The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spoke unto me, and that swore unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
7. the God of heaven ] The LXX adds “and the God of the earth,” from Gen 24:3. The phrase “the God of heaven” occurs in Ezr 5:12; Neh 1:4-5; Neh 2:4; Jon 1:9; Tob 5:16 .
the land of my nativity ] See Gen 12:1 (J). The land of Haran is clearly intended.
that sware unto me, &c.] The reference is to Gen 12:7; cf. also Gen 13:15, Gen 15:18, Gen 22:16.
he shall send his angel ] It is noteworthy that Abraham does not here speak of Jehovah being present with the servant on his mission. The servant of Abraham will be guided by “the messenger, or angel,” of Abraham’s God. For “the angel of Jehovah” going before His people, cf. Exo 14:19; Exo 23:20; Exo 32:34; Psa 91:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 7. The Lord God, c.] He expresses the strongest confidence in God, that the great designs for which he had brought him from his own kindred to propagate the true religion in the earth would be accomplished and that therefore, when earthly instruments failed, heavenly ones should be employed. He shall send his angel, probably meaning the Angel of the Covenant, of whom see Ge 15:7.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He shall send his angel before thee, to direct and succeed thee in this enterprise. Compare Exo 14:19; 23:20.
Thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence; I doubt not of the success. He might say so, either by rational conjecture, both from the nature of the thing, and from the constant course of Gods providence blessing him in all his concerns; or by particular assurance and inspiration from God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The Lord God of heaven, which took from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred,…. Jarchi distinguishes between his father’s house, and the land of his kindred; the former he takes to be Haran, in which he seems to be right; for his father and his family came with him from Ur of the Chaldees to Haran, and there stayed, from whence Abraham was taken and separated from them; by the latter he understands Ur of the Chaldees, interpreting the phrase of the land in which he was born, as Onkelos and Jonathan, and the Septuagint version render it: but the same is meant as before, for Haran was the land of his kindred, where Terah his father died, and Nahor his brother and family lived; from whence he was taken and removed into the land of Canaan, by the call, direction, and providence of the Lord God, who made the heavens, and dwells therein:
which spake unto me, and that swore unto me; made a promise to him, and confirmed it with an oath, Ge 15:18:
saying, unto thy seed will I give this land; the land of Canaan; and therefore his son, in whom his seed was to be called, must not be removed from hence, and settled in another country:
he shall send his angel before thee; Aben Ezra takes this to be a prayer or wish, “may he send his angel before thee”; for if it was a prophecy, he adds, why did he say “if the woman will not be willing?” but from Ge 24:10; and from what follows, that the servant should take a wife to his son from thence, and the encouragement he had for his faith in it, and from what God bad done for him, and said unto him, it seems as if he was fully assured in his own mind of the event: this angel may be either understood of a created angel, such being frequently made use of in the affairs of Providence, directing and succeeding men, or of the uncreated Angel, the Son of God, since the servant attributes his direction and success wholly to the Lord.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. The Lord God of heaven. By a twofold argument Abraham infers, that what he is deliberating respecting the marriage of his son will, by the grace of God, have a prosperous issue. First, because God had not led him forth in vain from his own country into a foreign land; and secondly, because God had not falsely promised to give the land, in which he was dwelling as a stranger, to his seed. He might also with propriety be confident that his design should succeed, because he had undertaken it only by the authority, and, as it were, under the auspices of God; for it was his exclusive regard for God which turned away his mind from the daughters of Canaan. He may, however, be thought to have inferred without reason that God would give his son a wife from that country and kindred to which he himself had bidden farewell. But whereas he had left his relatives only at the divine command, he hopes that God will incline their minds to be propitious and favorable to him. Meanwhile he concludes, from the past kindnesses of God, that his hand would not fail him in the present business; as if he would say, “I, who at the command of God left my country, and have experienced his continued help in my pilgrimage, do not doubt that he will also be the guide of thy journey, because it is in reliance on his promise that I lay upon thee this injunction.” He then describes the mode in which assistance would be granted; namely, that God would send his angel, for he knew that God helps his servants by the ministration of angels, of which he had already received many proofs. By calling God the God of heaven, he celebrates that divine power which was the ground of his confidence.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
