The Meaning of Genesis 24:5 Explained

Genesis 24:5

KJV: And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

YLT: And the servant saith unto him, 'It may be the woman is not willing to come after me unto this land; do I at all cause thy son to turn back unto the land from whence thou camest out?'

Darby: And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I, then, bring thy son again in any case to the land from which thou hast removed?

ASV: And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land. Must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the servant  said  unto him, Peradventure the woman  will not be willing  to follow  me  unto this land:  must I needs bring  thy son  again  unto the land  from whence thou camest? 

What does Genesis 24:5 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 24:5 mean?

And said to him the servant Perhaps not will be willing the woman to follow me to the land this Shall I then take back - your son that you came from
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ הָעֶ֔בֶד אוּלַי֙ לֹא־ תֹאבֶ֣ה הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה לָלֶ֥כֶת אַחֲרַ֖י אֶל־ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את הֶֽהָשֵׁ֤ב אָשִׁיב֙ אֶת־ בִּנְךָ֔ אֲשֶׁר־ יָצָ֥אתָ ؟ מִשָּֽׁם

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הָעֶ֔בֶד  the  servant 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
אוּלַי֙  Perhaps 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אוּלַי  
Sense: perhaps, peradventure.
תֹאבֶ֣ה  will  be  willing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָבָה  
Sense: to be willing, consent.
הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
לָלֶ֥כֶת  to  follow 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אַחֲרַ֖י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הָאָ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַזֹּ֑את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
הֶֽהָשֵׁ֤ב  Shall  I  then  take 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אָשִׁיב֙  back 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
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.
בִּנְךָ֔  your  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָצָ֥אתָ  you  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 24:5?

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