Genesis 24:39 - I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
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What does "Genesis 24:39" mean?
This verse comes from the story of Abraham sending his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The full context is crucial:
Genesis 24:1-4: Abraham, old and wealthy, wants to secure a wife for Isaac from among his own relatives in Mesopotamia, not from the Canaanites where he currently lives.
Genesis 24:5-9: Abraham makes his servant swear an oath that he will do this. The servant expresses concern that the woman might not want to leave Mesopotamia to marry Isaac. Abraham insists that Isaac must not return there.
Therefore, "I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’" (Genesis 24:39) means:
The servant is asking Abraham: "What should I do if I travel to your homeland to find a bride for Isaac, but the woman I choose doesn't want to leave her family and home to come back with me and marry Isaac?"
He's expressing a practical concern about the possibility of the mission failing due to the woman's lack of consent. It shows a degree of respect for her agency, even within the cultural context of arranged marriages. He wants to know what Abraham's instructions are in that scenario. Abraham's response is that the servant will be released from his oath in this case, but this is not his preferred outcome.
Genesis 24:39 - I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’
What does "Genesis 24:39" mean?
This verse comes from the story of Abraham sending his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. The full context is crucial:
Genesis 24:1-4: Abraham, old and wealthy, wants to secure a wife for Isaac from among his own relatives in Mesopotamia, not from the Canaanites where he currently lives.
Genesis 24:5-9: Abraham makes his servant swear an oath that he will do this. The servant expresses concern that the woman might not want to leave Mesopotamia to marry Isaac. Abraham insists that Isaac must not return there.
Therefore, "I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not follow me?’" (Genesis 24:39) means:
The servant is asking Abraham: "What should I do if I travel to your homeland to find a bride for Isaac, but the woman I choose doesn't want to leave her family and home to come back with me and marry Isaac?"
He's expressing a practical concern about the possibility of the mission failing due to the woman's lack of consent. It shows a degree of respect for her agency, even within the cultural context of arranged marriages. He wants to know what Abraham's instructions are in that scenario. Abraham's response is that the servant will be released from his oath in this case, but this is not his preferred outcome.