Genesis 24:38

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Instead, you must go to my father's household and to my family to take a wife for my son.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

אִם־לֹ֧א אֶל־בֵּית־אָבִ֛י תֵּלֵ֖ךְ וְאֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתִּ֑י וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ אִשָּׁ֖ה לִבְנִֽי׃

Transliteration

If-not to-bêṯ-my-ʾāḇî [father's house] tēlēḵ and-to-my-mišpaḥtî [family]; and-wəlāqaḥtā ʾiššāh for-my-liḇnî [son].

Grammar Details

• *bêṯ*: noun, masculine singular construct - 'house of'
• *ʾāḇî*: noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix - 'my father'
• *tēlēḵ*: Qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular - 'you will go'
• *mišpaḥtî*: noun, feminine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix - 'my family'
• *wəlāqaḥtā*: conjunction + Qal perfect, 2nd person masculine singular - 'and you shall take'
• *ʾiššāh*: noun, feminine singular - 'woman/wife'
• *liḇnî*: preposition lamed + noun with 1st person singular suffix - 'for my son'

Word Meanings

• *bêṯ*: house, household, dwelling place
• *ʾāḇî*: my father
• *tēlēḵ*: you will go, you shall go, you must go
• *mišpaḥtî*: my family, my clan, my relatives
• *wəlāqaḥtā*: and you shall take, and you must take, and you will take
• *ʾiššāh*: woman, wife

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  but you shall go to my father's house and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.'

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  but thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  But thou shalt goo vnto my fathers house and to my kynred and there take a wyfe vnto my sonne.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  but go yi waye to my fathers house and to myne owne kynred, and there take a wyfe for my sonne.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But thou shalt go vnto my fathers house and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sonne.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But thou shalt go vnto my fathers house, and to my kinred, and take a wife vnto my sonne.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.'

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  If not -- unto the house of my father thou dost go, and unto my family, and thou hast taken a wife for my son.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But go to my father's house and to my relations for a wife for my son.

• World English Bible (2000)

  but you shall go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.'

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  but you must go to the family of my father and to my relatives to find a wife for my son.’

Referenced Verses

• Gen 24:4 : 4 Instead, go to my country and my kindred to choose a wife for my son Isaac.
• Gen 31:19 : 19 Meanwhile, Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
• Gen 12:1 : 1 The Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your land, your birthplace, and your father's household to the land that I will show you."