[Editor’s Note: Commentaries on the Book of Moses and you can Genesis Sections step 1 – ten tends to be found on the ScripturePlus Software out of Publication regarding Mormon Main as well as on the fresh Bible Central web site right here.]
Genesis 24. A wife to have Isaac
Even if students assign Genesis twenty-two, 23, and 24 to 3 additional supply, each one of these sections share similar templates relating to the continuity regarding covenant posterity. Into the chapters twenty two and you can 23, Abraham encountered Isaac’s near demise and Sarah’s real death, during section 24 he had been assured that the new generations do allow Isaac. “As long as Isaac is actually unmarried, the divine hope regarding posterity remains unfulfilled.” To display all of us which, chapter 24 recounts the wedding off Isaac.
However, the complete away from part twenty four looks outsized when we consider how partners passages it would have chosen to take to say just you to Isaac is betrothed and you will married to help you a good divinely chosen relative, the fresh grandd’s aunt Nahor. We want to ask ourselves as to why the main points of the story features started maintained having like care.
You to apparent reason behind the distance is the fact that the section gives delicate ideas of your own selfish and you may conniving character regarding Rebekah’s sis Laban, whoever difficult reputation tend to be more explicitly shown thanks to his after transactions with Jacob’s marriages in order to their daughters, Leah and you can Rachel (Genesis 30–31).
But around yes must be a more essential intent behind the newest facts than forewarning your reader regarding the Laban. BYU teacher Dennis J. Packard suggested this one of the most important what you should research for on the part “is how a great steward serves.”
This new King James Particular Genesis 15:2 https://datingmentor.org/nl/ilove-overzicht/ tells us you to definitely Eliezer off Damascus try the newest “steward out of [Abraham’s] house.” However, during Genesis twenty-four title of the steward exactly who acts to your Abraham’s part finding a girlfriend to have Isaac, most likely Eliezar, “is not regarded by name. As to the reasons? Maybe he is supposed to be recalled a lot less a particular personal, however, since the an excellent steward, or more, since the a good example for all stewards.”
This new Hebrew terms utilized in Genesis fifteen:dos translated since “steward,” ben meshek beiti, is special within the scripture, thus the precise definition was unclear. Yet not, really old and you can modern students have taken they so you’re able to imply that Eliezer was in a high condition from faith to own everything that Abraham owned. And, observing the latest context in the keywords inside the verse dos, particular has suggested that “Abraham got accompanied Eliezer [because their heir], toward expectation, obviously, that he will have no people of his or her own.” If the correct, this will made Eliezer’s possibilities due to the fact you to definitely responsible to prefer a partner to have Isaac twice as poignant. Within this skills, brand new successful betrothal out of Isaac do make certain that Isaac’s seed products manage inherit exactly what Eliezer’s youngsters will have passed on got Isaac remained solitary.
The brand new section shows the new major characteristics of oath one Abraham created using his steward to guarantee the success of his excursion to acquire a partner to own Isaac. Regarding the deals with Rebekah’s family, new steward portrayed Abraham himself in a very actual experience. The newest claims God made so you can Abraham on the his seed products had been virtually entrusted to the hands of Abraham’s steward.
The seriousness of the newest oath one Abraham made with their steward is a great exemplory instance of the type regarding covenants from the ancient business. Latter-big date New orleans saints can put on the fresh ancient understanding of covenants right to the newest covenants they make with God. However,, Bible student Scott Hahn precisely notices you to definitely to do so,
Old-testament CommentaryGenesis 24: A girlfriend to have Isaac
we should instead flow beyond specific modern presumptions and you may recover the fresh new sense of covenant because is lived in biblical societies-and not soleley throughout the Hebrew and you can Religious religious cultures, and also on the Gentile and you can pagan societies of ancient industry. To own covenant try the foundation ones communities. It provided individual persons its sense of kinship, its feeling of relationships, the sense of that belong-in order to children, a tribe, and a country. New covenant oath is the foundation of family unit members, federal, and spiritual lives.