Genesis 24:8 kjv

And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

Genesis 24:8 nkjv

And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there."

Genesis 24:8 niv

If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."

Genesis 24:8 esv

But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there."

Genesis 24:8 nlt

If she is unwilling to come back with you, then you are free from this oath of mine. But under no circumstances are you to take my son there."

Genesis 24 verses

Genesis 24 8 Meaning

Genesis 24:8 outlines the conditional release of Abraham's servant from his solemn oath regarding finding a wife for Isaac. If the chosen woman proved unwilling to return with him to Canaan, the servant would be acquitted of his sworn duty. However, Abraham imposes an absolute and unchangeable prohibition: Isaac, the covenant heir, must under no circumstances be taken back to the land from which Abraham himself was called by God to depart.

Genesis 24 8 Context

Genesis 24 is entirely devoted to the search for a wife for Isaac, the son of promise. Abraham, at the close of his life, takes significant steps to ensure the continuity of God's covenant lineage. His primary concern is that Isaac marry a woman from his own extended family, rather than a Canaanite woman who would potentially lead him into idolatry and compromise the covenant promises of God. He makes his eldest and most trusted servant swear a solemn oath under his hand. The context of verse 8 specifically addresses the servant's two-part query (verse 5), showing Abraham's trust in divine guidance and his absolute commitment to preventing Isaac from returning to the idolatrous land from which God had called Abraham. This reveals Abraham's deep theological understanding of the separation required for God's covenant people.

Genesis 24 8 Word analysis

• And if the woman be unwilling: This translates from the Hebrew "וְאִם־לֹא֙ תֹאבֶ֣ה הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה" (wə'im-lō' to'ḇeh hā'iššāh), where תֹאבֶה (to've), from the root אָבָה ('avah), means "to be willing, consent, yield." It highlights the woman's agency and choice in this ancient practice of arranged marriage. While typically family-arranged, consent was still an important factor. It suggests that even in divinely guided processes, human freedom is acknowledged.
• to follow thee: This implies leaving her familiar home, family, and cultural environment to embark on a journey to an unknown land and marry a man she has never met. It underscores the profound step of faith and commitment required from Rebekah, should she accept.
• then thou shalt be clear: Hebrew וְנִקֵּיתָ֖ (wəniqqêṯā) from נָקָה (naqah), meaning "to be clear, clean, innocent, discharged." This is a legal and moral declaration. Abraham understands the serious nature of the oath and provides an escape clause. The servant would be absolved of guilt, ensuring the oath's integrity is preserved within ethical boundaries.
• from this my oath: Refers to the sacred vow taken by the servant, invoking God as a witness (Gen 24:3). Oaths were binding commitments with severe social and divine repercussions if broken. Abraham acknowledges conditions under which the oath could be justly dissolved for the servant.
• only bring not my son thither again: Hebrew רַ֗ק אֶת־בְּנִ֛י לֹא֙ תָּשֵׁ֥ב שָׁ֖מָּה (raq ’eṯ-bəny lo’ tašêḇ šāmmâ). רַק (raq) means "only," emphasizing a strict, singular prohibition. תָּשֵׁ֥ב (tašêḇ) from שׁוּב (shuv), "to return, bring back." שָׁ֖מָּה (shammah) means "thither," referring to Mesopotamia/Haran. This clause is a non-negotiable command, representing Abraham's deepest theological conviction. Isaac's return to the land of idolatry would betray the very essence of God's call to Abraham and the purpose of the covenant centered in Canaan. It reveals Abraham's concern for Isaac's spiritual purity and his inheritance of the promised land.

Genesis 24 8 Bonus section

• This verse subtly illustrates a key theological theme: God's people are called to a new life, irrevocably separate from their past of spiritual darkness or idolatry. There is no going back to the "land of former dwelling."
• Abraham's insistence points to the preeminence of the promised land as the locus of God's blessings and the covenant's unfolding. Isaac remaining there solidified the claim to the land and the distinct identity of the people of God.
• The emphasis on the woman's willingness, even within an arranged marriage culture, highlights respect for individual choice and implies that true commitment to a new life of faith requires personal assent. This sets a standard for willing partnership in spiritual covenant, even within family dynamics.

Genesis 24 8 Commentary

Genesis 24:8 encapsulates a critical moment in Abraham's strategic planning for the future of the covenant line through Isaac. The verse showcases Abraham's integrity concerning solemn oaths, offering his servant a justifiable release should circumstances outside his control (the woman's refusal) prevent fulfillment. This highlights biblical principles of conditional obligations within vows.

More profoundly, the absolute command "only bring not my son thither again" underlines Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promises and His call to separation. For Abraham, Isaac's return to Mesopotamia (Ur or Haran) would symbolize a spiritual retreat, an abandonment of God's appointed land, and a potential re-engagement with paganism. The Promised Land was not merely geographical; it was the sacred space where God’s covenant with Abraham’s seed would unfold. Taking Isaac back would negate God's original command for Abraham to leave his land (Gen 12:1) and could jeopardise Isaac's spiritual inheritance and the covenant itself. Abraham prioritizes the purity and distinctiveness of the covenant people, ensuring that Isaac, the heir of promise, remains firmly within God's chosen territory, awaiting divine providence for his wife rather than compromising the lineage by marrying outside the faith or returning to his ancestral pagan homeland. This instruction reflects Abraham's ultimate trust that God would provide the wife, even without Isaac physically present to fetch her, signifying reliance on divine guidance over human compromise.