Genesis 24:3 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 24:3 kjv
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
Genesis 24:3 nkjv
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;
Genesis 24:3 niv
I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
Genesis 24:3 esv
that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,
Genesis 24:3 nlt
Swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women.
Genesis 24 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1-3 | "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out... I will make of thee a great nation..." | Covenant promise of nation/seed. |
| Gen 13:14-17 | "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it..." | God promises the land. |
| Gen 15:16 | "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." | Canaanite iniquity, land given to Abraham's seed. |
| Gen 17:7 | "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed..." | God's eternal covenant with Abraham and his seed. |
| Gen 24:37-38 | "And my master made me swear... that I should not take a wife to his son of the daughters of the Canaanites..." | Servant confirms the oath and command. |
| Deut 7:3-4 | "Neither shalt thou make marriages with them... for they will turn away thy son from following me..." | Direct prohibition against intermarriage, warning. |
| Exod 34:15-16 | "Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land... and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons..." | Warns against spiritual defilement through marriage. |
| Josh 23:12-13 | "Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations... know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you..." | Warnings against intermarriage with nations in Canaan. |
| Judg 3:5-6 | "And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites... And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons..." | Israelites failing to obey the command. |
| 1 Kgs 11:1-2 | "But king Solomon loved many strange women... of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods..." | Solomon's failure through foreign wives. |
| Ezra 9:1-2 | "The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, doing according to their abominations... for they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons..." | Post-exilic warning about foreign wives. |
| Neh 13:23-27 | "In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod... did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things?" | Nehemiah confronting intermarriage. |
| Jer 10:10-12 | "But the LORD is the true God... He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom..." | Affirmation of Yahweh as Creator. |
| Ps 115:3 | "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." | God's sovereignty in heaven and earth. |
| Isa 66:1 | "Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool..." | God's absolute dominion. |
| Matt 5:34-35 | "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool..." | Jesus teaches on oaths. |
| Acts 17:24-25 | "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth..." | God as creator and sovereign. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-16 | "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?" | Spiritual separation for believers. |
| Heb 6:13-16 | "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself..." | Significance of divine oaths and Abraham. |
| Gen 14:19 | "And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram by the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth..." | Earlier acknowledgment of God's universal sovereignty by Melchizedek. |
| Gen 28:1-2 | "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him... thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan." | Isaac carries on the same marital principle. |
| Rom 9:7-8 | "Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." | Emphasis on Isaac as the promised lineage. |
Genesis 24 verses
Genesis 24 3 meaning
Genesis 24:3 captures Abraham's solemn command to his eldest servant, requiring him to swear an oath by the covenant God of Abraham, who is universally sovereign over heaven and earth. The core of the command is to ensure that Isaac, the son of promise, marries a woman not from the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, but from Abraham's own kin and homeland. This instruction is crucial for maintaining the purity of the messianic line and avoiding spiritual corruption inherent in pagan alliances.
Genesis 24 3 Context
Genesis chapter 24 details Abraham's pursuit of a suitable wife for his son Isaac, the child of promise through whom God's covenant lineage would continue. At 140 years old, Abraham is advanced in age and determined to secure the future of his family according to God's will. Isaac, at 40 years old, is unmarried. The overarching concern is the purity of the "seed" through whom the Messiah would eventually come. The Canaanites, despite living alongside Abraham, were culturally and religiously antithetical to God's ways, engaged in idolatry and detestable practices. To intermarry with them would jeopardize the spiritual integrity and distinctiveness of God's chosen family, leading to syncretism and breaking the covenant promises. Abraham, in faith and obedience, seeks to ensure Isaac's marriage upholds this sacred separation.
Genesis 24 3 Word analysis
- And I will make thee swear (wa'ashbiyʿakha): From the Hebrew verb שָׁבַע (shava), meaning "to swear, to take an oath." In ancient Near Eastern cultures, oaths were extremely binding and serious, often involving a sacred ritual or invoking a deity as witness. Abraham is compelling his servant into a divinely sanctioned promise, highlighting the gravity and importance of the command. The servant's life and spiritual integrity are bound to this vow.
- by the LORD (biyhwh): Refers to Yahweh (יהוה), the personal, covenant name of God revealed to Abraham and later Moses. This is significant because Abraham requires his servant to swear by the specific God who has entered into a covenant relationship with him, distinguishing Him from the pagan deities of the Canaanites. It grounds the oath in God's faithfulness and power.
- the God of heaven, and the God of the earth: This emphasizes God's supreme sovereignty, not just over Israel or the land of Canaan, but over all creation. He is the ultimate authority in the cosmic and terrestrial realms. Abraham acknowledges God's universal power and rightful dominion, establishing that this command originates from the ultimate Ruler, who is fully capable of enforcing the oath and is the exclusive object of worship. This declaration can also be seen as a subtle polemic against polytheistic beliefs where gods had limited domains, asserting Yahweh's singularity and omnipotence.
- that thou shalt not take a wife: A strong negative prohibition (lo' tiqqaḥ), indicating an absolute and non-negotiable directive. This prohibition is central to Abraham's concern for the spiritual future of his lineage.
- to my son: Refers to Isaac, who is explicitly identified as the heir through whom God's covenant promises (seed, land, blessing to nations) would continue. Securing Isaac's proper spouse is therefore vital to God's unfolding redemptive plan.
- of the daughters of the Canaanites: Specifically identifies the prohibited group. This is a categorical exclusion based on their religious and moral practices, which were an abomination to God. Marrying them would involve the introduction of idolatry and immoral practices into the Abrahamic lineage, threatening its purity and God's relationship with them.
- among whom I dwell: This highlights the immediate practical temptation and spiritual danger. Abraham's daily proximity to the Canaanites underscores the necessity of this protective command and the intentional separation required. It acknowledges the prevailing spiritual landscape and the potential for compromise.
Genesis 24 3 Bonus section
The oath required by Abraham for his servant involved placing a hand under Abraham's thigh (Gen 24:2, 9). This ancient practice is understood to relate to a covenant through offspring, given the proximity to the reproductive organs. It visually emphasized the profound significance of the oath concerning Abraham's "seed" and the continuation of the divine promise. This form of oath-taking underscores the seriousness and binding nature of the servant's promise in the cultural context of the time. The very personal nature of this physical act intensified the moral weight of the servant's vow before the God of Abraham.
Genesis 24 3 Commentary
Genesis 24:3 represents a critical juncture in the narrative of Abraham's faith and the unfolding of God's covenant promises. Abraham's foresight and divine leading in this matter demonstrate a deep understanding of God's intentions for His chosen people. The stringent command to avoid Canaanite wives was not born of tribal prejudice but of spiritual discernment. Canaanite culture was characterized by polytheism, child sacrifice, cultic prostitution, and various moral degradations that directly opposed God's holy character. An unequal spiritual yoke would have diluted the distinct identity of the promised seed and likely led them away from the one true God, as later generations tragically proved (e.g., in the time of Judges and the monarchy).
Abraham's insistence on an oath by "the God of heaven and the God of the earth" underscores the absolute authority and universality of the God of Israel, even in a polytheistic land. It reveals his robust faith that this God oversees all creation and will uphold His covenant. This command set a precedent for spiritual separation that resonated throughout Israel's history, from the laws given at Sinai to the prophetic condemnations of mixed marriages after the exile, culminating in the New Testament's call for believers to not be "unequally yoked" with unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14). It exemplifies the divine principle that the spiritual well-being of a generation often hinges on the marital choices made by the preceding one, emphasizing the importance of godly alliances for continuing the spiritual legacy.