Genesis 24:5 kjv

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

Genesis 24:5 nkjv

And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?"

Genesis 24:5 niv

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"

Genesis 24:5 esv

The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"

Genesis 24:5 nlt

The servant asked, "But what if I can't find a young woman who is willing to travel so far from home? Should I then take Isaac there to live among your relatives in the land you came from?"

Genesis 24 verses

Genesis 24 5 Meaning

Genesis 24:5 captures the cautious question of Abraham’s unnamed senior servant regarding a potential critical obstacle to his mission: if the woman designated to be Isaac’s wife refuses to leave her homeland and return with him to Canaan, is the alternative to bring Isaac to her land? This verse highlights the servant's pragmatic concern, his desire to avoid any violation of Abraham's strict instruction not to take Isaac back to Mesopotamia, and the perceived challenge of finding a bride willing to sever ties with her family and travel to a foreign land.

Genesis 24 5 Context

Genesis chapter 24 details Abraham’s mission to secure a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham, now old, is resolute that Isaac must not marry a woman from the surrounding Canaanite peoples, who worship other gods. Instead, he instructs his senior servant to return to his homeland, Mesopotamia (Haran), to find a bride from his own kindred. Central to Abraham’s instruction, and a core concern for him, is the strict prohibition that Isaac must not be taken back to that land, lest he abandon the Promised Land where God’s covenant promises reside. The servant, tasked with this crucial mission and bound by a solemn oath to Abraham, raises this question in Genesis 24:5, foreseeing the practical challenge and seeking clarification on the boundaries of his sworn duty, especially concerning the fate of Isaac.

Genesis 24 5 Word analysis

• And the servant said to him,

  • Implies an ongoing, critical conversation between Abraham and his chief servant (later identified as Eliezer in Gen 15, though not by name here). This highlights the servant's significant role and deep loyalty.
  • This phrasing indicates a direct, immediate response to Abraham’s weighty instructions in the preceding verses, demonstrating the servant’s prudent consideration.

• “Perhaps

  • Hebrew: ʾûlay (אֻלַי) – This adverb conveys uncertainty, possibility, or doubt. It’s not an expression of weakness, but rather a realistic acknowledgment of a potential obstacle or a "what if" scenario.
  • It indicates the servant is thinking ahead, anticipating challenges to fulfilling his complex mission.

• the woman will not be willing

  • Hebrew: lo' to've (לֹא תֹאבֶה) – literally "she will not wish" or "she will not be agreeable."
  • This phrase emphasizes the crucial element of consent or willingness on the part of the prospective bride. While marriages were often arranged in ancient Near Eastern cultures, the bride's individual willingness could still be a factor, particularly when it involved a dramatic departure from her family and homeland, as in this case.
  • The servant’s foresight in acknowledging the woman's agency speaks to the respect for individual choice within the context of marriage, even if limited by cultural norms.

• to follow me to this land.

  • "Follow me" suggests a permanent departure and new allegiance.
  • "This land" refers to the land of Canaan, the land God promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12:7; 13:15). Isaac, as the heir of the covenant, must remain rooted there. The challenge of a woman leaving her people to embrace a new identity and faith within a foreign land (cf. Ruth 1:16) is significant.

• Must I then take your son back

  • Hebrew: hāshīḇ ʾet-binḵā (הֵשִׁיב אֶת-בִּנְךָ) – "cause your son to return/restore." This verb strongly conveys the idea of bringing back.
  • This is the core of the servant’s query, a direct confrontation of Abraham's non-negotiable command. The servant recognizes the explicit boundary Abraham set: Isaac must not leave the Promised Land (Gen 24:6).
  • It presents the only apparent alternative if the mission of bringing a bride back to Canaan fails, thereby testing Abraham's faith and specific instruction.

• to the land from which you came?”

  • Refers to Mesopotamia, specifically Haran, Abraham's family's original dwelling place before his journey of faith to Canaan (Gen 11:31, 12:1).
  • Bringing Isaac back to this land would mean re-immersing him in a polytheistic culture (Josh 24:2) and potentially nullifying the unique identity God had set aside for Abraham's lineage. It would be a significant spiritual and geographical setback for the Abrahamic covenant.

Genesis 24 5 Bonus section

The servant's specific concern about the "willingness" of the woman foreshadows Rebekah's own choice, which is directly asked of her in Genesis 24:58: "Will you go with this man?" Her decisive "I will go" then becomes pivotal, validating the servant's initial concern and highlighting the divine orchestrating of events. This emphasizes that while arrangements were common, God often uses the willing heart.

Furthermore, Abraham's insistence on Isaac remaining in Canaan signifies the growing importance of the land itself as part of the covenant. It is not merely a temporary dwelling but the promised inheritance, where God's unique relationship with His people is to be rooted. For Isaac to return to Haran would undermine the very premise of God's call to Abraham and the promise of a distinct nation in the land of Canaan.

Genesis 24 5 Commentary

Genesis 24:5 reveals the servant’s profound wisdom and meticulous attention to Abraham’s instructions. He correctly identifies the primary challenge of his mission: finding a woman not only suitable but also willing to undertake the daunting journey and fundamental life change involved in leaving her kin and country for a foreign land. His question is not defiance but a pragmatic search for clarification on how to proceed if this primary hurdle—the woman's refusal to leave—materializes. He instantly grasps the critical boundary Abraham has set: Isaac must remain in the Promised Land. The servant’s question therefore forces Abraham to reiterate his faith and resolve concerning Isaac’s spiritual and physical connection to God’s promised land, underscoring that covenant continuity is paramount, not the path of least resistance. It anticipates the divine providence that would make Rebekah’s journey possible. This moment showcases the servant's excellent character—diligent, wise, and profoundly loyal to both Abraham and, implicitly, to Abraham's God, even when facing a potentially impossible dilemma.