Isaac, living in Canaan. Now he begins to describe the circumstances around his visit to Nahor, the town, and Nahor's extended family.

He starts by answering the obvious question: Why has Isaac not married a local girl? The servant's oath answers the question: Abraham forbids it. Isaac must not marry any of the women in Canaan. This was an issue of culture and spirituality for Abraham, not one of race. His concern was about mixing the godless approach of the Canaanites with that of his family. Later, this prohibition would become an official part of God's law for the people of Israel (Deuteronomy 7:1–4).

Rebekah's family will not likely understand Abraham's concern about Isaac marrying a Canaanite and losing his unique identity among the people there, but they will grasp the point that, for Isaac, the local women are not eligible.

Genesis 24:28–59 describes how Abraham's servant, confident he has found God's intended woman for Abraham's son, approaches Rebekah's family to ask for her hand in marriage to Isaac. After being welcomed into their household, the servant tells, in great detail, the story of how God has lead him to Rebekah and their home. Rebekah's father and brother quickly agree that they must allow this marriage to happen. After a bit of negotiation the next morning about when Rebekah will travel to Canaan, Rebekah agrees to leave that very day.

Abraham asks his most trusted servant to travel to his former homeland to find a wife for his son Isaac. Swearing to do so, the servant arrives at the city of Nahor and asks the Lord to show him which young women is appointed for Isaac. Finding Rebekah, the very granddaughter of Abraham's brother Nahor, the servant reveals the reason for his journey to her family. Her father Bethuel and brother Laban agree to allow Rebekah to travel to Canaan and marry Isaac, which she does.

Genesis 24 takes place a few years after Sarah has died. Abraham becomes urgent to find Isaac a wife, not among the women of Canaan, but from his own people back in Mesopotamia. His trusted servant, sent to accomplish this mission with the help of the Lord, eventually returns with Rebekah, the granddaughter of Abraham's own brother. Isaac is married to her at the age of 40. Abraham's death is recorded in the following chapter.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/2/2024 10:31:59 AM