24:1. Now Abraham was old, and advanced in age; and the Lord had blessed him in all things.
24:2. And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was ruler over all he had: Put thy hand under my thigh,
24:3. That I may make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that thou take not a wife for my son, of the daughters of the Chanaanites, among whom I dwell:
24:4. But that thou go to my own country and kindred, and take a wife from thence for my son Isaac.
24:5. The servant answered: If the woman will not come with me into this land, must I bring thy son back again to the place from whence thou camest out?
24:6. And Abraham said: Beware thou never bring my son back again thither.
24:7. The Lord God of heaven, who took me out of my father's house, and out of my native country, who spoke to me, and swore to me, saying: To thy seed will I give this land: he will send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my son.
He will send his angel before thee… This shows that the Hebrews believed that God gave them guardian angels for their protection.
24:8. But if the woman will not follow thee, thou shalt not be bound by the oath: only bring not my son back thither again.
24:9. The servant, therefore, put his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and swore to him upon his word.