Genesis 24:3

¹ By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

² So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,

and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,

⁴ but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

⁵ The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
KJV: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
WEB: I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
ASV: And I will make thee swear by Jehovah, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that thou wilt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
DARBY: and I will make thee swear by Jehovah, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am dwelling;
BLB: and I will make you swear by YHWH, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, among whom I am dwelling.

ÅB: så vil jeg la deg sverge ved Herren, himmelens Gud og jordens Gud, at du ikke skal la min sønn ta seg en hustru av døtrene til kana'anitterfolket, som jeg bor iblant,
OTB: så vil jeg la deg sverge ved Herren, himmelens Gud og jordens Gud, at du ikke skal ta en hustru til min sønn fra døtrene til kanaaneerne, blant dem jeg bor;
B1930: så vil jeg la dig sverge ved Herren, himmelens Gud og jordens Gud, at du ikke skal la min sønn ta sig en hustru av døtrene til kana'anitterfolket, som jeg bor iblandt,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 26:34–35
When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 6:14–17
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
Read in context
Nehemiah 13:25
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
Read in context
Deuteronomy 7:3–4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,
Read in context
Genesis 28:8
And seeing that his father Isaac disapproved of the Canaanite women,
Read in context
Exodus 34:16
And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
Read in context
1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.
Read in context
Genesis 10:15–19
And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,
Read in context