old. About 140 years old.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
eldest servant. Probably Eleazar of Dan 15:2 .
thigh. According to the Midrash and ancient Jewish expositors, a Euphemism ( App-6 ) for the organs of generation, as most sacred. According to Ibn Ezra and present Indian custom, on the thigh is a token of subjection.
God. Hebrew. Elohim .
Canaanites. Mixed with the Nephilim. App-23 .
I. Emph. in contrast with the Canaanites. Hence Abraham's horror of mixing the holy seed with that of the Nephilim.
heaven. The Septuagint reads: "heaven, and God of the earth. "See App-4 .
father's house, and from the land of my kindred. The Severus Codex reads: "from my house and from my country, "as in Genesis 24:4 . See App-34 .
arose = amounted.
Mesopotamia Hebrew. Aram-naharaim, i.e. Aram of the two rivers (the Tigris and Euphrates). The country of Haran. Genesis 11:31 .
well = spring. Hebrew. 'ayin. See note on Genesis 21:19 .
come out. Hebrew are coming out.
pitcher. Still used in Palestine as in John 4:28 .
before he had done speaking. Compare Isaiah 65:24 .
Rebekah. Hebrew captivating.
born to Bethuel. See App-29 .
Bethuel. Hebrew separated of God.
wondering: or eagerly watching her.
to wit = to know.
golden. Hebrew of gold. Genitive of material. App-17 .
earring. Probably a nose (or "face") ring. See Genesis 24:47 .
Nahor. See App-29 . Rebekah his granddaughter; but old enough to marry Isaac, because Sarah was "well stricken in years" when Isaac was born (Genesis 18:11 , Genesis 18:12 ). Compare Genesis 24:36 .
when he saw. Characteristic of Laban. Rebekah showed kindness before she saw.
And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, App-6 , to emphasize all the items which went to make up Abraham's wealth. Twelve "ands" (3 x 4 = 12) = abundance of earthly wealth. See App-10 .
I walk = I walk habitually. Hebrew verb in Hithpael.
said. Eleazar repeats his prayer from memory, but inexactly. Who could have written the actual words (verses: Genesis 24:12-21 ) but the Holy Inspiring Spirit? He records both the prayer itself and Eleazar's remembrance of it.
led me in the right way. Compare Psalms 107:7 .
daughter. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Species), App-6 , daughter put for granddaughter.
raiment: or garments; i.e. changes of raiment.
ten. Seven days = a week, but ten or a decad (1/3 of a month) sometimes reckoned as a longer, but strictly defined period. Compare Exodus 12:3 .Leviticus 16:29 .
well = spring. Hebrew. beer. See note on Genesis 21:19 .
Lahai-roi. Hebrew. the well of life and vision.
meditate. Refers back to the historical context, Genesis 23:19 , the death and burial of Sarah, his mother. What follows this digression (of which Isaac as yet knew nothing) in Genesis 24:1-67 shows that Isaac went out, not to "meditate", or "to pray" (Authorized Version margin), or "take a walk" (Syriac), or "muster the flocks" (Gesenius), but to mourn. This is the meaning of the Hebrew suach. in Psalms 44:25 .Lamentations 3:20 .
lighted off. Hebrew. fell, or alighted hastily.
comforted after, or consoled himself for.
old. About 140 years old.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
eldest servant. Probably Eleazar of Dan 15:2 .
thigh. According to the Midrash and ancient Jewish expositors, a Euphemism ( App-6 ) for the organs of generation, as most sacred. According to Ibn Ezra and present Indian custom, on the thigh is a token of subjection.
God. Hebrew. Elohim .
Canaanites. Mixed with the Nephilim. App-23 .
I. Emph. in contrast with the Canaanites. Hence Abraham's horror of mixing the holy seed with that of the Nephilim.
my kindred. Gentiles thus expressly excluded from this chapter, if regarded as a type. Compare verses: Genesis 24:3 , Genesis 24:4 , Genesis 24:7 , Gen 3:37 , Gen 3:38 . See also Genesis 26:35 ; Genesis 27:46 ; Genesis 28:1 , Genesis 28:8 .
heaven. The Septuagint reads: "heaven, and God of the earth. "See App-4 .
father's house, and from the land of my kindred. The Severus Codex reads: "from my house and from my country, "as in Genesis 24:4 . See App-34 .
arose = amounted.
Mesopotamia Hebrew. Aram-naharaim, i.e. Aram of the two rivers (the Tigris and Euphrates). The country of Haran. Genesis 11:31 .
well = spring. Hebrew. 'ayin. See note on Genesis 21:19 .
come out. Hebrew are coming out.
pitcher. Still used in Palestine as in John 4:28 .
before he had done speaking. Compare Isaiah 65:24 .
Rebekah. Hebrew captivating.
born to Bethuel. See App-29 .
Bethuel. Hebrew separated of God.
virgin. Hebrew. bethulah. Compare Genesis 24:43 . See note on Genesis 24:43 .
wondering: or eagerly watching her.
to wit = to know.
golden. Hebrew of gold. Genitive of material. App-17 .
earring. Probably a nose (or "face") ring. See Genesis 24:47 .
Nahor. See App-29 . Rebekah his granddaughter; but old enough to marry Isaac, because Sarah was "well stricken in years" when Isaac was born (Genesis 18:11 , Genesis 18:12 ). Compare Genesis 24:36 .
Laban. See App-29 .
when he saw. Characteristic of Laban. Rebekah showed kindness before she saw.
he, i.e. Laban.
And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, App-6 , to emphasize all the items which went to make up Abraham's wealth. Twelve "ands" (3 x 4 = 12) = abundance of earthly wealth. See App-10 .
I walk = I walk habitually. Hebrew verb in Hithpael.
said. Eleazar repeats his prayer from memory, but inexactly. Who could have written the actual words (verses: Genesis 24:12-21 ) but the Holy Inspiring Spirit? He records both the prayer itself and Eleazar's remembrance of it.
virgin. Hebrew. 'almah. Every bethulah is an 'ahnah, but every 'almah is not a bethulah : 'almah Occurs 7 times, Genesis 24:43 (first occurance). Exodus 2:8 . Psalms 68:25 .Proverbs 30:19 . Song of Solomon 1:3 ; Song of Solomon 6:8 . Isaiah 7:14 . Bethulah Occurs 49 times ( App-10 ).
face or nose. Compare Genesis 24:22 .
led me in the right way. Compare Psalms 107:7 .
daughter. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Species), App-6 , daughter put for granddaughter.
raiment: or garments; i.e. changes of raiment.
ten. Seven days = a week, but ten or a decad (1/3 of a month) sometimes reckoned as a longer, but strictly defined period. Compare Exodus 12:3 .Leviticus 16:29 .
well = spring. Hebrew. beer. See note on Genesis 21:19 .
Lahai-roi. Hebrew. the well of life and vision.
meditate. Refers back to the historical context, Genesis 23:19 , the death and burial of Sarah, his mother. What follows this digression (of which Isaac as yet knew nothing) in Genesis 24:1-67 shows that Isaac went out, not to "meditate", or "to pray" (Authorized Version margin), or "take a walk" (Syriac), or "muster the flocks" (Gesenius), but to mourn. This is the meaning of the Hebrew suach. in Psalms 44:25 .Lamentations 3:20 .
lighted off. Hebrew. fell, or alighted hastily.
comforted after, or consoled himself for.