Genesis 24:2

Verse

So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,

American Standard Version (1901)

And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

Bible in Basic English

And Abraham said to his chief servant, the manager of all his property, Come now, put your hand under my leg:

Douay-Rheims 1899

And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,

Free Bible Version

At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,

Geneva Bible 1599

Therefore Abraham saide vnto his eldest seruant of his house, which had the rule ouer all that he had, Put nowe thine hand vnder my thigh,

King James (Authorized) Version

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

One Unity Resource Bible

Abraham [Father of a multitude] said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.

Translation for Translators

One day Abraham said to the chief servant of his household, the man who was in charge of everything Abraham owned, “Put your hand between my thighs to solemnly promise you will do what I tell you.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Abraham said to his servant, the one who was the oldest of his household and who was in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh

Noah Webster Bible

And Abraham said to his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

World English Bible

Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.

Young's Literal Translation

and Abraham saith unto his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he hath, 'Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,

Context

A Wife for Isaac

¹By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.²So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,³and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,

Sermons

Metatron

Jacob Prasch

3.1K

Summary

In Genesis 24:2, Abraham instructs his chief servant to find a wife for his son Isaac from his own people and not from the Canaanites among whom they lived. This directive reflects Abraham's desire to maintain the purity of the covenant lineage and ensure that Isaac's wife shares their faith and values. It also underscores the importance of familial and cultural connections in the process of finding a suitable spouse, highlighting the significance of faith and heritage in relationships within the biblical context.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Eldest servant - As this eldest servant is stated to have been the ruler over all that he had, it is very likely that Eliezer is meant. See Gen 15:2, Gen 15:3. Put, I pray thee, thy hand - See note on Gen 24:9.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house,.... To Eliezer his servant, according to the Targum of Jonathan, and as is generally thought; and who may well be called an old servant, and his oldest servant, since he must have lived with him fifty years and upwards; one may trace him near sixty years in Abraham's family, and it is highly probable he lived much longer; he was his servant when he had the vision between the pieces, Gen 15:2; and then he was the steward of his house, and bid fair to be his heir; which was some time before Hagar was given to Abraham; and Ishmael his son by Hagar was fourteen years of age when Isaac was born, and he was now forty years old, which make fifty five years, or thereabout. Bishop Usher places the vision of the pieces in A. M. 2092, and the marriage of Isaac in 2148, some fifty six years from each other; and so long Eliezer, if he is the servant here meant, must have been in Abraham's family, and how much longer cannot with certainty be said: that ruled over all that he had; had the care and management of his house, and the affairs of it under him; this agrees with the character of Eliezer in Gen 15:2, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: as a token of his subjection to him as a servant, and of his readiness, willingness, and fidelity to execute any commands he should lay upon him, and in order to take an oath, as appears by what follows; for it seems this rite was used in swearing, and is still used in India, as Aben Ezra affirms; and some say among the Ethiopians. The Jewish writers are pretty much of opinion that respect is had to the covenant of circumcision, by which Abraham made his servant to swear, which is not likely: rather respect is had to his seed, the promised Messiah, that should spring from his thigh, by whom the adjuration was made, as follows: though Dr. Clayton (k) thinks this is no other than an equivalent term for approaching in an humble servile manner, and means no more than "come near me", and I will make thee swear; and that, as a respectable method of approach with the Egyptian, as Herodotus (l) relates, was by bowing the body reciprocally when they met, and saluted one another, and by carrying their hands to each other's knee; so some such like ceremony as embracing the knee, and putting the hand under or round the thigh, might be used by servants when they approached their masters; but it should be observed, that this same rite or ceremony was required of Joseph, governor of Egypt, by his father Jacob; see Gen 47:29. (k) Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, p. 130, 131. (l) Euterpe sive, l. 2.

Genesis 24:2

A Wife for Isaac

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,

American Standard Version (1901)

And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

Bible in Basic English

And Abraham said to his chief servant, the manager of all his property, Come now, put your hand under my leg:

Douay-Rheims 1899

And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,

Free Bible Version

At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,

Geneva Bible 1599

Therefore Abraham saide vnto his eldest seruant of his house, which had the rule ouer all that he had, Put nowe thine hand vnder my thigh,

King James (Authorized) Version

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

One Unity Resource Bible

Abraham [Father of a multitude] said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.

Translation for Translators

One day Abraham said to the chief servant of his household, the man who was in charge of everything Abraham owned, “Put your hand between my thighs to solemnly promise you will do what I tell you.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Abraham said to his servant, the one who was the oldest of his household and who was in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh

Noah Webster Bible

And Abraham said to his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

World English Bible

Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.

Young's Literal Translation

and Abraham saith unto his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he hath, 'Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh,

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Genesis 24:2

Verse

Context

A Wife for Isaac

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Genesis 24:2

A Wife for Isaac

Metatron

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes