Genesis 24:8

But if that woman doesn’t want to leave her home country and come back here with you, then don’t worry. You will not have to keep that promise any more. But I tell you again, you can never take my son Isaac back to my home country.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

7You know that Yahweh my God is the boss in heaven. He took me away from my father’s family and my home country, and he brought me here to Canaan country. And God made me a strong promise. He said, ‘I am going to give this country to all the people that will be born into your family later on.’” Then Abraham said, “I know that God will help you find a wife for my son. Yes, God will send an angel worker to my home country to get things ready for you. When you get there, you will find a woman for my son Isaac to marry.

9So Abraham’s worker put his hand under Abraham’s leg, and he made that strong promise, just like Abraham told him to. He said, “I promise that I will not get a wife for your son Isaac from the Canaan people that live here in this country. I promise that I will go back to your home country and get a wife for Isaac from your relatives.”

Read all of Genesis 24

Cross References

Genesis 24:4No, I want you to go back to my home country and get a wife for Isaac from my relatives.”

Acts 7:2Then Stephen said, “Listen to me, my countrymen and my leaders. Think about the story about our grand-fathers that lived a long time ago. Our great God came to our grand-father Abraham, while he was still living in Mesopotamia country, where the Chaldia mob lived. God said to him, ‘Leave your country and your family. Go to the country that I will show you.’ Abraham listened to God, and he left that country, and he went to live in a place called Haran. He lived there until his father died. Then God brought him here, to this country that you live in now.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 24:2-10

Abraham's Charges to His Servant. ( b. c. 1857.) 1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will make thee swear by the Lord , the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 24:8