7. He shall send his angel before thee Abraham is confident that the Angel of the Covenant (see note on Gen 16:7) will prepare his servant’s way . Too many have been the divine interpositions for him now to doubt . He is perfectly willing to rest with the understanding that if the woman be unwilling, his servant shall be released from his oath .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 24:7. He shall find his angel, &c. Desirous of understanding clearly the intention of Abraham, and consequently of fulfilling his oath, Eliezer inquires, Gen 24:5 whether, if the proper woman would not come to Isaac in the land of Canaan, he should be obliged to go a second time, and take Isaac with him to her in the land of Mesopotamia, whence Abraham came? This Abraham absolutely forbids, and, assured of God’s favour, declares to him, that he had no doubt but that the Providence of God, by the ministry of his angel, would bring the matter to a happy effect. It was a received opinion among the Orientals, that God did all things by the ministry of angels; and that not only in corporeal things, but in such as concerned the mind. And when we consider how often angels had ministered visibly to Abraham, and even the Angel of the Covenant himself, it is not to be admired that he was of this opinion. The expression shall send before, is a metaphor taken from pioneers, and such as are sent before armies, when upon a march, to prepare the way, or provide the necessary accommodations. So John was sent before Christ, to prepare the way. See Isa 40:3. Mal 3:1. Mat 3:3.
REFLECTIONS.As Sarah’s death concurred with Abraham’s age, in reminding him how few were his days to come; he is desirous as a good father, to see Isaac well settled before he dies. Two things he was solicitous to prevent; his marriage with a daughter of Canaan, and his return to his own country to seek a wife. Note; 1. Every godly man or woman should well weigh Abraham’s caution. An unconverted partner is a most dangerous and deadly snare. 2. Parents, as they have a right to recommend what appears best to their children, should, above all things, consult their soul’s good. In consequence of these views we have,
1. His solemn charge given to his steward, confirmed by an oath to act herein according to his intentions. He is to go and seek a wife from Abraham’s kindred, and is solemnly enjoined by no means to suffer Isaac to go thither himself. The steward, according to his known fidelity and affection, consents readily to be employed, and takes the oath, with one condition, that if the woman should not be willing to come, he should he free. Note; An oath is a solemn thing, and cannot be taken with too much wariness and consideration.
2. The encouragement Abraham gives him. Past experience assured him of present success: as he knew he was in the way of duty, he doubted not but success would attend him. Note; It is good to remember the past mercies we have received, to encourage us in present dependance on the same care and kindness of our God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 24:7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
Ver. 7. He shall send his angel. ] There are myriads of angels, Dan 7:10 and all sent out for the solace and safe conduct of the saints. Heb 1:14 Oh, the dignity and safety of a child of God!
Thou shalt take a wife.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 Gen 24:4. See App-34.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
angel
(See Scofield “Heb 1:4”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Lord: Ezr 1:2, Dan 2:44, Jon 1:9, Rev 11:13
took: Gen 12:1-7
which spake: Gen 13:15, Gen 15:18, Gen 17:8, Gen 22:16-18, Gen 26:3, Gen 26:4, Gen 26:24, Exo 13:5, Exo 32:13, Num 14:16, Num 14:30, Num 32:11, Deu 1:8, Deu 34:4, Jos 1:6, Jdg 2:1, Act 7:5, Heb 11:9
angel: Exo 23:20-23, Exo 33:2, Psa 32:8, Psa 34:7, Psa 73:24, Psa 103:20, Pro 3:5, Pro 3:6, Isa 63:9, Heb 1:14
Reciprocal: Gen 24:40 – And he Gen 30:25 – and to Exo 4:13 – send Pro 19:14 – and a Jer 32:22 – which Luk 1:73 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
The opening verses of our chapter show us that Abraham remained true to the call of God, that had originally reached him; and that, not only for himself but for his children and household after him; thus justifying the Lord’s estimate of him, as expressed in Gen 18:19. Verse Gen 24:7 supplements this by showing the full confidence he had that the Lord would support this faithful adherence to His word. Twice in these verses does he speak of the Lord God of heaven. Heaven has been mentioned several times before, but this is the first time God has been so designated. In the light of what is revealed in Heb 11:1-40, it is not surprising that Abraham knew God in this way, especially as Stephen has informed us that it was “the God of glory” who appeared to him at the outset.
