Genesis 24:6-8 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

‘And Abraham said to him, “You beware that you do not bring my son there again. Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from my native land, and who spoke to me, and who swore to me saying, “I will give this land to your seed.” He will send his angel before you and you will take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you then you will be free from this my oath. Only you shall not bring my son there again.'

Abraham's reply is unequivocal. Under no circumstances is Isaac to be take out of the land which God has given to him and his children, for he is there under the promise of Yahweh, the God of heaven. Indeed the reason they are there is because Yahweh has taken him away from all his past in order that he may receive this land. Yahweh's will comes before all else.

“From my father” s house and from my native land.' The point is that he has left both home and country. His native land was Ur. His adopted land was Haran. But he has left both.

“He will send His angel before you.” Abraham is confident that ‘the angel of Yahweh' Who has acted in the past, watching over the interests of his family (Genesis 16:7 on; Genesis 21:17; Genesis 22:11), will not fail him now.

But whatever happens Isaac is to remain in the promised land. If the woman will not come then the servant may forget his oath for it will have been cancelled.

Genesis 24:6-8

6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.