The Meaning of Genesis 24:3 Explained

Genesis 24:3

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:

YLT: and I cause thee to swear by Jehovah, God of the heavens, and God of the earth, that thou dost not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in the midst of whom I am dwelling;

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;

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Genesis 24:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 24:1-9 - A Wife Sought For Isaac
It is all-important that the children of God's people should marry only in the Lord. See 1 Corinthians 7:39. So only can we hope to perpetuate, as Malachi teaches, a godly seed. But those who live in fellowship with Him may confidently count on His angels being sent to co-operate in securing this desirable issue. Every marriage should be a matter for profound concern and much prayer, both for the parents of each, as well as for those that are to be wed. What wonder that so many marriages turn out to be a disappointment and a curse when they are entered upon so lightly and thoughtlessly! In this graphic chapter we may find a close analogy to the work of the Holy Spirit, who has come forth during the present age to seek a bride for the Son of God, in the Church that He is gathering out of the world. There is always a "peradventure" that the soul may be unwilling at first, but He plies it with overwhelming arguments, as we shall see. [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 24:3 mean?

and I will make you swear by Yahweh the God of heaven and the God of the earth that not you will take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite whom I am dwelling among
וְאַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲךָ֔ בַּֽיהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־ תִקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִבְּנוֹת֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ

וְאַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲךָ֔  and  I  will  make  you  swear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
בַּֽיהוָה֙  by  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י  and  the  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָאָ֑רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תִקַּ֤ח  you  will  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אִשָּׁה֙  a  wife 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
לִבְנִ֔י  for  my  son 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מִבְּנוֹת֙  from  the  daughters 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י  of  the  Canaanite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּנְעָן 
Sense: descendant of inhabitant of Canaan n.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יוֹשֵׁ֥ב  am  dwelling 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.