Genesis 18:19

18:19 I have chosen him 1  so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep 2  the way of the Lord by doing 3  what is right and just. Then the Lord will give 4  to Abraham what he promised 5  him.”

Genesis 24:48

24:48 Then I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right path to find the granddaughter 6  of my master’s brother for his son.

1 tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the Lord.

2 tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).

3 tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the Lord.

4 tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.

5 tn Heb “spoke to.”

6 tn Heb “daughter.” Rebekah was actually the granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother. One can either translate the Hebrew term בַּת (bat) as “daughter,” in which case the term אָח (’akh) must be translated more generally as “relative” rather than “brother” (cf. NASB, NRSV) or one can translate בַּת as “granddaughter,” in which case אָח may be translated “brother” (cf. NIV).