Genesis 24:2-4

Context
24:2 Abraham said to his servant, the senior one¹ in his household who was in charge of everything he had, “Put your hand under my thigh² 24:3 so that I may make you solemnly promise³ by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth: You must not acquire⁴ a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living. 24:4 You must go instead to my country and to my relatives⁵ to find⁶ a wife for my son Isaac.”

Genesis 24:13-14

Context
24:13 Here I am, standing by the spring,⁷ and the daughters of the people⁸ who live in the town are coming out to draw water. 24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’⁹ In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.”¹⁰

[24:2] ¹tn The Hebrew term זָקֵן (zaqen) may refer to the servant who is oldest in age or senior in authority (or both).

[24:2] ²sn Put your hand under my thigh. The taking of this oath had to do with the sanctity of the family and the continuation of the family line. See D. R. Freedman, “Put Your Hand Under My Thigh – the Patriarchal Oath,” BAR 2 (1976): 2-4, 42.

[24:3] ³tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose.

[24:3] ⁴tn Heb “because you must not take.”

[24:4] ⁵tn Heb “for to my country and my relatives you must go.”

[24:4] ⁶tn Heb “and take.”

[24:13] ⁷tn Heb “the spring of water.”

[24:13] ⁸tn Heb “the men.”

[24:14] ⁹sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.

[24:14] ¹⁰tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”