King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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:
Complete Jewish Bible:
My master made me swear, saying, 'You are not to choose a wife for my son from among the women of the Kena'ani, among whom I am living;
Berean Standard Bible:
My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell,
American Standard Version:
And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And my master{H113} made me swear{H7650}, saying{H559}, Thou shalt not take{H3947} a wife{H802} to my son{H1121} of the daughters{H1323} of the Canaanites{H3669}, in whose land{H776} I dwell{H3427}:
Cross-References (KJV):
Ezra 9:1
- ¶ Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Ezra 9:3
- And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
Genesis 24:2
- And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
Genesis 24:9
- And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
Genesis 27:46
- And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these [which are] of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?
Genesis 6:2
- That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 24:37
Genesis 24:37 is part of the narrative where Abraham's servant is sent to find a wife for Isaac, Abraham's son. The servant is recounting his oath to Laban, the brother of Rebekah, who would become Isaac's wife.
**Themes:**
1. **Divine Providence:** The story illustrates God's guidance in the selection of a wife for Isaac, ensuring that the lineage of Abraham remains distinct and in accordance with God's promises.
2. **Faithfulness:** Abraham's insistence on a wife from his own people for his son shows his commitment to maintaining his family's religious and cultural identity, separate from the Canaanites.
3. **Obedience:** The servant's adherence to Abraham's command demonstrates loyalty and the importance of keeping one's word in the ancient Near Eastern context.
**Historical Context:**
- **Patriarchal Era:** This event takes place during the Patriarchal period, around the 2nd millennium BCE, when the ancestors of the Israelite people lived in Canaan.
- **Cultural Separation:** The Canaanites were polytheistic, and the prohibition against intermarriage reflects a broader theme in the Bible of maintaining religious and ethnic purity to preserve the worship of Yahweh and the distinct identity of the Israelites.
- **Marriage Arrangements:** Marriage was often arranged by families, and it was common for a bride to be chosen from within the extended family or tribe to maintain social, economic, and religious cohesion.
In summary, Genesis 24:37 reflects the themes of divine guidance, faithfulness to one's religious identity, and personal obedience, set against the backdrop of early Israelite history where maintaining cultural and religious distinction was crucial for the emerging nation's identity and faith.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H113
There are 337 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָדוֹן
Transliteration: ʼâdôwn
Pronunciation: aw-done'
Description: or (shortened) אָדֹן; from an unused root (meaning to rule); sovereign, i.e. controller (human or divine); lord, master, owner. Compare also names beginning with 'Adoni-'. - 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. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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.