Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. Servant. Eliezer, or Damascus, whom he had once intended for his heir. Calmet. 15:2. Bible.—Under, and so forth either to shew their subjection, (Sa.) or their faith in Christ, who should be born of Abraham, (Saint Jerome ep. 140) or to testify that their oath shall be no less binding than the covenant of circumcision. For this last reason, the Jews still observe the custom of sitting upon the hand of the person who takes an oath. Menochius. See Calmet. 47:29 where Jacob imitates the action of his grand-father. These two patriarchs, progenitors of Christ are the only ones in Scripture whom we find practising it; whence Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose conclude, that it had a reference to the mysterious birth or our Redeemer. Bonfrere.