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Tuesday, November 12th, 2024
the Week of Proper 27 / Ordinary 32
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Easy-to-Read Version

Genesis 24:40

But my master said to me, ‘I serve the Lord , and he will send his angel with you and help you. You will find a wife for my son among my people there.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (a Spirit);   Covetousness;   Faith;   Prayer;   Rebekah (Rebecca);   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Servants;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Abraham;   Deborah;   Eliezer;   Haran;   Jacob;   Marriage;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mission;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - All-Sufficiency of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Father's House;   Genesis;   Patriarchs, the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Isaac;   Marriage;   Rebekah;   Slave, Slavery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Enoch ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bethuel ;   Camel;   Eliezer ;   Nahor ;   Wells;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Rebekah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Laban;   Rebekah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - La'ban;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Angel;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Isaac;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abraham;   Angel;   God;   Kindred;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Bereshit Rabbah;   Sidra;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
But he said to me, ‘The Lord , before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father's house.
Update Bible Version
And he said to me, Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. And you shall take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house.
New Century Version
But he said, ‘I serve the Lord , who will send his angel with you and will help you. You will get a wife for my son from my family and my father's people.
New English Translation
He answered, ‘The Lord , before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you. He will make your journey a success and you will find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father's family.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house.
World English Bible
He said to me, 'Yahweh, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.
Amplified Bible
"He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk [habitually and obediently], will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
He seide, The Lord in whose siyt Y go, schal sende his aungel with thee, and he schal dresse thi weie; and thou schalt take a wijf to my sone of my kynrede, and of my fadris hows.
Young's Literal Translation
and he saith unto me, Jehovah, before whom I have walked habitually, doth send His messenger with thee, and hath prospered thy way, and thou hast taken a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father;
Berean Standard Bible
And he told me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father's house.
Contemporary English Version
My master answered, "I have always obeyed the Lord , and he will send his angel to help you find my son a wife from among my own relatives.
Complete Jewish Bible
Avraham answered me, ‘ Adonai , in whose presence I live, will send his angel with you to make your trip successful; and you are to pick a wife for my son from my kinsmen in my father's house;
American Standard Version
And he said unto me, Jehovah, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
Bible in Basic English
And he said, The Lord, whom I have ever kept before me, will send his angel with you, who will make it possible for you to get a wife for my son from my relations and my father's house;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he answered me: the Lord before whom I walke, wyll sende his angell with thee, and prosper thy iourney, and thou shalt take a wyfe for my sonne of my kinred, and of my fathers house.
Darby Translation
And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way, that thou mayest take a wife for my son of my family, and out of my father's house.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto me: The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house;
King James Version (1611)
And hee saide vnto me, The LORD, before whom I walke, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne, of my kinred, and of my fathers house.
King James Version
And he said unto me, The Lord , before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
New Life Bible
He said to me, ‘The Lord, Whom I have always obeyed, will send His angel with you to make all go well during your visit there. You will take a wife for my son from those of my family and from my father's house.
New Revised Standard
But he said to me, ‘The Lord , before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and make your way successful. You shall get a wife for my son from my kindred, from my father's house.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said unto me, - Yahweh, before whom I have walked to and fro, will send his messenger with thee, so shall he prosper thy way, and thou shalt take a wife for my son out of my kindred and out of the house of my father.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Who answered me, The Lord, before who I walke, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy iourney, and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne of my kinred and my fathers house.
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to me, The LORD before whom I worship will send his angel with you, and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son of my kindred and of my fathers house;
Good News Translation
He answered, ‘The Lord , whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord, said he, in whose sight I walk, will send his angel with thee, and will direct thy way: and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my own kindred, and of my father’s house.
Revised Standard Version
But he said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father's house;
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to me, The Lord God to whom I have been acceptable in his presence, himself shall send out his angel with thee, and shall prosper thy journey, and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my tribe, and of the house of my father.
English Revised Version
And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house:
Christian Standard Bible®
He said to me, ‘The Lord before whom I have walked will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, and you will take a wife for my son from my clan and from my father’s family.
Hebrew Names Version
He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and prosper your way. You shall take a wife for my son of my relatives, and of my father's house.
Lexham English Bible
And he said to me, ‘Yahweh, before whom I have walked, shall send his angel with you and will make your journey successful. And you shall take a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father.
Literal Translation
And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I walk, will send His Angel with you and prosper your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my family, from my father's house.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde he vnto me: The LORDE (before whom I walke) shall sende his angell with the, and prospere thy iourney, that thou mayest take a wife for my sonne of myne owne kynred, and of my fathers house.
New American Standard Bible
"And he said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house;
New King James Version
But he said to me, "The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.
New Living Translation
He responded, ‘The Lord , in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father's family.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house;
Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to me, ‘Yahweh, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and will make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house.

