Genesis 21
1 "And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said,
and the LORD did unto Sarah as
He had spoken." And the Lord - Jehovah; not because the verse is Jehovistic (Knobel,
Bleek, et alii), but because the promise naturally falls to be implemented by Him who
gave it (see ch. 18:10) - visited - remembered with love (Onkelos), ἐπισκέψατο –
episkepsato – visited (Septuagint; compare ch. 50:24; Exodus 4:31; I Samuel 2:21;
Isaiah 23:17); though it sometimes means to approach in judgment (see Exodus 20:5;
32:34). Alleged to be peculiar to the Jehovist (the term used by the Elohist being זָכַר:
ch. 8:1; 19:29; 30:20), the word occurs in ch. 1:24, which Tuch and Bleek ascribe to
the Elohist - Sarah as He had said (ch. 17:21; 18:10, 14), - God's word of
promise being ever the rule of his performance (compare Exodus 12:25;
Luke 1:72) – and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken - i.e. implemented
His promise; the proof of which is next given (compare Numbers 23:19;
Hebrews 6:18).
2 "For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son
in his old age, at the set time
of which God had spoken to him." For Sarah conceived, - through faith receiving
strength from God for that purpose
(Hebrews 11:11); the fruit of the womb, in every
instance GOD’S
HANDIWORK (Isaiah 44:2),
being in her case a special gift of
grace and product of Divine power - and bare - the usual construction (ch. 29:32;
30:5) is here somewhat modified by the Jehovist (Kalisch); but the clause may be
compared with ch. 30:22-23, commonly assigned to the Elohlst - Abraham
(literally, to Abraham) a son
in his old age, - literally, to his old age; εἰς τὸ γῆρας
-
eis to gaeras - (Septuagint) - at the set time (see Genesis 17:21; 18:10, 14) of
which God
had spoken to him. God's word gave:
· Abraham strength to beget,
·
Sarah to conceive, and
·
Isaac to come forth.
Three times repeated in two
verses, the clause points to the supernatural
character of Isaac's
birth.
3 "And Abraham called the name of his son that was
born unto him, whom
Sarah bare to him, Isaac." And Abraham called the name of his son - the
naming of a child by its father is, according to partitionists, a peculiarity of the
Elohist as distinguished from the Jehovist, who assigns that function to the
mother; but see Genesis 16:15 - that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to
him (the latter clause being added to distinguish him from Hagar's child),
Isaac - laughter; the name appointed for him by God before his birth
(ch. 17:19).
4 "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being
eight days old, as God had
commanded him." And Abraham circumcised (see on ch. 17:11, and note at the
end of that chapter) his son Isaac being eight days old (literally, a son of eight
days), as (not only because, but
in the manner in which) God had commanded him.
5 "And Abraham was an hundred years old, when
his son Isaac was born unto him."
And Abraham was an hundred years old (compare ch. 17:1, 17), when his son Isaac
was born unto him. Literally, at the time of bearing to him (ἐν τῷ τεκεῖν – en to tekein)
Isaac (see Gesenius, 'Gram.,' § 143). Thus Abraham had
waited twenty-five years for
the fulfillment of the promise - a remarkable instance of faith and patience (Romans
4:20), as Isaac's birth was a signal display of Divine power (Romans 4:17; Hebrews
11:12). Whether Isaac was born at Gerar
or at
inferred.
6 "And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh,
so that all that hear will laugh
with me." And Sarah said, - the spiritual elevation of her soul being indicated by
the poetical form of her speech. Differing from Mary‘s magnificat in having been
uttered after, and not before, the birth of the promised seed (Luke 1:46-55), the
anthem of Sarah was obviously designed as a prelude to that loftier song of the
Virgin (compare ibid. v. 46). It consists of two sentences, the first containing two,
and the second three lines - God hath made me to laugh. Or, retaining the order
of the Hebrew, To laugh hath made me Elohim; the emphatic position of צְחֹק,
containing an allusion to the name
Isaac, probably indicating that Sarah's
laughter was of a different character now from what it had previously been
(ch. 18:12); and her ascription of it to Elohim intimating that Him whom she
formerly mistook for a traveler she now recognized to be Divine ('Speaker's
Commentary'). So that all that hear me will laugh with me. Not, will laugh at me,
deridebit me (Peele), a sense the words will bear (Rosenmüller, 'Speaker's
Commentary'), though in the instances adduced (Job 5:22; 39:7, 18, 22) צָחַק לְ
rather conveys the idea of
despising difficulties (Kalisch); but, will laugh with
me, συγχαρεῖταί μου – sugchareitaii mou, congaudebit mihi (Septuagint, Vulgate,
Targums, Calvin, Dathe, Keil).
