Topical Bible: Canaanites: Isaac Forbidden by Abraham to Take a Wife From

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In the biblical narrative, the Canaanites are frequently depicted as inhabitants of the land of Canaan, a region that holds significant importance in the history of the Israelites. The Canaanites are often portrayed as a people whose practices and beliefs were in stark contrast to those of the patriarchs of Israel. This cultural and religious divergence is highlighted in the account of Abraham's instructions regarding the marriage of his son, Isaac.

Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, was deeply concerned about the spiritual and cultural influences that might affect his descendants. This concern is evident in Genesis 24, where Abraham explicitly instructs his servant to find a wife for Isaac, not from the daughters of the Canaanites, but from his own relatives in his homeland. Abraham's directive underscores the importance he placed on maintaining the purity of faith and the covenantal promises given by God.

Genesis 24:3-4 records Abraham's command: "I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac." This passage reflects Abraham's desire to ensure that Isaac's spouse would share in the faith and values that were central to the Abrahamic covenant.

The Canaanites, known for their idolatrous practices and moral customs that were contrary to the worship of Yahweh, represented a potential threat to the spiritual integrity of Abraham's lineage. By seeking a wife for Isaac from his own kin, Abraham aimed to preserve the monotheistic faith and the divine promises that were to be fulfilled through his descendants.

This narrative also highlights the broader biblical theme of separation from pagan influences, a recurring motif in the Old Testament. The Israelites were repeatedly warned against intermarrying with the surrounding nations, as such unions could lead to the adoption of foreign gods and practices, thereby compromising their covenant relationship with God.

Abraham's insistence on finding a suitable wife for Isaac from his own people is a testament to his faithfulness to God's promises and his foresight in safeguarding the spiritual heritage of his family. This decision set a precedent for future generations, emphasizing the importance of aligning marital choices with the values and beliefs that honor God.

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Genesis 28:1
And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him, You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
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Library

Chapter xlvi
... as there had been of arealgamating with the Canaanites; cf ... Isaac had been forbidden
to go to Egypt (Genesis 26 ... deal as faithfully with him as He did with Isaac. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xlvi.htm

The Book of Jubilees
... the day" in which he ate the forbidden fruit, one ... sons, Esau makes with Jacob after
Isaac's death, and ... between the Egyptians and the Canaanites, during which ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the book of jubilees.htm

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
... This then I take to be the meaning: That the antichristian church is divided ... therefore
cannot be made among these cities when God has forbidden it: Wherefore ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/of antichrist and his ruin .htm

Questions.
... 7. Which of Isaac's sons was chosen? ... 8. Who were the chief gods of the Canaanites? ...
21. Why was all intercourse with the Samaritans forbidden? 22. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/questions.htm

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of ...
... that is, to the man and his wife] Be fruitful ... before, What God's word prohibits,
we must take care to ... than while he kept himself from eating forbidden fruit; in ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/an exposition on the first.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... fear, that is, by the God of his father Isaac. ... in the Israelites, or otherwise as
in the Canaanites, yet ungodliness ... a fear and a fear, a fear forbidden, and a ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... Asia, plant it upon one of those hills which the Canaanites were accustomed to ... Joppa,
in whose roadsteads merchant vessels were accustomed to take hasty refuge ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
... my mercy was to light upon a wife whose father ... this fear, and was scarce able to
take one step ... a tempest, my heart would be unclean, the Canaanites would dwell ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/grace abounding to the chief.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto ... to her own city, how will
she then take pleasure in ... saith he, the holy city, the Lamb's wife; I saw ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

Memoir of John Bunyan
... who offered Faithful his three daughters to wife[71]"the ... my heart would be
unclean"the Canaanites would dwell ... to the least sin; 'now I durst not take a pin ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/memoir of john bunyan.htm