3 And I will make thee swear H7650 by the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of heaven, H8064 and the God H430 of the earth, H776 that thou shalt not take H3947 a wife H802 unto my son H1121 of the daughters H1323 of the Canaanites, H3669 among H7130 whom I dwell: H3427
And Esau H6215 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he took H3947 to wife H802 Judith H3067 the daughter H1323 of Beeri H882 the Hittite, H2850 and Bashemath H1315 the daughter H1323 of Elon H356 the Hittite: H2850 Which were a grief H4786 of mind H7307 unto Isaac H3327 and to Rebekah. H7259
Neither shalt thou make marriages H2859 with them; thy daughter H1323 thou shalt not give H5414 unto his son, H1121 nor his daughter H1323 shalt thou take H3947 unto thy son. H1121 For they will turn away H5493 thy son H1121 from following H310 me, that they may serve H5647 other H312 gods: H430 so will the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 be kindled H2734 against you, and destroy H8045 thee suddenly. H4118
Be ye G1096 not G3361 unequally yoked together G2086 with unbelievers: G571 for G1063 what G5101 fellowship G3352 hath righteousness G1343 with G2532 unrighteousness? G458 and G1161 what G5101 communion G2842 hath light G5457 with G4314 darkness? G4655 And G1161 what G5101 concord G4857 hath Christ G5547 with G4314 Belial? G955 or G2228 what G5101 part G3310 hath he that believeth G4103 with G3326 an infidel? G571 And G1161 what G5101 agreement G4783 hath the temple G3485 of God G2316 with G3326 idols? G1497 for G1063 ye G5210 are G2075 the temple G3485 of the living G2198 God; G2316 as G2531 God G2316 hath said, G2036 G3754 I will dwell G1774 in G1722 them, G846 and G2532 walk in G1704 them; and G2532 I will be G2071 their G846 God, G2316 and G2532 they G846 shall be G2071 my G3427 people. G2992 Wherefore G1352 come out G1831 from G1537 among G3319 them, G846 and G2532 be ye separate, G873 saith G3004 the Lord, G2962 and G2532 touch G680 not G3361 the unclean G169 thing; and G2504 I will receive G1523 you, G5209
And Canaan H3667 begat H3205 Sidon H6721 his firstborn, H1060 and Heth, H2845 And the Jebusite, H2983 and the Amorite, H567 and the Girgasite, H1622 And the Hivite, H2340 and the Arkite, H6208 and the Sinite, H5513 And the Arvadite, H721 and the Zemarite, H6786 and the Hamathite: H2577 and afterward H310 were the families H4940 of the Canaanites H3669 spread abroad. H6327 And the border H1366 of the Canaanites H3669 was from Sidon, H6721 as thou comest H935 to Gerar, H1642 unto Gaza; H5804 as thou goest, H935 unto Sodom, H5467 and Gomorrah, H6017 and Admah, H126 and Zeboim, H6636 even unto Lasha. H3962
And they said, H559 We saw H7200 certainly H7200 that the LORD H3068 was with thee: and we said, H559 Let there be now an oath H423 betwixt H996 us, even betwixt H996 us and thee, and let us make H3772 a covenant H1285 with thee; That thou wilt do H6213 us no hurt, H7451 as we have not touched H5060 thee, and as we have done H6213 unto thee nothing but H7535 good, H2896 and have sent thee away H7971 in peace: H7965 thou art now H6258 the blessed H1288 of the LORD. H3068 And he made H6213 them a feast, H4960 and they did eat H398 and drink. H8354 And they rose up betimes H7925 in the morning, H1242 and sware H7650 one H376 to another: H251 and Isaac H3327 sent them away, H7971 and they departed H3212 from him in peace. H7965
Now therefore come thou, H3212 let us make H3772 a covenant, H1285 I and thou; and let it be for a witness H5707 between me and thee. And Jacob H3290 took H3947 a stone, H68 and set it up H7311 for a pillar. H4676 And Jacob H3290 said H559 unto his brethren, H251 Gather H3950 stones; H68 and they took H3947 stones, H68 and made H6213 an heap: H1530 and they did eat H398 there upon the heap. H1530 And Laban H3837 called H7121 it Jegarsahadutha: H3026 but Jacob H3290 called H7121 it Galeed. H1567 And Laban H3837 said, H559 This heap H1530 is a witness H5707 between me and thee this day. H3117 Therefore was the name H8034 of it called H7121 Galeed; H1567 And Mizpah; H4709 for H834 he said, H559 The LORD H3068 watch H6822 between me and thee, when we are absent H5641 one H376 from another. H7453 If thou shalt afflict H6031 my daughters, H1323 or if thou shalt take H3947 other wives H802 beside H5921 my daughters, H1323 no man H376 is with us; see, H7200 God H430 is witness H5707 betwixt me and thee. And Laban H3837 said H559 to Jacob, H3290 Behold this heap, H1530 and behold this pillar, H4676 which I have cast H3384 betwixt me and thee; This heap H1530 be witness, H5707 and this pillar H4676 be witness, H5713 that I will not pass over H5674 this heap H1530 to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over H5674 this heap H1530 and this pillar H4676 unto me, for harm. H7451 The God H430 of Abraham, H85 and the God H430 of Nahor, H5152 the God H430 of their father, H1 judge H8199 betwixt us. And Jacob H3290 sware H7650 by the fear H6343 of his father H1 Isaac. H3327
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 24
Commentary on Genesis 24 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 24
Ge 24:1-9. A Marriage Commission.
