Genesis 24:8

8 If the young woman is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there."

Genesis 24:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 24:8

And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee
Or "but" if ^F13, 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Maw) "sin autem", V. L.

Genesis 24:8 In-Context

6 Abraham answered, "Make sure that you don't send my son back there!

7 The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son.

8 If the young woman is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there."

9 So the servant put his hand between the thighs of Abraham, his master, and made a vow to do what Abraham had asked.

10 The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia.