In this verse Abraham responds to the servant’s hesitation to accept the assignment (verse 5), by assuring him that he will not be punished if the woman refuses.

Revised Standard Version But (retained also in New Revised Standard Version) contrasts the condition that would result for the servant in verse 5 with his being free from his oath in this verse.

For follow you see Gen 24.5.

Free from this oath of mine: free translates a word meaning “clean,” “purged,” that is, “purged from guilt” and so “free from guilt,” And so the servant will be free from the punishment that failing to keep the oath would bring upon him. We may also say, for example, “This oath you take will not cause you to be punished.” In the context of oaths the Hebrew term means in practice being free or exempt from obligations; so another way of rendering free from that is followed by a number of translations is “this promise will not bind you any longer.”

Oath of mine: that is, “the oath you swear to me,” “the oath I make you take,” “the vow [promise] you make to me.”

Only introduces a restriction here, something that must not be done. The Hebrew term sometimes adds emphasis or strength to the statement that follows; so Good News Translation has “not under any circumstances.” Another way of expressing this is “No matter what you do, don’t take….”

You must not take my son back there repeats Abraham’s demand against Isaac returning to Mesopotamia. See the wording in Gen 24.6.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .