And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
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Commentary for Genesis 24:4
1. Themes:
- Divine Providence: The verse reflects the theme of God's guidance in the lives of the patriarchs, as Abraham trusts in God's plan for his son Isaac's future.
- Faithfulness: Abraham's commitment to his faith and his legacy is evident as he seeks a wife for Isaac from his own people, ensuring that his lineage will continue in the covenant with God.
- Family and Heritage: The importance of familial ties and maintaining cultural and religious heritage is highlighted by the directive to find a wife from among Abraham's relatives.
2. Historical Context:
- Genesis 24:4 is part of the narrative where Abraham, now old and prosperous, is concerned with finding a suitable wife for his son Isaac. This is crucial because Abraham wants to ensure that Isaac marries within the family of Terah, Abraham's father, to maintain the lineage and the covenant that God had established with him.
- The verse occurs after Abraham has asked his chief servant to swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from the Canaanites among whom they live, but rather from Abraham's native land of Mesopotamia. This reflects the cultural practice of endogamy, marrying within one's own social group, which was common in the ancient Near East.
- The story takes place in the patriarchal period, around the 2nd millennium BCE, when the customs and traditions of the family and tribe were of utmost importance. Abraham's actions are guided by a desire to preserve his religious and cultural identity in a foreign land.
- This event is set within the broader context of God's promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). Ensuring that Isaac marries within the family is part of the fulfillment of that promise.
*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: H3212 There are 938 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יָלַךְ Transliteration: yâlak Pronunciation: yaw-lak' Description: a primitive root (compare הָלַךְ); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses); [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak.
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: H4138 There are 21 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: מוֹלֶדֶת Transliteration: môwledeth Pronunciation: mo-leh'-deth Description: from יָלַד; nativity (plural birth-place); by implication, lineage, native country; also offspring, family; begotten, born, issue, kindred, native(-ity).
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: H3327 There are 101 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יִצְחָק Transliteration: Yitschâq Pronunciation: yits-khawk' Description: from צָחַק; laughter (i.e. mochery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham; Isaac. Compare יִשְׂחָק.