Genesis 24:1

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

XXIV.

MARRIAGE OF ISAAC AND REBEKAH.

(1) Abraham was old.—As Isaac was thirty-seven years of age when Sarah died (Genesis 23:1), and forty at his marriage (Genesis 25:20), Abraham, who was a centenarian at Isaac’s birth, would now be nearly 140. As he lived to be 175 (Genesis 25:7), he survived Isaac’s marriage thirty-five years, and lived to see Esau and Jacob nearly grown up.

Benson Commentary

Genesis 24:1. Abraham was old — One hundred and forty years of age, as appears by comparing Genesis 21:5, with Genesis 25:20. This was about three years after Sarah’s death, and when Isaac was forty years old. So that, although a numerous progeny was so much desired, no great haste was made to get Isaac married. The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things — And yet Abraham had many and severe trials; but even these were blessings in disguise.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:1-9 The effect of good example, good teaching, and the worship of God in a family, will generally appear in the piety, faithfulness, prudence, and affection of the servants. To live in such families, or to have such servants, both are blessings from God which should be highly valued, and thankfully acknowledged. But no concern in life is of greater importance to ourselves, to others, or to the church of God, than marriage. It therefore ought always to be undertaken with much care and prudence, especially with reference to the will of God, and with prayer for his direction and blessing. Where good parents are not consulted and regarded, the blessing of God cannot be expected. Parents, in disposing of their children, should carefully consult the welfare of their souls, and their furtherance in the way to heaven. Observe the charge Abraham gave to a good servant, one whose conduct, faithfulness, and affection, to him and his family, he had long known. Observe also, that Abraham remembers that God had wonderfully brought him out of the land of his birth, by the call of his grace; and therefore doubts not but He will prosper his care, not to bring his son thither again. God will cause that to end in our comfort, in which we sincerely aim at his glory.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Abraham binds the chief servant of his house to seek a wife for his son Isaac among his kindred. The first movement in this matrimonial arrangement is on the part of the father, who does not consult his son, but the chief manager of his household affairs. Abraham is now a hundred and forty years of age, and Sarah has been three years dead. Isaac seems to have been of an easy, sedate turn of mind, and was not in circumstances to choose a partner for life such as his father would approve. The promise of a numerous offspring by the son of Sarah is before the mind of the patriarch. All these considerations impel him to look out for a suitable wife for his son, and the blessing of the Lord encourages him to proceed. The person whom Abraham intrusted with this delicate task has a threefold designation. First, he is "his servant" or minister. Secondly, he is the old man, ancient, or elder of his house. Here the term "elder" approaches its official signification. In early times age was taken into account, along with good conduct and aptitude, as the qualification for services of trust. Thirdly, he "ruled over all that he had." He was therefore a master as well as a minister. If this be Eliezer of mascus Genesis 15:2, he was the steward of Abraham before the birth of Ishmael fifty-four Years ago. "Under my thigh." The thigh was the seat of generative power, and the region of sacramental consecration, and to put the hand under the thigh was to acknowledge and pledge obedience to him who requires the oath.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 24

Ge 24:1-9. A Marriage Commission.

1. And Abraham was old … take a wife—His anxiety to see his son married was natural to his position as a pastoral chief interested in preserving the honor of his tribe, and still more as a patriarch who had regard to the divine promise of a numerous posterity.Abraham’s age and prosperity, Genesis 24:1. He makes his eldest servant swear not to take a wife for his son Isaac of the Canaanites, but of his own kindred, Genesis 24:2-4. The servant inquires into the nature and condition of the oath, Genesis 24:5. Abraham expresses his faith in the promise, Genesis 24:7; explains the oath, Genesis 24:8. The servant swears, Genesis 24:9. He goes to the city of Nahor, Genesis 24:10; prays for success, Genesis 24:12; and direction, Genesis 24:13,14. An immediate and particular answer, Genesis 24:15-20. He wonders at the providence, Genesis 24:21; makes a present to Rebekah, Genesis 24:22. Inquires of what family she was, Genesis 24:23. Her answer, Genesis 24:24,25. He blesseth the Lord, Genesis 24:26,27. Rebekah acquaints her friends with it, Genesis 24:28. They provide for him, &c. and invite him in, Genesis 24:31,32. He goes in, but refuses to eat till he had told his errand, Genesis 24:33. He acquaints them with his business, and God’s providence towards him, Genesis 24:34-49. They consent to his proposal, Genesis 24:50,51. He praises God, Genesis 24:52; makes presents to them all, Genesis 24:53; desires to return to his master, Genesis 24:54-56. Rebekah being content to go with him, they consent and bless her, Genesis 24:57-60. They depart, and meet Isaac meditating in the field, Genesis 24:61-65; who marries her, Genesis 24:67.

1857 He was one hundred and forty years old, comparing Genesis 21:5, with Genesis 25:20.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age,.... Being now one hundred and forty years of age, for as he was an hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Isaac was forty years of age when he married Rebekah, which was at this time, Abraham must be of the age mentioned, see Genesis 21:5,

and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things; with all kind of blessings, with temporal and spiritual blessings; the former seems chiefly designed here, because of what follows; God had blessed him, as Aben Ezra observes, with long life, and riches, and honour, and children, things desirable by men.

Geneva Study Bible

And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1–9. Abraham’s Commission to his Servant

1. well stricken in age] Cf. Genesis 18:11. The Hebrew phrase means “going in days,” just as we should say “advanced in years.” Cf. Luke 1:7.

had blessed] Cf. Genesis 24:35.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 1. - And Abraham was old and well stricken in age: - literally, [lone into days (cf. Genesis 18:11), being now about 140 (vide Genesis 25:20) - and the Lord - Jehovah] not because the chapter is the exclusive composition of the Jehovist (Tuch, Bleek, Kalisch), but because the writer aims at showing how the God of redemption provided a bride for the heir of the promise (Hengstenberg) - had blessed Abraham in all things. Genesis 24:1

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After the death of Sarah, Abraham had still to arrange for the marriage of Isaac. He was induced to provide for this in a mode in harmony with the promise of God, quite as much by his increasing age as by the blessing of God in everything, which necessarily instilled the wish to transmit that blessing to a distant posterity. He entrusted this commission to his servant, "the eldest of his house," - i.e., his upper servant, who had the management of all his house (according to general opinion, to Eliezer, whom he had previously thought of as the heir of his property, but who would now, like Abraham, be extremely old, as more than sixty years had passed since the occurrence related in Genesis 15:2), - and made him swear that he would not take a wife for his son from the daughters of the Canaanites, but would fetch one from his (Abraham's) native country, and his kindred. Abraham made the servant take an oath in order that his wishes might be inviolably fulfilled, even if he himself should die in the interim. In swearing, the servant put his hand under Abraham's hip. This custom, which is only mentioned here and in Genesis 47:29, the so-called bodily oath, was no doubt connected with the significance of the hip as the part from which the posterity issued (Genesis 46:26), and the seat of vital power; but the early Jewish commentators supposed it to be especially connected with the rite of circumcision. The oath was by "Jehovah, God of heaven and earth," as the God who rules in heaven and on earth, not by Elohim; for it had respect not to an ordinary oath, but to a question of great importance in relation to the kingdom of God. "Isaac was not regarded as a merely pious candidate for matrimony, but as the heir of the promise, who must therefore be kept from any alliance with the race whose possessions were to come to his descendants, and which was ripening for the judgment to be executed by those descendants" (Hengstenberg, Dissertations i. 350). For this reason the rest of the negotiation was all conducted in the name of Jehovah.