Genesis 24:38 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 24:38 kjv
But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
Genesis 24:38 nkjv
but you shall go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.'
Genesis 24:38 niv
but go to my father's family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.'
Genesis 24:38 esv
but you shall go to my father's house and to my clan and take a wife for my son.'
Genesis 24:38 nlt
Go instead to my father's house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.'
Genesis 24 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:1 | Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house... | Abram called to leave kindred. |
| Gen 24:3 | I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites... | Prohibition against Canaanite wives. |
| Gen 24:4 | But you shall go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.” | Command to seek wife from kindred. |
| Gen 24:7 | The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred... He will send his angel before you... | God’s providence and guidance for Abraham. |
| Gen 28:1 | Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women." | Isaac repeats the command to Jacob. |
| Gen 28:2 | Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father, and take for yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. | Jacob follows the instruction for a wife. |
| Deut 7:3-4 | You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me... | Prohibition of intermarriage due to idolatry. |
| Exod 34:16 | Lest you take some of his daughters for your sons, and her daughters prostitute themselves to their gods and make your sons prostitute themselves... | Warnings against intermarriage. |
| Neh 13:25 | I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons... | Condemnation of intermarriage in Nehemiah. |
| Ezra 9:2 | For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself... | Intermarriage leads to defilement of 'holy race'. |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? | Principle of unequal yoking applied spiritually. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. | Guidance for significant life decisions. |
| Matt 1:2 | Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers... | Lineage leading to Christ. |
| Rom 9:7 | nor because they are descendants of Abraham are they all children, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” | Isaac as the son of promise. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. | Abraham’s faith and obedience in journeying. |
| Gen 17:7 | And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant... | The covenant with Abraham's descendants. |
| Eph 5:22-33 | Wives, submit to your own husbands... Husbands, love your wives... | Principles for godly marriage. |
| Col 3:17 | And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus... | Godly living extends to all life aspects, including marriage. |
| Gen 2:24 | Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. | Marriage as a foundational divine institution. |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... | Principle of not conforming to the world's standards. |
Genesis 24 verses
Genesis 24 38 meaning
Genesis 24:38 relays Abraham's specific instruction to his trusted servant regarding finding a wife for his son, Isaac. He commanded the servant to return to his father’s household and his extended family in Mesopotamia, emphasizing that the chosen woman must come from among his kindred rather than the local Canaanite inhabitants. This command underscored the crucial importance of preserving the distinct lineage of the covenant promise, avoiding marriage alliances with those outside the faith and heritage Abraham had departed from.
Genesis 24 38 Context
Genesis chapter 24 details Abraham’s pivotal quest to secure a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham, now old and desiring to fulfill God’s promise of numerous descendants through Isaac, solemnly binds his most trusted servant with an oath. The crucial stipulation, expressed explicitly in verses 3 and 4 and reiterated here in verse 38, is that the wife must not be a Canaanite woman, but rather come from Abraham's own people and homeland in Mesopotamia. This directive reflects Abraham's unwavering commitment to preserve the sanctity and purity of the covenant lineage, preventing the intermingling with the idolatrous and morally corrupt inhabitants of Canaan. The chapter then meticulously recounts the servant's diligent journey, God's clear providential guidance in identifying Rebekah, and the successful arrangements for her return to Canaan to become Isaac’s wife, ensuring the continuation of God’s redemptive plan.
Genesis 24 38 Word analysis
- but you shall go: This emphasizes a strong directive, a non-negotiable command from Abraham. It contrasts directly with the earlier prohibition in Gen 24:3 about not taking a wife from the Canaanites, thereby defining the required action.
- to my father’s house: (Hebrew: בֵּית אָבִי, beit avi) This refers not merely to a physical dwelling, but signifies the patriarchal family unit, encompassing his direct relatives. Abraham's spiritual identity, as "God's friend," stemmed from a clear break with his father Terah's idol-worship (Josh 24:2), yet he returns to this origin for the purpose of a spouse for Isaac. This demonstrates a deep-seated respect for lineage and familial purity within his own kin group.
- and to my kindred: (Hebrew: מוֹלַדְתִּי, moladti) This term signifies "my birth-place" or "my relatives by birth," encompassing the broader family, tribe, or clan from which Abraham himself originated. It goes beyond the immediate paternal house to include extended relations. This further narrows the acceptable pool of candidates, emphasizing genetic and cultural ties that pre-date Abraham's covenant journey. This region (Paddan-aram, Nahor, Haran) maintained aspects of Abraham’s familial traditions, offering a cultural environment more conducive to his covenant expectations compared to Canaan.
- and take a wife: (Hebrew: וְלָקַחְתָּ אִשָּׁה, ve’lakakhta ishah) This signifies a deliberate, chosen action. It is a vital and specific purpose of the servant's mission, central to the perpetuation of the covenant line. The word "take" (לָקַח, lakakh) is a common verb for acquiring a wife in the ancient Near East, often involving negotiation and agreements, not merely seizing.
- for my son: (Hebrew: לִבְנִי, livni) This identifies Isaac as the recipient of the chosen wife and underscores the personal nature of Abraham's concern for his only son of promise. Isaac is the divinely appointed heir through whom God's covenant with Abraham would continue. The wife is not just any woman, but one suitable for the covenant heir, preserving the purity and integrity of the divine promise passed down through generations.
Genesis 24 38 Bonus section
The concern about marrying within Abraham's family (or "kindred") can be seen as an early manifestation of endogamy for theological and identity preservation reasons within the covenant community. While Abraham had been called out of his kindred (Gen 12:1), for the purpose of procreation for the promised seed, returning to his kindred ensured a lineage less susceptible to the paganism of Canaan. This also highlights a significant challenge for the developing people of Israel – maintaining distinctiveness in a world of varying beliefs and practices. The faithful obedience to this instruction secured a path for Isaac to marry Rebekah, a woman whom the servant quickly recognized as divinely chosen, thereby fulfilling both human obedience and divine providence. This episode serves as a powerful testament to the interplay of human responsibility and divine sovereignty in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
Genesis 24 38 Commentary
Genesis 24:38 is a concentrated expression of Abraham's priorities as a steward of God’s covenant. It directly specifies the desired origin for Isaac's wife, which is inherently tied to the previous command not to take a Canaanite wife. The directive to seek a spouse from his 'father's house' and 'kindred' illustrates the profound importance placed on familial and cultural continuity, distinct from the corrupting influences of Canaanite polytheism and practices. This instruction was not simply a cultural preference, but a strategic measure to maintain the 'holy seed' of the covenant and ensure that Isaac's household would uphold the monotheistic worship of the Lord, God of Heaven and Earth. This passage also implicitly reveals God's working through ordinary means and human decision-making (Abraham's command, servant's obedience) to accomplish His extraordinary, sovereign will in leading the servant to Rebekah, who would become Isaac's wife and a vital part of the messianic lineage. The principles of seeking spouses from those who share core faith and values, and trusting in God’s providence in significant life decisions, are enduring echoes from this narrative.