Genesis 24:4
New International Version
but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

New Living Translation
Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”

English Standard Version
but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Berean Standard Bible
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Berean Literal Bible
But to my land and to my kindred you shall go, and you shall take a wife for my son, for Isaac.”

King James Bible
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

New King James Version
but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

New American Standard Bible
but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

NASB 1995
but you will go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

NASB 1977
but you shall go to my country and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Legacy Standard Bible
but you will go to my land and to my kin, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Amplified Bible
but you will [instead] go to my [former] country (Mesopotamia) and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac [the heir of the covenant promise].”

Berean Annotated Bible
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac (he laughs).

Christian Standard Bible
but will go to my land and my family to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but will go to my land and my family to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

American Standard Version
but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

Contemporary English Version
Instead, go back to the land where I was born and find a wife for him from among my relatives."

English Revised Version
but thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Instead, you will go to the land of my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac."

Good News Translation
You must go back to the country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my relatives."

International Standard Version
Instead, you are to go to my country and to my family and acquire a wife for my son Isaac."

NET Bible
You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac."

New Heart English Bible
but you must go to my country and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac."

Webster's Bible Translation
But thou shalt go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

World English Bible
But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
but to my land and to my family you go, and have taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.”

Berean Literal Bible
But to my land and to my kindred you shall go, and you shall take a wife for my son, for Isaac.”

Young's Literal Translation
but unto my land and unto my kindred dost thou go, and hast taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.'

Smith's Literal Translation
For thou shalt go to my land and to my native country, and take a wife to my son, to Isaak.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”

New American Bible
but that you will go to my own land and to my relatives to get a wife for my son Isaac.”

New Revised Standard Version
but will go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But that you will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But go to my land and to my family, and take a woman for my son, Isaaq.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son, even for Isaac.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But thou shalt go instead to my country, where I was born, and to my tribe, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son Isaac.

Additional Translations ...



Context
A Wife for Isaac
3and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, 4but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.” 5The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”…

Cross References
but will go to my country

Genesis 12:1
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.

Genesis 31:13
I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and made a solemn vow to Me. Now get up, leave this land at once, and return to your native land.’”
and my kindred

Genesis 13:8
So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are kinsmen.

Genesis 29:15
Laban said to him, “Just because you are my relative, should you work for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”
to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Genesis 17:19-21
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. / As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. / But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

Genesis 28:1-2
So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. “Do not take a wife from the Canaanite women,” he commanded. / “Go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your mother’s father Bethuel, and take a wife from among the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother.
Genesis 21:21
And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 26:34-35
When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. / And they brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.

Genesis 27:46
Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a Hittite wife from among them, what good is my life?”

Genesis 28:6-9
Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to take a wife there, commanding him, “Do not marry a Canaanite woman,” / and that Jacob had obeyed his father and mother and gone to Paddan-aram. / And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women, …

Genesis 29:19
Laban replied, “Better that I give her to you than to another. Stay here with me.”

Genesis 31:3
Then the LORD said to Jacob, “Go back to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

Genesis 50:24
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Exodus 3:15
God also told Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.

Deuteronomy 7:3-4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, / because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.

Joshua 24:3
But I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and led him through all the land of Canaan, and I multiplied his descendants. I gave him Isaac,


Treasury of Scripture

But you shall go to my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife to my son Isaac.

to my kindred.

Genesis 11:25
And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 12:1,7
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: …

Genesis 22:20-23
And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; …

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Country Isaac Kindred Relations Relatives Wife
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Country Isaac Kindred Relations Relatives Wife
Genesis 24
1. Abraham swears his servant.
10. The servant's journey.
12. His prayer.
14. His sign.
15. Rebekah meets him;
18. fulfils his sign;
22. receives jewels;
23. shows her kindred;
25. and invites him home.
26. The servant blesses God.
29. Laban entertains him.
34. The servant shows his message.
50. Laban and Bethuel approve it.
58. Rebekah consents to go, and departs.
62. Isaac meets and marries her.












but will go to my country

Abraham directed his servant to return to Mesopotamia, to the area where his relatives lived near the city of Nahor. Though Abraham had settled in Canaan by God’s command, he did not want Isaac to marry among the Canaanites, whose worship and way of life opposed devotion to the Lord.

