The thigh, llS the source of posterity (cf. eh. the Euphrates generally), and to my kindred, xxxv. 11 ; xlvi. 26 ; Exod. i 5), has been and ta.ke a wife unto my son Isaac. Though regarded as ~inting to Abraham's future enforced by religions considerations, this descendants (Keil, Kalisch, Lange), and in injunction to bring none but a rehtive for particular to Christ, the promised seed (Theo- Isaac's bride "was in no sense a departure doret, Jerome, Augustine, Luther, Ains- from established usages and social laws in worth, Bush, Wordsworth), and the oath regard to marriage" (' L'lnd and Book,' p. to be equivalent to a swearing by him that 591). was to come. By others the thigh bas been Ver. 5.-A.nd the servant said unto him viewed as euphemistically put for the gener- (not having the same faith as his master), ative organ, upon which the sign of circum- Peradventure (with perhaps a secret con- cision was placed, and the oath as an adjur- viction that he ought to say, "Of a surety") ation by the sign of the covenant (Jonathan, the woman will not be willing to follow me Jarcbi, Tuch). A third interpretation con- unto this land. Primdfacieit was a natural siders the thigh as symbolising lordship or and reasonable hypothesis that the bri,le authority, and the placing of the band under elect shouhl demur to ur.dertake a long an,\ it as tantamount to an oath of fealty nml artluons journey to marry a husband she had allegiance to a superior (Aben Ezra, Rosen- never seen; accordingly, the ancient mes- milller, Calvin, Murphy). Other explan- senger desires to understand whether he ations are modifications of the above. By might not Le at liberty to act upon the other the Lord (Jehovah; sinre the marriage to olternative. M11Bt I needs bring thy son which this solemn adjuration was preliminary again unto the la.nd from whence thou was not an ordinary alliance, such as might camest 1 In reply to whieh the patrian·h have taken place under the providence of solemnly interdicts him from attempting tu Elohim, but the wedding of the heir of the seduce his son, under any pretext whate\·cr, promise), the God of hea.ven, a.nd the God of to leave the land of promise. the ea.rth (a clause defining J ebovab as the Vers. 6-8.-And Abra.ham said, Beware supreme Lord of the universe, and therefore thou-literally, be1oare for th!lselj; the pleo- as the sole Arbiter of human destiny), that nastic pronoun being aJdeJ by way of em- thon shalt not take a wife unto my son- phasis (cf. eh. xii. 1; xxi. 16; xxiL 5)- not investing him with authority to provide tha.t thou bring not my son thither &lain. a wife for Isaac in the event of death carry- Literally, lest thou cause my wn to 1·et1trn ing him (Abraham) off before his son's mar- thither; Abrnbam speaking of Isaac's going riage, but simply explaining the negative to Mesopotamia as a return, either because side of the commission with which he was he regarded Isaac, though then unborn, as about to be intrusterl. If it evinced Isaac's having come out with him from Mesopo- gentle disposition and submissive piety, that tamia, cf. Heh. vii. 10 (Wonlsworth), or though forty years of age he neither thought because be viewed himself nuu his descend- of marriage, but mourned in devout con- ants ns n wbolo, as in eh. xv. 16 (Rosen- tt,1uplation for his mother (Lnnge), nor miiller). The Lord God of heaven, who took offered resistance to his father's proposal, me from my father's ho11Be, and from the but suffered himself to be governed by 11 house of my kindred,--'lfide eh. xiL I. This servant (Calvin), it was also quite iu accord- was tho first consideration that prevented ance with nncient practice that parents the return of oither himself or his sou. should dispose of their children in man-iago Having emigrated from l\Jesopotomia in (cf. eh. xxviii. 2)-of the daughters of the obedience to a call of Heoven, not without" Canaanitea, a.mong whom I dwell. Being like instruction were they at liberty to re- prompted to this partly by that jenlousy turn-and who spake unto me,-i. e. hon- with which all pastoral tribes of Shemitic oured me with Divine communications (1tidd origin have been accustomed to gunrd the supra)-and (in particular) tha.t sware unto purity of their rnce by intermarriage (Dykes; me,-vide eh. xv. 17, 18; tho covenant trans- cf. Thomson, 'Land and Book,' p. 591), and action therein recorded having nil the force pnrtly no doubt by his perception of the of nu oath (cf. rh. xxii. 16)-saying, Unto growing licentiousness of the Cnnaanites, ns thy seed will I give this land. Here was a well us his knowledge of their predicted second considemtion that negatived tho idea doom, though chiefly, it is probable, by n of Jsa.ne's return,-he was the Gou-nppointl',\ desire to preserve the purity of the promise<l heir of the soil,-1md from this, in conjunc- seed. Intermarriage with the Cnnaanitcs tion with tho former, he nrgne<l thnt the was aftcrwnrds forbidden by tho lllosaic Divine promise was certain of follilmc11t, legislation (Exod. xxxiv. 16; Dent. vii. 3). and that nccordingly the mission for n bri,lu But (literally, for, i. e. the former thing would be successful. He shall send hid wust not be douo because this must be a.ngel before thee,-i. e. to lcnJ and protect, done) thou eba.lt go unto my country (not ns was afterwords promised to Jsrnol (Ex0<L Ur of the Chnldces, Lut the region heyond xxiii. 20), nnd to the Christion Church (Usr, 288 THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [l·n. xxn·. 1-9.
i 14)-and thou shalt take a wife unto my frain that on no account must Isnao leave son from thence (mennini;(, thy mission shall the promisccl land, Rince in that would ha be successful). And if the woman will not the culmination of un beliefnnd disobedience. be willing to follow thee, then shalt thou Ver. 9.-And the servant (understanding be clear of this my oath (i. e. at liberty to the nature of his mission, and feeling satis- hold thyself as no longer under obligation in fied on the points that impinged upon his the matter ; thy responsibility will at that conscience) put his hand under the thigh point cease and determine) : only bring not of Abraham his master, and aware to him my son thither again- or, observing the concerning that matter-to be true to his :,rder of the ~ebrew words, only my son master and his mission, and to the hopo !n-mg not a.gain to that place; with almost and promise of the covenant. fc1·erish entreaty harping on the solemn re-