The God of heaven is far above all the little storms and frustrations that fill our small world. He does as He pleases, and so the servant is sent forth with the assurance that direction would be given by God’s angel, leading him to the suitable wife for Isaac. The mission was only to fail if the chosen woman was not willing to follow the servant to the waiting bridegroom.
It is worthy of note that the first oath recorded on God’s part is that of Gen 22:15-18, which was fulfilled in the raising up of Christ, the promised Seed. The further oath, which is before us here, is connected with Abraham’s servant, who is a type of the Holy Spirit, sent forth to secure the bride for Christ, the true risen Seed. We may be sure that His mission will be carried to a more successful and perfect issue than that of the servant in the story before us.
The servant departed, fully equipped by his master since he had control of his master’s goods. It is evident how this suits the type we have indicated. Moreover, the servant addressed himself to his mission in a prayerful spirit, though the way he addresses God, as recorded in verse Gen 24:12, shows that his knowledge of God was of a second-hand nature. He knew Him as Abraham’s God rather than as his own. In this he fails from the typical point of view.
And this leads us to remind readers that no type is perfect in all its particulars. Heb 10:1 would lead us to expect this, for what it states is as true of patriarchal days as of the time of the law. We have not the very image of the Antitype but only the shadow of Him or it. Now a shadow gives us but little in the way of detail. We get an outline and can discern, for instance, whether a shadow is that of a house or a tree, without knowing where are the windows in the former or the branches in the latter. If we recognise this limitation in the types we shall be saved from the effort to force meanings into small details connected with the person or incident forming the type, which so often ends in what is fanciful and imaginary.
But in spite of this feature in the servant’s prayer, it was of a most intelligent nature, and it met with a remarkable and immediate answer. He was confident that the God-provided damsel would be of a gracious and willing spirit, as evidenced by her response to his request, and so it came to pass, and that at once.
The answer came before he had done speaking. Rebekah arrived and acted with all the grace he had specified. Moreover she was a “chaste virgin,” such as Paul desired the church at Corinth should be for Christ, and such as the completed church will be by the work of God when she meets her heavenly Bridegroom in the air at His coming. The answer was complete as well as immediate. She was of the right kindred and there was accommodation in her father’s house. The servant had just to bestow on her golden ornaments, as an earnest of what was to come, and then bowing his head he worshipped the Lord.
Laban now comes into view. For some reason Bethuel, though the father, does not take the prominent place that was customary. He was alive as verse Gen 24:50 shows, but retired into a secondary place. Presently we hear more of Laban in his dealings with Jacob, and his self-seeking character comes clearly to light. But a trace of it is at once revealed here. His effusive welcome of the servant was connected with his sight of the costly gifts already bestowed on his sister. But over all this rested the hand of God, pursuing that which He purposed.
The servant, however, was true to his master and full of his errand. He would not even eat before he had delivered himself of his charge.
He had only one thing before him. He had not come to enrich Bethuel’s house or to improve conditions in Mesopotamia, but to take out of both a bride for Isaac. Here we see a striking type of the Holy Spirit and His mission, which is not to improve world conditions but to take out of the Gentiles “a people for His Name” (Act 15:14).
To this end the servant retired into the background. He confesses, “I am Abraham’s servant.” In verse Gen 24:37 he speaks of Abraham as “my master,” and in verse Gen 24:65 we find him saying to Isaac, “It is my master.” So both the father and the son were master to him, and his mission was to extol both. In verse Gen 24:35 he speaks of the greatness and wealth of Abraham. In verse Gen 24:36 he speaks of the son, and as to him he testifies that the father had given to him “all that he hath.” This at once reminds us of Joh 3:35, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand.” At this point in the story Isaac typifies the risen Christ, as we have already said.
