Genesis 24:4

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Complete Jewish Bible:

but that you will go to my homeland, to my kinsmen, to choose a wife for my son Yitz'chak."

Berean Standard Bible:

but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

American Standard Version:

but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But thou shalt go{H3212} unto my country{H776}, and to my kindred{H4138}, and take{H3947} a wife{H802} unto my son{H1121} Isaac{H3327}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Genesis 28:2

  • Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.

Genesis 11:25

  • And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 12:1

  • ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Genesis 12:7

  • And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Genesis 22:20

  • ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;

Genesis 22:23

  • 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)

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.