The Meaning of Genesis 24:47 Explained

Genesis 24:47

KJV: And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

YLT: And I ask her, and say, Whose daughter art thou? and she saith, Daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah hath borne to him, and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands,

Darby: And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him. And I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.

ASV: And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him. And I put the ring upon her nose, and the bracelets upon her hands.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I asked  her, and said,  Whose daughter  [art] thou? And she said,  The daughter  of Bethuel,  Nahor's  son,  whom Milcah  bare  unto him: and I put  the earring  upon her face,  and the bracelets  upon her hands. 

What does Genesis 24:47 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 24:28-49 - Abraham's Servant Fulfills His Mission
This worthy man was almost garrulous about his master. Count the number of times in which he contrives to introduce those two words, "my master." He put the errand on which he had come before his necessary food, and poured out his story in a stream of crystal utterance, which was the highest eloquence. This identification of his thought and speech with his master's interests is full of teaching for us all. He could talk of nothing else, was only anxious not to fail for Abraham's sake; and took the favorable reply as kindness shown to him whom he represented. George Herbert caught the same spirit when he spoke of "the aromatic fragrance" of "My Master" when applied to Jesus. We, too, are called to be ambassadors, as though God did beseech men by us. If we are in the way of God's will, be sure that the Lord will not only lead, but lead "in the right way," and will create for us a sympathetic reception whither we go. [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 24:47 mean?

And I asked her and said the daughter of whom [are] you and she said of Bethuel son of Nahor whom bore to him Milcah So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets her wrists
וָאֶשְׁאַ֣ל אֹתָ֗הּ וָאֹמַר֮ בַּת־ מִ֣י ؟ אַתְּ֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר בְּתוּאֵל֙ בֶּן־ נָח֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָֽלְדָה־ לּ֖וֹ מִלְכָּ֑ה וָאָשִׂ֤ם הַנֶּ֙זֶם֙ עַל־ אַפָּ֔הּ וְהַצְּמִידִ֖ים יָדֶֽיהָ

וָאֶשְׁאַ֣ל  And  I  asked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
אֹתָ֗הּ  her 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וָאֹמַר֮  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בַּת־  the  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
מִ֣י  of  whom 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
؟ אַתְּ֒  [are]  you 
Parse: Pronoun, second person feminine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר  and  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְּתוּאֵל֙  of  Bethuel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּתוּאֵל 
Sense: nephew of Abraham, son of Nahor by Milcah, father of Rebekah.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נָח֔וֹר  of  Nahor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָחֹור  
Sense: son of Serug, father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָֽלְדָה־  bore 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
לּ֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
מִלְכָּ֑ה  Milcah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְכָּה  
Sense: daughter of Haran and wife of Nahor, her uncle and Abraham’s brother, to whom she bore 8 children.
וָאָשִׂ֤ם  So  I  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
הַנֶּ֙זֶם֙  the  ring 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶזֶם  
Sense: ring, nose ring, earring.
אַפָּ֔הּ  her  nose 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
וְהַצְּמִידִ֖ים  and  the  bracelets 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: צָמִיד 
Sense: bracelet.
יָדֶֽיהָ  her  wrists 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.