Consequent upon the resurrection and ascension of Christ comes the mission of the Holy Spirit, which the Lord Jesus described in anticipation in Joh 16:15, “All things that the Father hath are Mine; therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.” How all this is typified in the chapter before us is very plain.
Having recounted the greatness of his master – both father and son – the servant related how his way had been opened up and ordered of God. This was evidence that, “The thing proceedeth from the Lord,” as both Laban and Bethuel recognized, and hence they gave their consent to Rebekah’s departure and left the final word to her, though they pleaded for delay.
Before the ultimate decision was made, but in the certainty of it being made, the servant bestowed on Rebekah gifts, which were an earnest of the wealth she was going to inherit as the wife of Isaac. Her relatives also were made to experience the bounty of Abraham. All this was also a seal upon her betrothal to Isaac, so that we may see here a type of the Holy Spirit as both Seal and Earnest – the Seal securing us for the Divine calling and purpose, and the Earnest being the pledge of the inheritance yet to be ours in its fulness in the coming age.
Verse Gen 24:54 shows that the servant’s mission was of a character that permitted no delay. On the day of arrival the betrothal took place: on the morning of the next day he would be off to his master. For Rebekah the new link was established, so the old link with kindred and country was at once to be broken. This is a wholesome reminder for us that, being linked by the Spirit to the risen Christ, our old links with the world are broken. It is a sad fact that all too many Christians attempt to hold on to Christ with one hand and yet grip the world with the other, but it can only be done for a little while and at very heavy cost and loss.
Rebekah’s relatives pleaded for delay, and so often do the relatives of believers today, and if we have no relatives to do this our own foolish hearts will do it even more effectively. The servant, however, would brook no delay, so the question was put to Rebekah, for the ultimate decision rested with her – “Wilt thou go with this man?” Was she prepared to entrust herself to the servant, who was acting on behalf of Isaac, and to do so at once? Her answer was simple and decisive – “I will go.”
Here again we may see a type or analogy that may very well search our hearts. Believing the gospel of our salvation, we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, but have we made such a committal of ourselves to Him as is indicated in the story before us? Happy is that Christian who at conversion, or very soon after, is so committed to the leading of the Spirit, who indwells in order to glorify Christ, that the old links with the world are thoroughly broken, and to reach Christ in His glory becomes the goal. The spirit of this we see exemplified in Paul, as he has put on record in Php 3:1-21. May we all go in for this so really that everybody may see that we have made the great decision, “I will go.”
Rebekah’s decision made, her relatives released her with their blessing. “Thousands of millions” sounds somewhat exaggerated, but we understand that “ten thousand” would be a more exact translation than “million.” With that correction we have to admit that their blessing has come to pass, but only as the fruit of her going forth to Isaac under the leadership of the servant.
It has often been pointed out that the journey across the desert, however long it took, is related here as though it had been all accomplished within a day. Verse Gen 24:54 speaks of “the morning,” when the journey started, verse Gen 24:63 mentions “the eventide,” when the journey finished, and Isaac met his bride. It is worthy of note that he did not receive her, seated in state in his father’s tent, but as one who had gone forth to meet her. The servant recognized the lonely man, walking in the field so meditatively, as his master, and this knowledge he communicated to the bride, who thereupon veiled herself, that hidden from other eyes she might be presented to him.
All this very strikingly befits the type we are considering. At the end of the church’s pilgrimage the heavenly Bridegroom will come forth into the air to meet her, and then introduce her into His Father’s house. At that glad moment she will be veiled in the all-resplendent light of His glory. Every eye will be upon Him rather than upon her. Later, as we know, the saints will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father; and at the present time the church is not veiled but in the place of witness as the pillar and ground of the truth. But at the end of the journey the Bridegroom will be everything, and the present mission of the Holy Spirit will be brought to a perfect conclusion.
The last verse of our chapter tells us that in acquiring his bride Isaac forgot the sorrow occasioned by the death of his mother. Sarah here typifies Israel, out of whom Christ came as concerning the flesh. At the present time Israel is disowned nationally, but the blank thereby created has been filled, and more than filled, by the calling out of the church under the hand of the Spirit.
