But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Parallel translations
- KJV But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
- BSB but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
- NKJV but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
- NASB but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
- NLT Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Abraham directs the servant to find Isaac's wife among his own relatives in his homeland. He seeks a wife from his kindred who share his heritage of faith.
Overview
Abraham sends the servant back to his country and kin to find a suitable wife for Isaac. The aim is a bride from the family that had some knowledge of the true God, preserving the covenant line in faith. God will use this errand to bring Rebekah into the line of promise.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Gen 28:2Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.
- Gen 11:25Nahor lived one hundred nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of more sons and daughters.
- Gen 22:20–23After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
- Gen 12:7Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 24:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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