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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

Genesis 24

Genesis 24:1

GENESIS CHAPTER 24 Abraham's age and prosperity, GENESIS 24:1. He makes his eldest servant swear not to take a wife for his son Isaac of the Canaanites, but of his own kindred, GENESIS 24:2. The servant inquires into the nature and condition of the oath, GENESIS 24:5. Abraham expresses his faith in... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:2

HIS ELDEST SERVANT OF HIS HOUSE; viz. _Eliezer,_ GENESIS 15:2. This ceremony was used in swearing, as now, so anciently in the eastern parts, as GENESIS 47:29, either as a testimony of subjection, and promise of faithful service, for this rite was used only by inferiors towards superiors; or, as som... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:3

i.e. Not persuade nor engage my son to take; for Isaac, though forty years old, was not only willing to be governed by his father in this affair, but also to hearken to the counsel of this wise and faithful servant, of whom both his father and himself had such long and large experience. He knew that... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:4

MY COUNTRY, i.e. Mesopotomia, GENESIS 24:10, which being largely taken for the country between those two famous rivers Euphrates and Tigris, from which situation it hath that name; so Chaldea, whence Abraham came, GENESIS 11:31, GENESIS 12:1, was a part of it. MY KINDRED, the family of Nahor, concer... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:5

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.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:6

In case she will not come hither, do not thou engage that he shall go thither. Why so? 1. Because there was more danger of infection from his wife and her kindred, because of their friendly, and familiar, and constant converse with him, than from the Canaanites, who were strangers to him, and lived... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:7

HE SHALL SEND HIS ANGEL BEFORE THEE, to direct and succeed thee in this enterprise. Compare EXODUS 14:19, EXODUS 23:20. THOU SHALT TAKE A WIFE UNTO MY SON FROM THENCE; I doubt not of the success. He might say so, either by rational conjecture, both from the nature of the thing, and from the constant... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:10

THE GOODS OF HIS MASTER WERE IN HIS HAND, i.e. in his power to take, without particular orders, what he thought fit and necessary, either for his own use, or for the promotion of the present business. THE CITY OF NAHOR was Haran, by comparing GENESIS 28:10, GENESIS 29:4.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:12

Or, _mercy._ He makes no mention of himself, nor of the merits of his master, but he ascribes even temporal blessings, and much more eternal salvation, merely to God's mercy.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:14

That this was not a rash and vain fancy, but a special expectation and confidence wrought in him by God's Spirit, appears both by the eminent prudence and godliness of this person, and by the exact correspondency of the event with his prayer, and by parallel examples, as JUDGES 6:36 1 SAMUEL 6:7, 1... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:15

According to the manner of the first and purest ages of the world, wherein humility and diligence, not, as in this degeneration of the world, pomp and idleness, were the ornaments of that sex and age. See GENESIS 18:6, GENESIS 29:9,18,20 EXO 2:16 PROVERBS 31:27.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:22

THE MAN TOOK, i.e. gave to her, (as that word of _taking, _ or _receiving, _ is oft used, as GENESIS 12:19 EXODUS 18:12, EXODUS 29:25 PSALMS 68:18, compared with EPHESIANS 4:8), A GOLDEN EARRING; so the word signifies, GENESIS 35:4 EXODUS 32:2,3. Or, _jewels for the forehead, _ which hung down from... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:27

HIS MERCY AND HIS TRUTH, i.e. who hath showed his _mercy_ in promising all manner of blessings, and his _truth_ in performing his promises at this day. Or, it is a figure called _hendyadis, _ for _true mercy:_ q. d. he hath not only been kind to him in show, and in words, but in real and considerabl... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:28

Not OF HER FATHER'S HOUSE; either because her father was now dead, and Bethuel, who is hereafter mentioned, was not Laban's father, but his brother so called; or because the women had distinct apartments in the houses, and she went first thither according to her custom.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:36

i.e. Hath purposed and promised, and doth by me engage that he will give. Things are oft said to be done, in Scripture language, when they will certainly and shortly be done.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:40

BEFORE WHOM I WALK, in obedience to all his commands, and in hearty trust in his promises and gracious providence towards me and mine.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:41

CLEAR FROM THIS MY OATH; Heb. _from my curse, _ denounced against thee if thou shouldst violate thine oath. The words _oath_ and _curse_ are ofttimes indifferently used, because they commonly go together, and sometimes they are both expressed, as NUMBERS 5:21.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:47

First he asks who she was, then he gives the gifts to her; which is the right order, and is here observed in the repetition; which was inverted in the first relation, GENESIS 24:22,23.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:49

If you will show true kindness and real friendship to him in giving your daughter to his son, TELL ME; AND IF NOT, TELL ME, that I may look out a wife for him elsewhere. It is a proverbial expression, NUMBERS 20:17, NUMBERS 22:26 DEUTERONOMY 2:27.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:50

Laban is put first, either because this Bethuel was not his father, but his younger brother, as Josephus thinks; or because Laban was the chief manager of this business, to whom his father seems to have committed the care of his family, being himself unfit for it through age or infirmity. THE THING... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:53

The precious fruits of the land from which he came; see DEUTERONOMY 33:13, &c.; or in general, other rare and excellent things. In those days men gave portions for their wives, as now they have portions with them.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:55

Others thus, _a year, or_ at the least _ten_ months, the word _days_ being put for a year, as elsewhere. But it is very improbable that they would demand or expect such a thing from this man, whom they saw bent so much upon expedition.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:57

i.e. Understand her mind by her words, not so much concerning the marriage itself, in which she resigned up herself to the disposal of her parents and friends, and to which she had given an implicit consent by her acceptance of those presents which were made to her for that end, as concerning the ha... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:59

HER NURSE was _Deborah, _ by comparing GENESIS 35:8. In this corrupt family, the mother and the nurse are two distinct persons; but in Abraham's pious family there was no such principle or practice. See GENESIS 21:7.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:60

THOU ART OUR SISTER, i.e. our near kinswoman; distance of place shall not alienate our affections from thee, but we shall still own thee as our sister, and, as far as we can, be ready to perform all the duties of brethren to thee.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:63

TO MEDITATE; to converse with God, and with himself, by pious and profitable thoughts and ejaculations, and fervent prayers, as for other things, so particularly for God's blessing upon this great affair, and so his prayers are eminently answered. He chooseth a solitary place, wherein he might more... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:64

As a testimony of her respect to him, whom by the servant she understood to be her lord and husband. Compare JOSHUA 15:18 1 SAMUEL 25:23.... [ Continue Reading ]

Genesis 24:67

ISAAC BROUGHT HER INTO HIS MOTHER SARAH'S TENT, partly to give her possession of it, and partly to consummate the marriage. Women then had their tents apart from men. See GENESIS 18:10, GENESIS 24:67 31:33. ISAAC WAS COMFORTED AFTER HIS MOTHER'S DEATH; a sorrowful sense whereof he yet had retained,... [ Continue Reading ]

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