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.
8. thou shalt be clear from this my oath ] Cf. Gen 24:41. The word “clear” is used in the sense of “innocent,” or “guiltless,” as in Jos 2:17, “we will be guiltless of this thine oath.” “Clear” in this sense is old English. Cf. Shakespeare, Macb. i. 7, “ this Duncan hath been so clear in his great office, that his virtues will plead like angels.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou shalt be clear from the obligation of this oath, and from the penalties of the violation of it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee,…. Or “but” if m, which is said by Abraham, not as doubting she would be willing, of which he was satisfied, being persuaded that that God that had made him willing to leave his own country, and his father’s house, would make her willing to do the like, and come and settle with his son in the land that God had given him; but this, and what follows, he said to make the mind of his servant easy, who had some doubt about it, or however was desirous of knowing how he must act should that be the case; and what it was he was to take an oath to do, and how far, and how far not, that would oblige him:
then thou shalt be clear from this my oath; which he enjoined his servant to take; the sense is, when he had done all he could to get the consent of the damsel, and her friends, to go with him and marry his master’s son; and after all she could not be prevailed upon to come with him, then he was free from his oath, having done all that that obliged him to, and he not attempting to take one from any other quarter:
only bring not my son thither again; neither agree with the damsel and her parents, that he shall come to them, nor persuade him to comply with such terms.
m “sin autem”, V. L.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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. And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter. And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
Nahor was the same place as Haran.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 24:8 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.
Ver. 8. Only bring not my son thither again. ] This second time he lays charge on his servant not to do it. Better no wife, than displease God, than violate conscience. He purchaseth his pleasure at too dear a rate, that pays his honesty to get it. He hath less of the ballast, and more of the sail, makes more haste than good speed, that thus speeds himself.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
clear: Num 30:5, Num 30:8, Jos 2:17-20, Jos 9:20, Joh 8:32
only: Gen 24:4, Gen 24:5, Gen 24:6, Act 7:2
Reciprocal: Gen 24:41 – General Ecc 9:2 – feareth