Question: Genesis 24:37 NASB

> 
> My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; 38 but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’
> 
> 
> 

If it were idolatry that Abraham wanted to shield Isaac from since his ancestors are clearly attested as worshipers of idols.God had actually removed Abraham from his kinfolks in order to deal with idolatry.

Joshua 24:2 NASB

> 
> Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.
> 
> 
> 

We are further told that even during that time of Rebecca they still worshiped idols as alluded to in the discourse between Laban and Jacob in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 31:31-32 NASB

> 
> Then Jacob replied to Laban, “Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. 32 The one with whom you find your gods shall not live; in the presence of our relatives [s]point out what is yours [t]among my belongings and take it for yourself.” Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.
> 
> 
> 

It seems idolatry had not stopped with their ancestors but had continued with the other generations

Why then did Abraham insist that Isaac marry from his kinfolks?

Answer: 
"Bone and flesh" (or a slight variation) acts in Scripture as Hebraism with the meaning of biological relative. Sometimes a slight variation is a merism for the human body as a whole.

* Gen 2:23 - Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
* Job 33:21 - His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
* Luke 24:39 - Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
* 2 Sam 19:13 - And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’”
* Gen 29:14 - and Laban said to him, “Surely you are my bone and my flesh!” And he stayed with him a month.
* 2 Sam 5:1 - Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.
* Prov 3:8 - This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.

Thus, such passages allude to the entire physical body and its relationship with another human relative.

Note: In the NT "flesh and blood" has the meaning of simply mortal or human and appears to allude to the sacrifices of the Torah.
The term "flesh and bones" in Job 2:5, did not referred to Job's wife nor Eve. It was exactly referred to Job, his physical body. There is no connection to Job 2:9.

In chapter 1, Satan suggested to strike everything Job had, then Job would surely curse the Lord (Job 1:11 NIV). So Job lost his children and his livestock, nevertheless, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22 NIV). So Satan's initial plan didn't work out.

In chapter 2, Satan made up another plan, he said;

> 
> 4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his
> own life.
> 
> 
> 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and
> bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
> 
> 
> 

What is "Skin for skin"? Satan meant Job's children and livestock were replenishable. Just like if you peeled off your skin, it will grow back. So Satan suggested that it needed to strike Job's body directly, in his pain he would surely curse the Lord.

So why the term "flesh and bones" does not mean Job's wife, and has no connection to Job 2:9? It is because Job's wife was also "skin" to Job. If I were Job and hearing what she said in Job 2:9, I was surely made her replenishable.