Contextual Overview

29She had a brother named Laban. She told him what the man had said to her. Laban was listening to her. And when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms, he ran out to the well. There the man was, standing by the camels at the well. 31 Laban said, "Sir, you are welcome to come in! You don't have to stand outside here. I have prepared a room for you to sleep in and a place for your camels." 32 So Abraham's servant went into the house. Laban unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then he gave Abraham's servant water so that he and the men with him could wash their feet. 33 Laban then gave him food to eat, but the servant refused to eat. He said, "I will not eat until I have told you why I came." So Laban said, "Then tell us." 34 The servant said, "I am Abraham's servant. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master in everything. My master has become a great man. The Lord has given him many flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. He has much silver and gold and many servants. He has many camels and donkeys. 36 Sarah was my master's wife. When she was very old, she gave birth to a son, and my master has given everything he owns to that son. 37 My master forced me to make a promise to him. He said to me, ‘You must not allow my son to marry a girl from Canaan. We live among these people, but I don't want him to marry one of the Canaanite girls. 38 So you must promise to go to my father's country. Go to my family and choose a wife for my son.' 39 I said to my master, ‘Maybe the woman will not come back to this place with me.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And he: Genesis 24:7

before: Genesis 5:22, Genesis 5:24, Genesis 6:9, Genesis 17:1, Genesis 48:15, 1 Kings 2:3, 1 Kings 8:23, 2 Kings 20:3, Psalms 16:8

will: Genesis 24:7, Exodus 23:20, Exodus 33:2, Psalms 1:3, Psalms 91:11, Daniel 3:28, Hebrews 1:14, Revelation 22:8, Revelation 22:16

Reciprocal: Zechariah 10:12 - walk

Cross-References

Genesis 5:22
After Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God for 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:24
One day Enoch was walking with God, and he disappeared. God took him.
Genesis 6:9
This is the history of Noah's family. He was a good man all his life, and he always followed God.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, "I am God All-Powerful. Obey me and live the right way.
Genesis 24:7
The Lord , the God of heaven, brought me from my homeland to this place. That place was the home of my father and the home of my family, but he promised that this new land would belong to my family. May he send his angel before you so that you can choose a wife for my son.
Genesis 48:15
And Israel blessed Joseph and said, "My ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, worshiped our God, and that God has led me all my life.
Exodus 23:20
"I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to lead you to the place that I have prepared for you.
Exodus 33:2
So I will send an angel to go before you, and I will defeat the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. I will force them to leave your land.
1 Kings 2:3
Now, carefully obey all the commands of the Lord your God. Carefully obey all his laws, commands, decisions, and agreements. Obey everything that is written in the Law of Moses. If you do this, you will be successful at whatever you do and wherever you go.
1 Kings 8:23
and said, " Lord , God of Israel, there is no other god like you in heaven or on the earth. You keep the agreement that you made with your people. You are kind and loyal to those who follow you with all their heart.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto me, the Lord, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee. :-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- The Marriage of Isaac

26. קרד qādad, “bow the head.” השׁתחוה shâchâh, “bow the body.”

29. לבן lābān, “Laban, white.”

In this circumstantial account of the marriage of Isaac, we have a beautiful picture of ancient manners in the East, the living original of which the present customs of that cradle of mankind are a striking copy.

Genesis 24:1-9

Abraham binds the chief servant of his house to seek a wife for his son Isaac among his kindred. The first movement in this matrimonial arrangement is on the part of the father, who does not consult his son, but the chief manager of his household affairs. Abraham is now a hundred and forty years of age, and Sarah has been three years dead. Isaac seems to have been of an easy, sedate turn of mind, and was not in circumstances to choose a partner for life such as his father would approve. The promise of a numerous offspring by the son of Sarah is before the mind of the patriarch. All these considerations impel him to look out for a suitable wife for his son, and the blessing of the Lord encourages him to proceed. The person whom Abraham intrusted with this delicate task has a threefold designation. First, he is “his servant” or minister. Secondly, he is the old man, ancient, or elder of his house. Here the term “elder” approaches its official signification. In early times age was taken into account, along with good conduct and aptitude, as the qualification for services of trust. Thirdly, he “ruled over all that he had.” He was therefore a master as well as a minister. If this be Eliezer of mascus Genesis 15:2, he was the steward of Abraham before the birth of Ishmael fifty-four Years ago. “Under my thigh.” The thigh was the seat of generative power, and the region of sacramental consecration, and to put the hand under the thigh was to acknowledge and pledge obedience to him who requires the oath.