1. And Abraham was old … take a wife—His anxiety to see his son married was natural to his position as a pastoral chief interested in preserving the honor of his tribe, and still more as a patriarch who had regard to the divine promise of a numerous posterity.
2. said unto his eldest servant—Abraham being too old, and as the heir of the promise not being at liberty to make even a temporary visit to his native land, was obliged to intrust this delicate mission to Eliezer, whom, although putting entire confidence in him, he on this occasion bound by a solemn oath. A pastoral chief in the present day would follow the same course if he could not go himself.
3. thou shalt not take a wife, &c.—Among pastoral tribes the matrimonial arrangements are made by the parents, and a youth must marry, not among strangers, but in his own tribe—custom giving him a claim, which is seldom or never resisted, to the hand of his first cousin. But Abraham had a far higher motive—a fear lest, if his son married into a Canaanitish family, he might be gradually led away from the true God.
Ge 24:10-67. The Journey.
10. the servant took ten camels, &c.—So great an equipage was to give the embassy an appearance worthy of the rank and wealth of Abraham; to carry provisions; to bear the marriage presents, which as usual would be distributed over several beasts; besides one or two spare camels in case of emergency.
went to Mesopotamia, &c.—A stranger in those regions, who wishes to obtain information, stations himself at one of the wells in the neighborhood of a town, and he is sure to learn all the news of the place from the women who frequent them every morning and evening. Eliezer followed this course, and letting his camels rest, he waited till the evening time of water drawing.
12. And he said, O Lord God of my master—The servant appears worthy of the master he served. He resolves to follow the leading of Providence; and while he shows good sense in the tokens he fixes upon of ascertaining the temper and character of the future bride, he never doubts but that in such a case God will direct him.
15-21. before he had done speaking … behold, Rebekah came out—As he anticipated, a young woman unveiled, as in pastoral regions, appeared with her pitcher on her shoulder. Her comely appearance, her affable manners, her obliging courtesy in going down the steps to fetch water not only to him but to pour it into the trough for his camels, afforded him the most agreeable surprise. She was the very person his imagination had pictured, and he proceeded to reward her civility.
22. the man took a golden earring, &c.—The ring was not for the ear, but the nose; the armlets, such as young women in Syria and Arabia still appear daily at wells decked in. They are worn from the elbow to the wrist, commonly made of silver, copper, brass, or horn.
23-27. And said, Whose daughter art thou?—After telling her name and family, the kind-hearted damsel hastened home to give notice of a stranger's arrival.
28. and told them of her mother's house these things—the female apartments. This family was in an advanced stage of pastoral life, dwelling in a settled place and a fixed habitation.
29-31. Rebekah had a brother … Laban ran out—From what we know of his character, there is reason to believe that the sight of the dazzling presents increased both his haste and his invitation.
32-49. the man came into the house, &c.—What a beautiful picture of piety, fidelity, and disinterestedness in a servant! He declined all attention to his own comforts till he had told his name and his errand.
50. Then Laban and Bethuel answered—The brothers conduct all the marriage negotiations, their father being probably dead, and without consulting their sister. Their language seems to indicate they were worshippers of the true God.
53. And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and … gold—These are the usual articles, with money, that form a woman's dowry among the pastoral tribes. Rebekah was betrothed and accompanied the servant to Canaan.
64. she lighted off the camel—If Isaac were walking, it would have been most unmannerly for her to have continued seated; an inferior, if riding, always alights in presence of a person of rank, no exception being made for women.
65. she took a veil, and covered herself—The veil is an essential part of female dress. In country places it is often thrown aside, but on the appearance of a stranger, it is drawn over the face, as to conceal all but the eyes. In a bride it was a token of her reverence and subjection to her husband.
67. And Isaac brought her into his mother's … tent—thus establishing her at once in the rights and honors of a wife before he had seen her features. Disappointments often take place, but when Isaac saw his wife, "he loved her."