Gen 12:1 Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country…
Gen 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar…

and my kindred

The servant was to seek a wife among Abraham’s relatives, particularly the household descended from his brother Nahor. A marriage within this family would preserve Isaac’s connection to those who knew of Abraham’s God and would keep the covenant family separate from the surrounding peoples.

Gen 13:8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention…
Gen 29:15 Just because you are my relative, should you work…

to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Isaac’s marriage was vital to the continuation of the promised line. Rebekah’s arrival would establish the next generation through whom God’s covenant promises to Abraham would continue.

Gen 17:19-21 But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will bear you a son,…
Gen 28:1-2 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him.…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Abraham
The patriarch of the Israelite nation, who is seeking a wife for his son Isaac from his own relatives, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the covenant lineage.

2. Isaac
Abraham's son, the child of promise, through whom God's covenant with Abraham is to be continued.

3. Abraham's Country and Kindred
Refers to Mesopotamia, specifically the city of Nahor, where Abraham's relatives reside. This is significant as it highlights the importance of marrying within the covenant community.

4. Eliezer (implied)
Abraham's trusted servant, who is tasked with finding a wife for Isaac. His role is crucial in fulfilling Abraham's directive.

5. Marriage
The event of finding a suitable wife for Isaac, which is central to the continuation of God's covenant promises to Abraham's descendants.
Teaching Points
Importance of Covenant Relationships
Abraham's insistence on finding a wife for Isaac from his own people underscores the importance of maintaining faith and values within marriage. This principle can guide Christians today in seeking relationships that honor God and uphold shared beliefs.

Faithful Obedience
Abraham's servant demonstrates faithful obedience in carrying out his master's wishes. This teaches us the value of trust and diligence in fulfilling God-given responsibilities.

God's Sovereignty in Relationships
The account of finding a wife for Isaac illustrates God's hand in guiding relationships. Believers can trust in God's sovereignty and timing in their own relational pursuits.

Intergenerational Faithfulness
Abraham's concern for Isaac's marriage reflects a desire for intergenerational faithfulness. Parents and mentors today can learn the importance of guiding the next generation in faith and life choices.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Genesis 24:4?

2. Why did Abraham insist on finding a wife from his own country?

3. How does Genesis 24:4 demonstrate faithfulness to God's covenant promises?

4. What can we learn about God's guidance in choosing a spouse?

5. How does Genesis 24:4 connect to God's plan for Israel's lineage?

6. How can we apply Abraham's obedience in our own decision-making today?

7. Why did Abraham insist on finding a wife for Isaac from his own relatives in Genesis 24:4?

8. How does Genesis 24:4 reflect the importance of family lineage in biblical times?

9. What does Genesis 24:4 reveal about God's covenant with Abraham's descendants?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 24?


Genesis 24:4 shows Abraham insisting that his servant act promptly, travel deliberately, choose from the covenant family, and secure a God-appointed wife for Isaac so the promises can advance. Each phrase underscores obedience, covenant loyalty, and trust that God directs even personal relationships for His saving plan.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but
כִּ֧י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

will go
תֵּלֵ֑ךְ (tê·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

my country
אַרְצִ֛י (’ar·ṣî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and
וְאֶל־ (wə·’el-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

my kindred
מוֹלַדְתִּ֖י (mō·w·laḏ·tî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4138: Nativity, lineage, native country, offspring, family

to take
וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ (wə·lā·qaḥ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

a wife
אִשָּׁ֖ה (’iš·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female

for my son
לִבְנִ֥י (liḇ·nî)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Isaac.”
לְיִצְחָֽק׃ (lə·yiṣ·ḥāq)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3327: Isaac -- 'he laughs', son of Abraham and Sarah


Additonal Resources
Genesis 24:4 Blue Letter Bible
Genesis 24:4 Bible Gateway
Genesis 24:4 Bible.com

Genesis 24:4 NIV
Genesis 24:4 NLT
Genesis 24:4 ESV
Genesis 24:4 NASB
Genesis 24:4 KJV

Genesis 24:4 Study Bible
Genesis 24:4 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 24:4 Chinese Bible
Genesis 24:4 French Bible
Genesis 24:4 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 24:4 But you shall go to my country (Gen. Ge Gn)

Genesis 24:3
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