וְאַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲךָ֔ בַּֽיהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִבְּנוֹת֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃
И дам тебе клятву Господа, Бога небесного и Бога земли, что ты не будешь брать жену за сына моего из дочерей Ханаанских, среди которых Я живу.
Midrash Tanchuma
You know this to be so from the fact that Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac: And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his household, etc. (Gen. 24:2), and it is written also: I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven … that thou shalt go unto my country (ibid., vv. 3–4). Hence, it is apparent that Abraham was concerned with the observance of the law of Increase and multiply. Similarly, Isaac told Jacob: Arise! Go to Padan-aram (Gen. 28:2), to seek a wife proper for him. He did not wish him to be like the men of the generation of the flood, who wallowed in unchastity and indulged in sexual intercourse with species other than their own. Observe what is written concerning them: The sons of God saw the daughters of men … and took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:2). That was the reason they were obliterated from the earth.
Midrash Tanchuma
You know this to be so from the fact that Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac: And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his household, etc. (Gen. 24:2), and it is written also: I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven … that thou shalt go unto my country (ibid., vv. 3–4). Hence, it is apparent that Abraham was concerned with the observance of the law of Increase and multiply. Similarly, Isaac told Jacob: Arise! Go to Padan-aram (Gen. 28:2), to seek a wife proper for him. He did not wish him to be like the men of the generation of the flood, who wallowed in unchastity and indulged in sexual intercourse with species other than their own. Observe what is written concerning them: The sons of God saw the daughters of men … and took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:2). That was the reason they were obliterated from the earth.
Bereshit Rabbah
“Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge of everything that was his: Please, place your hand under my thigh” (Genesis 24:2).
“Abraham said to his servant, the elder [zekan] of his household” – as the appearance of his face [ziv ikonin] was similar to his.
“Who was in charge of everything that was his” – [this means] that he had full control over his evil inclination, just as he [Abraham] did.
“Please, place your hand under my thigh”26Near the place of circumcision. – because it [the precept of circumcision] was given to them through pain, that is why it was beloved by them, and they would take an oath only by that.
“I will administer an oath to you by the Lord, God of the heavens and God of the earth, that you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose midst I live” (Genesis 24:3).
“I will administer an oath to you by the Lord, God of the heavens [and God of the earth].” Rabbi Pinḥas said: Before I informed His creations about His existence, He was [called only] “God of the heavens”;27And this is why God is referred to only by this description in verse 7, where Abraham was referring to the time before he came to the Land of Canaan. but after I informed His creations about Him he is [called also] “God of the earth.”
“That you not take” – he cautioned him that he should not go to [seek as a bride] the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre.
“Rather, you shall go to my land and to my birthplace, and take a wife for my son, for Isaac” (Genesis 24:4).
“Rather, you shall go to my land and to my birthplace” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Even if the wheat kernels in your city are darnel,28An inferior species of wheat. sow with them.29Although the members of Abraham’s family were not known for their righteousness, he had to make do with whatever was available to him.
“Abraham said to his servant, the elder [zekan] of his household” – as the appearance of his face [ziv ikonin] was similar to his.
“Who was in charge of everything that was his” – [this means] that he had full control over his evil inclination, just as he [Abraham] did.
“Please, place your hand under my thigh”26Near the place of circumcision. – because it [the precept of circumcision] was given to them through pain, that is why it was beloved by them, and they would take an oath only by that.
“I will administer an oath to you by the Lord, God of the heavens and God of the earth, that you not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose midst I live” (Genesis 24:3).
“I will administer an oath to you by the Lord, God of the heavens [and God of the earth].” Rabbi Pinḥas said: Before I informed His creations about His existence, He was [called only] “God of the heavens”;27And this is why God is referred to only by this description in verse 7, where Abraham was referring to the time before he came to the Land of Canaan. but after I informed His creations about Him he is [called also] “God of the earth.”
“That you not take” – he cautioned him that he should not go to [seek as a bride] the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre.
“Rather, you shall go to my land and to my birthplace, and take a wife for my son, for Isaac” (Genesis 24:4).
“Rather, you shall go to my land and to my birthplace” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Even if the wheat kernels in your city are darnel,28An inferior species of wheat. sow with them.29Although the members of Abraham’s family were not known for their righteousness, he had to make do with whatever was available to him.