Genesis 24:3-4

The appeal is to God as “Yahweh, God of heaven and God of the earth.” Yahweh is the personal name of God, which is properly used by those who are in fellowship with him. He is the Author of all being, and therefore of heaven and earth; and hence the arbiter of the destiny of the oath-taker, both in spiritual and material things, both in this life and in what is to come. “Not of the daughters of the Kenaanite,” a race sinking fast into ungodliness and unrighteousness, doomed to extirpation, to whom the promised seed is to succeed. The kindred of Abraham were Shemites, Hebrews, and still retained some knowledge of the true God, and some reverence for him and his will. The experienced elder of Abraham’s house does not wish to bind himself by an oath to what it may be impossible to fulfill. He makes the supposition of the unwillingness of the bride whom he may select, and obtains a quittance from his oath in that ease. The patriarch, however, charges him not to bring his son back to the land of his fathers, and expresses his confidence in the God of promise, that he will direct his servant to the suitable wife for his son. “His angel” Genesis 16:7. This is the Lord in the function of an angel or messenger opening the way for the servant of Abraham. He does not make any appearance to the servant, though a superintending Providence is strikingly displayed in the whole affair. The faithful elder now understands and takes the required oath.

Genesis 24:10-14

He proceeds on his journey. “Took ten camels.” These are designed for conducting the bride and her companions home to his master. “All the best belonging to his master in his hand.” This refers to the presents for the bride and her friends, and to the accommodations for her comfort on the journey. “Aram-Naharaim.” Aram was an extensive area, embracing not only the country west of the Frat and north of Palestine, but the northern part of Mesopotamia, or the country between the Frat and the Dijlah. The latter region is for the sake of distinction called Aram of the two rivers. It did not include the southern part of Mesopotamia, which was called Shinar Genesis 11:2, and probably extended only to the Chaboras, Khabour. The part of it in which Haran was situated was called Padan-aram Genesis 28:2. “The city of Nahor.” It is probable that Nahor accompanied his father, Terah, to Haran Genesis 11:31. If not, he must have followed him very soon.

Genesis 24:11

Made the camels kneel, - for repose. “The time when the maidens that draw water come out.” The evening was the cool part of the day. The simple maidens of primitive days attended personally to domestic affairs. The experienced steward might therefore naturally expect to see the high-born damsels of the land at the public well, which had probably given rise to the neighboring town. The prayer of the aged servant is conceived in a spirit of earnest, childlike faith. The matter in hand is of extraordinary importance. A wife is to be found for the heir of promise. This was a special concern of God, and so the single-hearted follower of Abraham makes it. He takes upon himself the choice of a maiden among those that come to draw, to whom he will make the request of a particular act of kindness to a stranger, and he prays God that the intended bride may be known by a ready compliance with his request. The three qualifications, then, in the mind of the venerable domestic for a bride for his master’s son, are a pleasing exterior, a kindly disposition, and the approval of God.

Genesis 24:15-21

The answer is immediate and direct. “He had not yet done speaking,” when the answer came. A damsel “very fair to look upon,” satisfying the taste of the old man, appears. He thereupon prefers his request, with which she promptly complies. The old man waits in wonder and silence to see if the Lord’s approval will follow.

Genesis 24:22-28

Rebekah makes herself known in reply to his inquiries. “A ring of gold.” The single ring was worn in the nose, the side cartilage of which was pierced for the purpose. This is a custom of the East. “A beka” was half a shekel, somewhat less than a quarter of an ounce. “Ten of gold in weight.” Ten bekas would be about two ounces and a quarter. If shekels, however, be understood, the weight will be double. These were merely a reward for her kindness and courtesy to a stranger. Two questions are now asked by the stranger - the one relating to her kindred, and the other to the means and the inclination they had to entertain a stranger, when inns were not yet in existence. She announces herself to be the daughter of his master’s nephew, and assures him of the requisite accommodation.

Genesis 24:26-27

Bowed his head and worshipped. - The bowing of the head and of the body are here combined to indicate the aged servant’s deep thankfulness for the guidance of the Lord. The utterance of the mouth accompanies the external gesture of reverence. “Her mother’s house;” those who were in the department of the females. We may imagine with what excitement and alacrity Rebekah would communicate the extraordinary intelligence.

