Genesis 24:41 kjv

Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

Genesis 24:41 nkjv

You will be clear from this oath when you arrive among my family; for if they will not give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.'

Genesis 24:41 niv

You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you?then you will be released from my oath.'

Genesis 24:41 esv

Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my clan. And if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.'

Genesis 24:41 nlt

Then you will have fulfilled your obligation. But if you go to my relatives and they refuse to let her go with you, you will be free from my oath.'

Genesis 24 verses

Genesis 24 41 Meaning

Genesis 24:41 defines the specific conditions under which Abraham's servant would be released from the solemn oath he swore regarding finding a wife for Isaac. The servant's obligation would cease if he faithfully journeyed to Abraham's kinsmen to seek a wife, regardless of whether they ultimately consented to the marriage. This emphasizes both diligent obedience in pursuing God's revealed will and the recognition that the final outcome rests with divine providence and the free will of others.

Genesis 24 41 Context

This verse is spoken by Abraham to his chief servant. The larger context of Genesis 24 is Abraham's commitment to ensure Isaac, the son of promise, marries a woman from his own kin, thereby preserving the covenant line and avoiding spiritual defilement from the surrounding Canaanite tribes. The servant, having been entrusted with this crucial mission and sworn to an oath, raised a legitimate concern about what would happen if the intended woman refused to return with him to Canaan. Abraham, in verse 41, explicitly addresses this contingency, setting forth the conditions under which the servant would be released from his sacred obligation, demonstrating both wisdom in expectation management and faith in God's ultimate guidance.

Genesis 24 41 Word analysis

• Then: (Heb. אָז - az) - Denotes a point in time or a consequence following a specific action. It marks the commencement of the absolution.

• you will be free: (Heb. תִּקָּה - tiqqah, from root נָקָה - naqah) - To be clear, clean, innocent, absolved, or quit. It means to be discharged from an obligation, a debt, or blame. It signifies a complete release from a binding responsibility without incurring guilt or penalty.

• from this oath: (Heb. מִשְּׁבֻעָתִי - miššĕvu'ātî) - Shib'ah (שְׁבֻעָה) means an oath, a sworn commitment or a promise made under an invocation to God or a divine being. Such an oath was considered sacred and binding. "Of mine" specifies Abraham as the one who administered and is bound by this oath, though the servant is the one bound to it.

• when you go: (Heb. כִּי תֵלֵךְ - kî tālêḵ) - "When" (kî) introduces the primary condition. "Go" (hālak) signifies purposeful travel and diligent effort on the part of the servant to fulfill his assignment.

• to my relatives: (Heb. אֶל-מוֹלַדְתִּי - ʾel-môladtî) - Moledeth (מוֹלֶדֶת) means birthplace, native land, or kin. This explicitly directs the servant to Abraham's ancestral family and region, emphasizing the spiritual importance of endogamy for the covenant line.

• and if they do not give her to you: (Heb. וְאִם-לֹא יִתְּנוּ לְךָ - wəʾim lo'-yittĕnû leḵā) - "And if" introduces the second, conditional part of the release. Nātan (נָתַן) means to give, to grant, to allow. This clarifies that the servant is not responsible if Abraham's kinsmen refuse to consent to the marriage, acknowledging factors beyond the servant's control.

• then you will be free from my oath: This repetition underscores the absolute release. It reiterates Abraham's understanding of the limitations of the servant's duty; diligence is required, but forced consent is not.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Then you will be free from this oath of mine": This phrase establishes the specific absolution from a grave contractual and spiritual commitment. It highlights Abraham's fairness and foresight in establishing clear terms for release, ensuring the servant's moral and practical accountability ends where his control does.
  • "when you go to my relatives": This outlines the servant's fundamental responsibility: to embark on the journey and make the sincere attempt to locate and negotiate with Abraham's family. The going and seeking are the primary duties required for the oath to be honored.
  • "and if they do not give her to you, then you will be free from my oath": This final clause defines the specific "escape clause" for the servant. It is a contingent condition that removes the servant's liability if, after diligently fulfilling the first condition, the kinsmen themselves, by their free will, do not consent to the marriage. It points to human will and divine sovereignty potentially intersecting in ways beyond the servant's power to dictate.

Genesis 24 41 Bonus section

• The meticulous detail of this release clause reveals the weight given to oaths in biblical times. An oath was not a casual promise but a deeply binding commitment made before God, from which one could not easily retract without severe consequences, moral or divine.
• This verse underpins the servant's subsequent confidence when he speaks to Laban and Bethuel (Gen 24:40-41 in the servant's retelling). He directly quotes Abraham's assurance, demonstrating its foundational role in his understanding and execution of the mission.
• The emphasis on "free" (נָקָה) not only implies acquittal but a clean moral conscience, vital for someone in the servant's trusted position. He would not bear the guilt of failure if circumstances outside his faithful effort prevented the marriage.
• The dual conditions underscore the balance between human agency and divine sovereignty in biblical narrative; the servant is commanded to act, but God (or others' will) ultimately directs the outcome.

Genesis 24 41 Commentary

Genesis 24:41 serves as a profound statement on faithful obedience, ethical responsibility, and trust in divine providence. Abraham, in his wisdom and foresight, anticipated a potential obstacle—the kinsmen's refusal—and pre-emptively defined the parameters of the servant's responsibility. This instruction demonstrates that diligent effort (the servant going to the relatives) is required for an oath's fulfillment, but ultimate success, especially involving the will of others, is beyond one's control. The servant is not to compel; he is to present. This illustrates a crucial biblical principle: we are called to be faithful in our actions and responsibilities, doing all that is within our power according to God's revealed will, but the outcome rests ultimately in God's hands. We are freed from the "oath" of success when we have truly exhausted our faithful obedience within the parameters God sets.

• Practical example: When sharing the Gospel, a believer is obligated to proclaim it clearly and lovingly (the "going" and "giving"). If the listener refuses to believe (the "not giving"), the believer is "free from the oath" of their salvation, having fulfilled their part in faithfulness to Christ's command.