Genesis 24:1-67
THE MARRIAGE OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH A charming picture of patriarchal marriage customs. It is very characteristic of the Primitive source.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MARRIAGE OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH A charming picture of patriarchal marriage customs. It is very characteristic of the Primitive source.... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT.. THY HAND UNDER MY THIGH] a form of taking an oath, only mentioned again in Genesis 47:29. 'It is from the thighs that one's descendants come, so that to take an oath with one hand under the thigh would be equivalent to calling upon these descendants to maintain an oath which has been fulfilled... [ Continue Reading ]
Marriage with Canaanites was afterwards strictly forbidden (Exodus 34:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
MY COUNTRY] Haran, in Mesopotamia, where Nahor's family still lived. 5-8. Isaac was on no account to leave Canaan, the land promised by God as his inheritance.... [ Continue Reading ]
The sending of a deputy instead of Isaac himself is quite in accordance with Eastern custom. The Jews of the present day employ a professional matchmaker, the _Shadchan_, who arranges all the preliminaries of the marriage contract. FOR ALL THE GOODS OF HIS MASTER _were_ IN HIS HAND] RV 'having all g... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT DOWN TO THE WELL] To this day there is but one well of drinkable water at Haran, and the women still fill their water-skins at it. It bears every mark of great age and wear.... [ Continue Reading ]
EARRING] rather, 'nose-ring.' It hung from the left nostril. Such rings are still the betrothal present in Arabia: see on rings at Exodus 32:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
See Genesis 22:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN TO THE RIGHT HAND, OR TO THE LEFT] i.e. 'to search in other families for the woman he desires' (D.).... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK.. BAD OR GOOD] say 'yes' or 'no.'... [ Continue Reading ]
See on Genesis 12:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILT THOU GO WITH THIS MAN? AND SHE SAID, I WILL GO] 'In W. Asia marriage consists in the betrothal or the contract, sometimes written, but more commonly verbal, of the parties concerned, after which nothing remains but the removal of the bride from her father's house to that of the bridegroom or of... [ Continue Reading ]
HER NURSE] Deborah. Her death is mentioned in Genesis 35:8. In Genesis 29:24; Genesis 29:29 we have other instances that a handmaid formed part, if not all, of the bride's dowry.... [ Continue Reading ]
LAHAIROI] near Beer-sheba: see Genesis 16:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
MEDITATE] naturally, on the bride he had not seen and whose coming he awaited. But the Syriac version reads, 'to walk in the fields.'... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE LIGHTED OFF] to show respect.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHE TOOK A VAIL] It is the custom for the bride to appear veiled before the bridegroom until they are married: cp. Genesis 29:23.... [ Continue Reading ]