Genesis 24:29-33

The reception of Abraham’s servant. Laban now comes on the scene. He is ready to run with his sister to find the man, and invite him, as a matter of course, to his father’s house. “When he saw the ring.” The presents to his sister assure him that this is the envoy of some man of wealth and position. “Thou blessed of the Lord.” The name of Yahweh was evidently not unfamiliar to Laban’s ears. He calls this stranger “blessed of Yahweh,” on account of his language, demeanor, and manifest prosperity. The knowledge and worship of the living God, the God of truth and mercy, was still retained in the family of Nahor. Being warmly invited, the man enters the house. “And he ungirded the camels.” Laban is the actor here, and in the following duties of hospitality. “The men’s feet that were with him.” It comes out here, incidentally, as it was reasonable to infer from the number of camels, that Abraham’s steward had a retinue of servants with him. The crowning act of an Eastern reception is the presenting of food. But the faithful servant must deliver his message before partaking of the friendly meal.

Verse 34-49

The servant’s errand is told. He explains his business in a singularly artless and pleasing manner. He then leaves the matter in the hands of the family. “Given unto him all that he hath.” His children by Hagar and Keturah were dismissed with portions during his life, and the main bulk of his property was conveyed to Isaac.

Genesis 24:50-61

The servant’s return with Rebekah. So plain an interposition of Providence admits of no refusal on the part of those who revere the Lord. Bethuel now appears as a concurring party. Laban, as the full brother of Rebekah, has a voice in the disposal of her hand; but the father only has the power to ratify the contract. The patriarch’s servant first bows in acknowledgment to the Lord, who had now manifested his approval of the choice he had made, and then proceeds to distribute costly gifts to the bride, and to her brother and mother. Now at length the thankful guest partakes of the fare set before him along with his entertainers, and after the night’s repose requests to be dismissed. “A few days;” perhaps a week or ten days. The mother and brother naturally plead for a little time to prepare for parting with Rebekah. They could not expect the servant, however, to stay months.

“Inquire at her mouth.” This is the only free choice in the matter that seems to be given to Rebekah. Her consent may have been modestly indicated, before her family ratified the contract. It is plain, however, that it was thought proper that the parents should receive and decide upon a proposal of marriage. The extent to which the maiden’s inclinations would be consulted would depend very much on the custom of the country, and the intelligence and good feeling of the parents. In later times the custom became very arbitrary. Rebekah’s decision shows that she concurred in the consent of her relatives. “And her nurse.” Her name, we learn afterward Genesis 35:8, was Deborah. The nurse accompanied the bride as her confidential adviser and faithful attendant, and died in her service; a beautiful trait of ancient manners. The blessing consists in a boundless offspring, and the upper hand over their enemies. These are indicative of a thin population, and a comparatively rude state of society. “And her damsels.” We here learn, again, incidentally, that Rebekah had more female attendants than her nurse.

Genesis 24:62-67

Isaac receives his bride. He had been at Beer-lahai-roi, the scene of the interview of Hagar with the angel of the Lord - a spot calculated to awaken thoughts of an overruling Providence. “To meditate.” This is a characteristic of Isaac’s retiring, contemplative mood. Abraham was the active, authoritative father; Isaac was the passive, submissive son. To meditate was to hold converse with his own thoughts, to ponder on the import of that never-to-be-forgotten scene when he was laid on the altar by a father’s hand, and a ram caught in the thicket became his substitute, and to pour out his soul unto the God of his salvation. In this hour of his grave reflection comes his destined bride with her faithful escort upon his view. Rebekah lights off the camel. Doubtless the conversation by the way with the elder of Abraham’s house had made her aware of their approach to the residence of her future husband.

She concludes at once that this must be he, and, alighting, asks if it be. On being informed by the servant that this is his young master, she puts on the veil, which covers the head, and hangs down gracefully both behind and before. The aged servant reports the success of his mission, and presents Rebekah. Isaac brings his cousin’s daughter into the apartments formerly occupied by his mother, and accepts her as his wife. The formalities of the interview, and of her presentation to Abraham as his daughter-in-law, are all untold. “And he loved her.” This is the first mention of the social affections. It comes in probably because Isaac had not before seen his bride, and now felt his heart drawn toward her, when she was presented to his view. All things were evidently done in the fear of God, as became those who were to be the progenitors of the seed of promise. We have here a description of the primeval marriage. It is a simple taking of a woman for a wife before all witnesses, and with suitable feelings and expression of reverence toward God, and of desire for his blessing. It is a pure and holy relation, reaching back into the realms of innocence, and fit to be the emblem of the humble, confiding, affectionate union between the Lord and his people.


 
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