Genesis 24:5

And the servant said unto him,.... Before he would take the oath, being cautious of it, and desirous of knowing how far it reached, and what it would or would not oblige him to, which was prudently

But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Note here the prudence and piety of this good man, who, before he would take an oath, doth diligently inquire into the nature and conditions of it, and expressly mentioneth that exception which might seem to be of course supposed in it.

Genesis 24:5 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?Ver. 5. Peradventure the woman, &c.] He swears cautiously, he doth not rashly rush upon his oath; he swears not in jest, but in judgment. So must we, duly considering the conditions and circumstances; as the nature of an oath, the matter whereabout, the person by whom, and before whom, the time, the place, our calling, and warrant thereunto. "Be not rash"; the best that can come of that is repentance, that fair and happy daughter of an ugly and odious mother. Swear not in heat and choler, as David did when he was going against Nabal; but soon after blessed Abigail for better counsel. Swear not in jest, lest you go to hell in earnest. Swear not petty oaths, those civilised compliments, and interjections of common talk, Faith and truth, &c. Thou must not swear by thy hairs, thou canst not make one of them white or black; much less by faith and truth, that is more worth than hairs. Remember that large roll, ten yards long, and five yards broad, full of curses against the swearer. And it rests upon his house, where he thinks himself most secure. When we are called to take a lawful oath, we must be reverently affected (as this good servant in the text), according to the excellency of the duty, and greatness of the person, whom we attest and invocate. The ancient form of taking and imposing an oath was, "Give glory to God". And he that took the oath was said to "confess to God". Therefore also St Paul, in swearing, useth a word of attention, and saith "Behold," I speak it "before God". Louis the French king was taken prisoner by Meletisaka the Sultan; and conditions of peace being concluded between them, for more assurance thereof, the Sultan offered to swear, if he failed in performance of anything, to renounce his Mohammed; requiring likewise of the king to swear, if he failed in anything that he had promised, to deny his Christ to be God: which profane oath the king detesting, and wishing rather to die than to give the same, the Sultan wondering at his constancy, took his word without any oath at all, and so published the league. As on the other side, King John of England, being overcome in his barons’ wars, when he sent ambassadors to the monarch of Morocco for aid, offering to swear fidelity to him, and to receive the law of Mohammed, he grew into such a dislike of our king, that ever after he abhorred the mention of him. εχθρουπατροςφιλτατοντεκνον; as the Romans, in Plutarch, said of Pompey. Turk. Hist. Heyl., Geog., p. 714.

Verse 5. Peradventure the woman will not be willing] We may see, says Calmet, by this and other passages of Scripture, Joshua 9:18, what the sentiments of the ancients were relative to an oath. They believed they were bound precisely by what was spoken, and had no liberty to interpret the intentions of those to whom the oath was made.

5. bring … again] Here and in Genesis 24:6; Genesis 24:8 and Genesis 22:5 the word “again” is used for “back.” Abraham’s tone is that of a man who is on his death-bed.

5. The servant said — He was cautious and far-sighted, and before taking on himself so solemn an oath he will have an understanding about all contingencies.