The Passage
Genesis 24:1-9
1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5 The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?” 6 Abraham said to him, “See to it that you do not take my son back there. 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
Word Work
Capture the big idea. God’s Word communicates big ideas. Periodically ask: What’s the big idea in this sentence, paragraph, or chapter?
Word Thoughts:
At an advanced age, Abraham sends his trusted servant to the area around Haran where his relatives live, to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham makes the servant solemnly swear that he will choose the wife from among Abraham’s relatives and not from among the Canaanites (vv. 2–3, 9). Abraham also insists that the woman must be willing to return with the servant to Canaan (vv. 6–8), lest the covenant promises God has made to Abraham fail to be fulfilled, for these promises include the very specific land promise of Canaan. Abraham’s confidence lies in the God who called him away from his family (v. 7) and with whom he had walked all these years (v. 40). (1)
Word Reflection:
- What stood out?
- Do you believe that the covenant God has made with Abraham could fail? Why or why not?
- How does God’s faithfulness to Abraham impact His faithfulness to us?
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
End in Prayer
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