Bible Commentaries
Genesis 24

Verse 1

old. About 140 years old.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

eldest servant. Probably Eleazar of Dan 15:2 .

thigh. According to the Midrash and ancient Jewish expositors, a Euphemism ( App-6 ) for the organs of generation, as most sacred. According to Ibn Ezra and present Indian custom, on the thigh is a token of subjection.

Verse 3

God. Hebrew. Elohim .

Canaanites. Mixed with the Nephilim. App-23 .

I. Emph. in contrast with the Canaanites. Hence Abraham's horror of mixing the holy seed with that of the Nephilim.

Verse 4

my kindred. Gentiles thus expressly excluded from this chapter, if regarded as a type. Compare verses: Genesis 24:3 , Genesis 24:4 , Genesis 24:7 , Gen 3:37 , Gen 3:38 . See also Genesis 26:35 ; Genesis 27:46 ; Genesis 28:1 , Genesis 28:8 .

Verse 7

heaven. The Septuagint reads: "heaven, and God of the earth. "See App-4 .

father's house, and from the land of my kindred. The Severus Codex reads: "from my house and from my country, "as in Genesis 24:4 . See App-34 .

Verse 10

arose = amounted.

Mesopotamia Hebrew. Aram-naharaim, i.e. Aram of the two rivers (the Tigris and Euphrates). The country of Haran. Genesis 11:31 .

Verse 13

well = spring. Hebrew. 'ayin. See note on Genesis 21:19 .

come out. Hebrew are coming out.

Verse 14

pitcher. Still used in Palestine as in John 4:28 .

Verse 15

before he had done speaking. Compare Isaiah 65:24 .

Rebekah. Hebrew captivating.

born to Bethuel. See App-29 .

Bethuel. Hebrew separated of God.

Verse 16

virgin. Hebrew. bethulah. Compare Genesis 24:43 . See note on Genesis 24:43 .

Verse 21

wondering: or eagerly watching her.

to wit = to know.

Verse 22

golden. Hebrew of gold. Genitive of material. App-17 .

earring. Probably a nose (or "face") ring. See Genesis 24:47 .

Verse 24

Nahor. See App-29 . Rebekah his granddaughter; but old enough to marry Isaac, because Sarah was "well stricken in years" when Isaac was born (Genesis 18:11 , Genesis 18:12 ). Compare Genesis 24:36 .

Verse 29

Laban. See App-29 .

Verse 30

when he saw. Characteristic of Laban. Rebekah showed kindness before she saw.

Verses 31-32

he, i.e. Laban.

Verse 35

And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, App-6 , to emphasize all the items which went to make up Abraham's wealth. Twelve "ands" (3 x 4 = 12) = abundance of earthly wealth. See App-10 .

Verse 40

I walk = I walk habitually. Hebrew verb in Hithpael.

Verse 42

said. Eleazar repeats his prayer from memory, but inexactly. Who could have written the actual words (verses: Genesis 24:12-21 ) but the Holy Inspiring Spirit? He records both the prayer itself and Eleazar's remembrance of it.

Verse 43

virgin. Hebrew. 'almah. Every bethulah is an 'ahnah, but every 'almah is not a bethulah : 'almah Occurs 7 times, Genesis 24:43 (first occurance). Exodus 2:8 . Psalms 68:25 .Proverbs 30:19 . Song of Solomon 1:3 ; Song of Solomon 6:8 . Isaiah 7:14 . Bethulah Occurs 49 times ( App-10 ).

Verse 47

face or nose. Compare Genesis 24:22 .

Verse 48

led me in the right way. Compare Psalms 107:7 .

daughter. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Species), App-6 , daughter put for granddaughter.

Verse 53

raiment: or garments; i.e. changes of raiment.

Verse 55

ten. Seven days = a week, but ten or a decad (1/3 of a month) sometimes reckoned as a longer, but strictly defined period. Compare Exodus 12:3 .Leviticus 16:29 .

Verse 62

well = spring. Hebrew. beer. See note on Genesis 21:19 .

Lahai-roi. Hebrew. the well of life and vision.

Verse 63

meditate. Refers back to the historical context, Genesis 23:19 , the death and burial of Sarah, his mother. What follows this digression (of which Isaac as yet knew nothing) in Genesis 24:1-67 shows that Isaac went out, not to "meditate", or "to pray" (Authorized Version margin), or "take a walk" (Syriac), or "muster the flocks" (Gesenius), but to mourn. This is the meaning of the Hebrew suach. in Psalms 44:25 .Lamentations 3:20 .

Verse 64

lighted off. Hebrew. fell, or alighted hastily.

Verse 67

comforted after, or consoled himself for.