Gen 24:1-4 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER XXIV Abraham, being solicitous to get his son Isaac property married , calls his confidential servant, probably Eliezer, and makes him swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites , 1-3, but from among his own kindred , 4. The servant proposes certain difficulties , 5, which Abraham removes by giving him the strongest assurances of God's direction in the business , 6, 7, and then specifies the conditions of the oath , 8. The form of the oath itself , 9. The servant makes preparations for his journey, and sets out for Mesopotamia, the residence of Abraham's kindred , 10. Arrives at a well near to the place , 11. His prayer to God , 12-14. Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, Abraham's brother , comes to the well to draw water , 15. She is described , 16. Conversation between her and Abraham's servant, in which every thing took place according to his prayer to God , 17-21. He makes her presents, and learns whose daughter she is , 22-24. She invites him to her father's house , 25. He returns thanks to God for having thus far given him a prosperous journey , 26, 27. Rebekah runs home and informs her family , 28; on which her brother Laban comes out, and invites the servant home , 29-31. His reception , 32, 33. Tells his errand , 34, and how he had proceeded in executing the trust reposed in him , 35-48. Requests an answer , 49. The family of Rebekah consent that she should become the wife of Isaac , 50, 51. The servant worships God , 52, and gives presents to Milcah, Laban, and Rebekah , 53. He requests to be dismissed , 54-56. Rebekah, being consulted, consents to go , 57, 58. She is accompanied by her nurse , 59; and having received the blessing of her parents and relatives , 60, she departs with the servant of Abraham , 61. They are met by Isaac, who was on an evening walk for the purpose of meditation , 62-65. The servant relates to Isaac all that he had done , 66. Isaac and Rebekah are married , 67. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV Verse 1. And Abraham was old ] He was now about one hundred and forty years of age, and consequently Isaac was forty, being born when his father was one hundred years old. See .

‏ Genesis 24:1-4

CHAPTER XXIV

Abraham, being solicitous to get his son Isaac property married,

calls his confidential servant, probably Eliezer, and makes him swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites, 1-3,

but from among his own kindred, 4.

The servant proposes certain difficulties, 5,

which Abraham removes by giving him the strongest assurances of God's direction in the business, 6, 7,

and then specifies the conditions of the oath, 8.

The form of the oath itself, 9.

The servant makes preparations for his journey, and sets out for Mesopotamia, the residence of Abraham's kindred, 10.

Arrives at a well near to the place, 11.

His prayer to God, 12-14.

Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, Abraham's brother,

comes to the well to draw water, 15.

She is described, 16.

Conversation between her and Abraham's servant, in which every thing took place according to his prayer to God, 17-21.

He makes her presents, and learns whose daughter she is, 22-24.

She invites him to her father's house, 25.

He returns thanks to God for having thus far given him a prosperous journey, 26, 27.

Rebekah runs home and informs her family, 28;

on which her brother Laban comes out, and invites the servant home, 29-31.

His reception, 32, 33.

Tells his errand, 34,

and how he had proceeded in executing the trust reposed in him,

35-48.

Requests an answer, 49.

The family of Rebekah consent that she should become the wife of Isaac, 50, 51.

The servant worships God, 52,

and gives presents to Milcah, Laban, and Rebekah, 53.

He requests to be dismissed, 54-56.

Rebekah, being consulted, consents to go, 57, 58.

She is accompanied by her nurse, 59;

and having received the blessing of her parents and relatives, 60,

she departs with the servant of Abraham, 61.

They are met by Isaac, who was on an evening walk for the purpose of meditation, 62-65.

The servant relates to Isaac all that he had done, 66.

Isaac and Rebekah are married, 67.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV

Verse 1. And Abraham was old] He was now about one hundred and forty years of age, and consequently Isaac was forty, being born when his father was one hundred years old. See Ge 21:5; 25:20.

Verse 2. Eldest servant] As this eldest servant is stated to have been the ruler over all that he had, it is very likely that Eliezer is meant. See Ge 15:2, 3.

Put, I pray thee, thy hand] See Clarke on Ge 24:9.

Verse 3. I will make thee swear] See Clarke on Ge 24:9.

Of the Canaanites] Because these had already been devoted to slavery, &c., and it would have been utterly inconsistent as well with prudence as with the design of God to have united the child and heir of the promise with one who was under a curse, though that curse might be considered to be only of a political nature. See the curse of Canaan, Ge 9:25.

Verse 4. My country] Mesopotamia, called here Abraham's country, because it was the place where the family of Haran, his brother, had settled; and where himself had remained a considerable time with his father Terah. In this family, as well as in that of Nahor, the true religion had been in some sort preserved, though afterwards considerably corrupted; see Ge 31:19.

And take a wife unto my son] A young man in Bengal is precisely in the same circumstances as Isaac; he has nothing to do in the choice of a wife; parents employ others to seek wives for their sons. Those who leave their homes in search of employment always marry their children in their own country, and among their acquaintance at home; never among the people with whom they reside. In Asiatic countries this custom has prevailed from the infancy of the human race. See Ward's Hindoo Customs.