As we commence Gen 25:1-34, the typical character of the history ceases. We are permitted to know that Abraham had other wives and many sons, no one of which had anything like the importance of Isaac, or even of Ishmael, who had much earlier been dismissed. All the others were sent away into the east country, out of which he had been called. Evidently he realized that the call of God had been personally to himself and to his seed after him, and did not extend to his other children. All that he had was given to Isaac as the son of promise. Beyond this fact we are not told anything of his closing years. In this he stands in contradistinction to Jacob, as we see in Heb 11:1-40. The man whose life was poor and chequered ends with a striking display of faith on his deathbed. The man who walked habitually with God testified by his life, and needed no such bright display at the finish. We only know that he lived 175 years, and he was buried in the purchased field at Mamre by his sons Isaac and Ishmael. The line of faith continued in Isaac, and upon him the blessing of God rested.
Another of the divisions of this book begins at verse Gen 24:12. The “generations” of Terah began in Gen 11:27, and have continued to this point. Ishmael represents the rejected line and his generations are related first and with great brevity, for the generations of Isaac start with verse Gen 24:19. His years were 137, and his sons became princes of some renown, since some of their names became of note and occur again in Scripture. Yet eight verses suffice for his story since he typifies the first man who has to be removed for the introduction of the Second. We shall notice the same feature when we come to Esau and Jacob.
The main line of the history is resumed when we come to the generations of Isaac. He was not nearly so striking a character as Abraham, yet he knew the Lord for himself, and when Rebekah proved to be barren he entreated the Lord for her and was answered in the birth of twin sons. Rebekah also had learned to turn to the Lord for an answer to her question. In the reply that the Lord gave her we find enunciated another great principle that characterizes God’s purpose and which runs all through Scripture. It is that of election. The principle had operated from the outset, but here it comes fully to light. God declares His choice before the children were born, or had had any opportunity of doing either good or evil, as is so plainly declared in Rom 9:10-12.
Esau and Jacob, not yet born, were declared to be two nations and also ” two manner of people,” and the elder was to serve the younger. When born the prediction was clearly verified. They were entirely different in physical appearance, in habits and mental make-up. The one a skilful hunter, a lover of the open air; the other a plain or homely man, fond of tent life. All this would have been obvious to the ordinary onlooker, but it is the incident at the end of the chapter that discloses the real rift between them, that the onlooker might never have discerned.
Of the two Esau was the elder by a mere matter of a few minutes, still the birthright would naturally have been accounted his. The birthright became the great test, and in their attitude to it we can see they were indeed two manner of people. Jacob coveted it and Esau despised it What was involved in the birthright ? The one who possessed it was in the direct line, moving on toward that “Seed,” in whom all nations were to be blessed. The birthright led to CHRIST.
So here we have in typical form the first intimation of the truth expressed in the well-known lines,
“What think ye of Christ is the test,
To try both your state and your scheme.”though we must not suppose that either of the two young men fully realized what the birthright meant. Still they knew that it carried with it a blessing from God. This Jacob greatly desired, whilst to Esau it signified practically nothing. He was willing to barter it for the transient satisfaction produced in a hungry man when he has devoured a good meal of pottage. The bargain was struck and thus Esau despised his birthright and lost it. But even on Jacob’s side the deal was not a creditable one. It was a case of seeking a right thing in a wrong way. He did not get the blessing then. Later he did get it from his father, but he only got it from God when subsequently he was brought face to face with Him, as recorded in Gen 32:29.
In a word, Esau despised the spiritual and chose the material. Jacob desired the spiritual. The majority of the men of the world agree with Esau and follow Him. We Christians agree with Jacob in desiring the spiritual.
Fuente: F. B. Hole’s Old and New Testaments Commentary
Gen 24:7. He shall send his angel before thee Gods angels are ministering spirits, sent forth, not only for the protection, but guidance of the heirs of promise, Heb 1:14. And they who are thus guided are sure to speed well.