King James Version

What Does Genesis 24:2 Mean?

Genesis 24:2 in the King James Version says “And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 24 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:”

Genesis 24:2 · KJV

Prayer

Context

1

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

2

And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

3

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:

4

But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Read Genesis 24 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray ... This passage is part of the Abrahamic narratives which shift from universal human history to God's particular covenant people. The Abraham cycle (Genesis 12-25) demonstrates God's sovereign election, covenant faithfulness, and the development of faith through testing and promise fulfillment.

Central themes include God's unconditional covenant promises (land, descendants, blessing to nations), the call to faith and obedience, the testing of faith through delays and impossibilities, the contrast between divine promises and human schemes, and God's gracious persistence despite human failures. Abraham emerges as the father of faith whose trust in God's promises becomes the model for all believers (Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11).

Theologically, these narratives establish: (1) salvation by grace through faith rather than works; (2) covenant as God's gracious initiative binding Himself to His people; (3) the necessity of patient trust when promises seem impossible; (4) the consequences of attempting to fulfill God's promises through human effort; (5) the pattern of divine testing producing mature faith. The Abraham cycle foreshadows Christ as the ultimate seed through whom blessing extends to all nations (Galatians 3:16).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse deepen our understanding of God's character and His relationship with creation?
  2. How can we apply the principles from this passage to contemporary challenges in family, work, or church?
  3. In what ways does this narrative foreshadow or typify aspects of Christ's redemptive work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר1 of 15

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אַבְרָהָ֗ם2 of 15

“And Abraham”

H85

abraham, the later name of abram

אֶל3 of 15
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

עַבְדּוֹ֙4 of 15

“servant”

H5650

a servant

זְקַ֣ן5 of 15

“unto his eldest”

H2205

old

בֵּית֔וֹ6 of 15

“of his house”

H1004

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

הַמֹּשֵׁ֖ל7 of 15

“that ruled over”

H4910

to rule

בְּכָל8 of 15
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

אֲשֶׁר9 of 15
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

ל֑וֹ10 of 15
H0
שִֽׂים11 of 15

“all that he had Put”

H7760

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

נָ֥א12 of 15
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

יָֽדְךָ֖13 of 15

“I pray thee thy hand”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

תַּ֥חַת14 of 15
H8478

the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc

יְרֵכִֽי׃15 of 15

“under my thigh”

H3409

the thigh (from its fleshy softness); by euphemistically the generative parts; figuratively, a shank, flank, side

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 24:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 24:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 47:29Genesis 39:4-6Genesis 15:2Genesis 24:9-10Genesis 39:8-9Genesis 44:1

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Genesis 24 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterGenesis Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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