The Meaning of Genesis 24:60 Explained

Genesis 24:60

KJV: And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

YLT: and they bless Rebekah, and say to her, 'Thou art our sister; become thou thousands of myriads, and thy seed doth possess the gate of those hating it.'

Darby: And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; mayest thou become thousands of tens of thousands; and may thy seed possess the gate of their enemies!

ASV: And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let thy seed possess the gate of those that hate them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they blessed  Rebekah,  and said  unto her, Thou  [art] our sister,  be thou  [the mother] of thousands  of millions,  and let thy seed  possess  the gate  of those which hate  them. 

What does Genesis 24:60 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 24:50-67 - Rebekah Marries Isaac
Rebekah's relatives recognized the hand of God in what had taken place, and could not demur. The maiden herself was not asked, according to Oriental custom, but in her readiness on the following morning to start forthwith, it was clear that her heart had been already won. This favorable reply prostrated Eliezer to the earth with thankfulness. Would that we were always as eager to praise as to pray. The precious gifts with which the whole family were enriched, remind us of those gifts and graces with which the Holy Spirit, the Divine Wooer, enriches the soul that accepts His invitation to yield itself to the Divine Master, Christ. When her friends suggested delay, Rebekah would not hear of it. With his jewels on her person, the young girl longed to see the bridegroom himself. Her "I will go" settled the matter. The foretastes of our heavenly inheritance whet our appetite to see and be with him, whom, not having seen, we love. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 24

1  Abraham swears his servant
10  The servant's journey
12  His prayer
14  His sign
15  Rebekah meets him;
18  fulfils his sign;
22  receives jewels;
23  shows her kindred;
25  and invites him home
26  The servant blesses God
29  Laban entertains him
34  The servant shows his message
50  Laban and Bethuel approve it
58  Rebekah consents to go, and departs
62  Isaac meets and marries her

What do the individual words in Genesis 24:60 mean?

And they blessed - Rebekah and said to her Our sister you may become [the mother] of thousands of myriads and may possess your descendants - the gates of those who hate them
וַיְבָרֲכ֤וּ אֶת־ רִבְקָה֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לָ֔הּ אֲחֹתֵ֕נוּ אַ֥תְּ הֲיִ֖י לְאַלְפֵ֣י רְבָבָ֑ה וְיִירַ֣שׁ זַרְעֵ֔ךְ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר שֹׂנְאָֽיו

וַיְבָרֲכ֤וּ  And  they  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
רִבְקָה֙  Rebekah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִבְקָה  
Sense: daughter of Bethuel, sister of Laban, wife of Isaac, and mother of Esau and Jacob.
וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָ֔הּ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
אֲחֹתֵ֕נוּ  Our  sister 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.
הֲיִ֖י  may  become  [the  mother] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְאַלְפֵ֣י  of  thousands 
Parse: Preposition-l, Number, masculine plural construct
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
רְבָבָ֑ה  of  myriads 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: רְבָבָה  
Sense: multitude, myriad, ten thousand.
וְיִירַ֣שׁ  and  may  possess 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
זַרְעֵ֔ךְ  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שַׁ֥עַר  the  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
שֹׂנְאָֽיו  of  those  who  hate  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.