Genesis 24:1

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

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

GENESIS CHAPTER 24 Abraham’ s age and prosperity, . He makes his eldest servant swear not to take a wife for his son Isaac of the Canaanites, but of his own kindred, . The servant inquires into the nature and condition of the oath, . Abraham expresses his faith in the promise, ; explains the oath, . The servant swears, . He goes to the city of Nahor, ; prays for success, ; and direction, ,14. An immediate and particular answer, . He wonders at the providence, ; makes a present to Rebekah, . Inquires of what family she was, . Her answer, ,25. He blesseth the Lord, ,27. Rebekah acquaints her friends with it, . They provide for him, &c. and invite him in, ,32. He goes in, but refuses to eat till he had told his errand, . He acquaints them with his business, and God’ s providence towards him, . They consent to his proposal, ,51. He praises God, ; makes presents to them all, ; desires to return to his master, . Rebekah being content to go with him, they consent and bless her, . They depart, and meet Isaac meditating in the field, ; who marries her, . 1857 He was one hundred and forty years old, comparing , with .

Genesis 24:1 And Abraham was old, [and] well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.Ver. 1. And Abraham was old.] Non tam canis et annis, quam virtutibus et sapientia gravis , as one saith of Atticus. Abraham had a good gray head, as it is elsewhere said of him: hence, so honoured not only at home, but by the Hittites. Cognata sunt γνρας et γερας ( ut ηθος et εθος), old age and honour are near akin in the Greek tongue. And God bids, "honour the face of the old man"; for the hoary head is a crown, so that it be found in the way of righteousness. God is called "the Ancient of days": and, because "holy," therefore "reverend is his name," as saith the psalmist. But it is a poor praise to Nectarius, who succeeded Nazianzen in the church of Antioch, that he was veneranda canitie et vultu sacerdote digno, a comely old man, and of a bishop like visage, and that was all that could be said for him. Beurer. in Vita Attici. Si prolixa faeit sapientem barba, quid obstat barbatus posset quin caper esse Plato? - Baron. Annal.

XXIV. 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.

CHAPTER XXIV Abraham, being solicitous to get his son Isaac property married, calls his confidential servant, probably Eliezer, and makes him swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanites, 1-3, but from among his own kindred, 4. The servant proposes certain difficulties, 5, which Abraham removes by giving him the strongest assurances of God's direction in the business, 6, 7, and then specifies the conditions of the oath, 8. The form of the oath itself, 9. The servant makes preparations for his journey, and sets out for Mesopotamia, the residence of Abraham's kindred, 10. Arrives at a well near to the place, 11. His prayer to God, 12-14. Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, Abraham's brother, comes to the well to draw water, 15. She is described, 16. Conversation between her and Abraham's servant, in which every thing took place according to his prayer to God, 17-21. He makes her presents, and learns whose daughter she is, 22-24. She invites him to her father's house, 25. He returns thanks to God for having thus far given him a prosperous journey, 26, 27. Rebekah runs home and informs her family, 28; on which her brother Laban comes out, and invites the servant home, 29-31. His reception, 32, 33. Tells his errand, 34, and how he had proceeded in executing the trust reposed in him, 35-48. Requests an answer, 49. The family of Rebekah consent that she should become the wife of Isaac, 50, 51. The servant worships God, 52, and gives presents to Milcah, Laban, and Rebekah, 53. He requests to be dismissed, 54-56. Rebekah, being consulted, consents to go, 57, 58. She is accompanied by her nurse, 59; and having received the blessing of her parents and relatives, 60, she departs with the servant of Abraham, 61. They are met by Isaac, who was on an evening walk for the purpose of meditation, 62-65. The servant relates to Isaac all that he had done, 66. Isaac and Rebekah are married, 67. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIV Verse 1. And Abraham was old] He was now about one hundred and forty years of age, and consequently Isaac was forty, being born when his father was one hundred years old. See Genesis 21:5; Genesis 25:20.

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.

- The Marriage of Isaac 26. קרד qādad, “bow the head.” השׁתחוה shâchâh, “bow the body.” 29.

1. Well stricken in age — Hebrews, gone into days; that is, far advanced in years. Being ten years older than Sarah, he was one hundred and thirty-seven at her death. And yet thirty-years of life are before him. Comp.