Genesis 24:3

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

Complete Jewish Bible:

because I want you to swear by ADONAI, God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from among the women of the Kena'ani, among whom I am living;

Berean Standard Bible:

and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,

American Standard Version:

and I will make thee swear by Jehovah, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou wilt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

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}:

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Commentary for Genesis 24:3

Genesis 24:3 is part of the narrative in the Book of Genesis that focuses on the life of Abraham and his descendants. This verse specifically captures a moment where Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, is entrusting his servant with the crucial task of finding a wife for his son Isaac, who is to continue the lineage that God promised would become a great nation.

The historical context of this verse is set in the ancient Near East, a time when marriages were often arranged and served as strategic alliances between families and tribes. The Canaanites were the inhabitants of the land of Canaan, which God had promised to Abraham's descendants. By instructing his servant to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, Abraham invokes a divine oath, emphasizing the gravity of the mission and the importance of adhering to God's will.

The themes present in this verse include divine promise, faithfulness, and the importance of lineage and purity within the family line. Abraham's insistence that Isaac's wife should not be chosen from the local Canaanite women reflects his commitment to maintaining a distinct identity for his family, separate from the surrounding pagan cultures. This commitment is rooted in the covenant between God and Abraham, which includes the promise of the land of Canaan to his offspring. The verse underscores the significance of endogamy in preserving the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Israelites, a theme that recurs throughout the Bible.

In summary, Genesis 24:3 highlights Abraham's deep trust in God's promises and his determination to ensure that his lineage remains faithful to the divine covenant. It reflects the importance of marriage as a means of preserving cultural and religious identity in the ancient world and sets the stage for the subsequent narrative of Isaac's marriage to Rebekah, which unfolds as a result of the servant's mission.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7650
   There are 175 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁבַע
   Transliteration: shâbaʻ
   Pronunciation: shaw-bah'
   Description: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from שֶׁבַע; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times); adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for שָׂבַע), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear.
   
2. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.
   
3. Strong's Number: H430
   There are 2334 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֱלֹהִים
   Transliteration: ʼĕlôhîym
   Pronunciation: el-o-heem'
   Description: plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative; angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty.
   
4. Strong's Number: H8064
   There are 395 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁמַיִם
   Transliteration: shâmayim
   Pronunciation: shaw-mah'-yim
   Description: dual of an unused singular שָׁמֶה; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve); air, [idiom] astrologer, heaven(-s).
   
5. Strong's Number: H776
   There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אֶרֶץ
   Transliteration: ʼerets
   Pronunciation: eh'-rets
   Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3947
   There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָקַח
   Transliteration: lâqach
   Pronunciation: law-kakh'
   Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
   
7. Strong's Number: H802
   There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִשָּׁה
   Transliteration: ʼishshâh
   Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
   Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
   
8. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
9. Strong's Number: H1323
   There are 499 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בַּת
   Transliteration: bath
   Pronunciation: bath
   Description: from בָּנָה (as feminine of בֵּן); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively); apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village.
   
10. Strong's Number: H3669
    There are 71 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: כְּנַעַנִי
    Transliteration: Kᵉnaʻanîy
    Pronunciation: ken-ah-an-ee'
    Description: patrial from כְּנַעַן; a Kenaanite or inhabitant of Kenaan; by implication, a pedlar (the Canaanites standing for their neighbors the Ishmaelites, who conducted mercantile caravans); Canaanite, merchant, trafficker.
    
11. Strong's Number: H7130
    There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קֶרֶב
    Transliteration: qereb
    Pronunciation: keh'-reb
    Description: from קָרַב; properly, the nearest part, i.e. the center, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition); [idiom] among, [idiom] before, bowels, [idiom] unto charge, [phrase] eat (up), [idiom] heart, [idiom] him, [idiom] in, inward ([idiom] -ly, part, -s, thought), midst, [phrase] out of, purtenance, [idiom] therein, [idiom] through, [idiom] within self.
    
12. Strong's Number: H3427
    There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָשַׁב
    Transliteration: yâshab
    Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
    Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.