7"And she said, Who
would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have
given children suck? for
I have born him a son in his old age."
And she said,
Who would have said unto Abraham, - מִלֶּל, the poetic word for דּבֵּר, is introduced
by מִי in order to express astonishment; the meaning being that what had happened
was altogether out of the ordinary course of nature (remember El Shaddai – see
# 320 – this website – CY – 2019), was, in fact, God's work alone (Vatablus, Calvin,
Rosenmüller, Keil,
Kalisch, 'Speaker's Commentary'). That Sarah should have
given children suck? Literally, Sarah suckleth sons. "Many of the greatest saints
in Holy Scripture, and even our Lord Himself, were nursed by their own mothers"
(Wordsworth). For I have born him a son in his old age. Literally, I have born
a son to his old age. The Septuagint incorrectly render ἐν τῶ γήρᾳ μου –
en to gaera mou).
8 "And the child grew, and was weaned: and
Abraham made a great feast the
same day that Isaac was weaned." And the child grew, - καὶ ἠυξήθη τὸ παιδίον –
kai aeuxaethae to paidion (Septuagint): imitated by Luke concerning Christ:
τὸ παιδίον ηὔξανε - to paidion aeuxane – the little boy grows up (Luke 2:40) –
and was weaned. The verb gamal originally signifies to do good to any one,
to do completely; hence to finish, or make completely ready, as an infant;
hence to wean, since either at that time the period of infancy is regarded as
complete, or the child s independent existence is then fully reached. The time
of weaning is commonly believed to have been at the end of the second or third
year (compare I Samuel 1:22-24; II Chronicles 31:16; II Maccabees 7:27;
Josephus, '
Isaac was weaned. Literally, in the day of the weaning of Isaac; probably,
therefore, when Isaac was three years old and Ishmael seventeen. "It is still
customary in the East to have a festive gathering at the time a child is weaned.
Among the Hindoos, when the time for weaning has come, the event is
accompanied with feasting and religious ceremonies, during which rice is
formally presented to the child" ('Bible Manners and Customs,' by
Rev. J. A. Freeman, M.A., ' Homiletical Quarterly,' vol. 1. p. 78;
compare Roberts' 'Oriental Illustrations,' p. 24).
The Son of Promise, or A
Young Child’s Biography (vs. 1-8)
·
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC
Ø
A surprising
phenomenon. “Who would have said that Sarah should
have suckled sons?” “Motherhood at ninety was certainly
unusual,
especially
when conjoined with paternity at a hundred. In a world presided
over by A PERSONAL DEITY there must always be room for surprises.
Ø
A miraculous production. That the conception and birth of Isaac
were
due to
Divine interposition — that in fact, the child of promise was a
special supernatural creation — is asserted by Paul as well as Moses
(Romans 4:17).
Ø
An accomplished prediction. Not only the fact of Isaac’s birth, but
the
exact
time was specified beforehand. And now the long-looked-for child
had
arrived. A signal proof of the
Divine veracity, it was another pledge to
God’s people
in every age of the Divine fidelity in implementing His
gracious
word of promise.
Ø
A
joyous inspiration. Isaac’s birth did not simply awake laughing echoes in
Sarah’s tent,
but opened founts of song in Sarah’s breast; which was not
wonderful,
considering that the tender infant over which she exulted was:
o
the
child of her own and Abraham’s old age,
o
the child
of promise,
o
the
fruit of faith’
o
the
gift of grace, and
o
the
Heaven-appointed heir of the covenant blessing.
Ø
A prophetic intimation. Sarah’s anthem contained a higher note of
melody
than that occasioned by a mother’s joy; there was in it too the
gladness
of a faith that saw in Isaac the harbinger and pledge of another
and greater Seed. Like the birth of Isaac, that of Christ
was:
o
fore
announced by God,
o
waited
for in faith,
o
accomplished
through Divine power, and
o welcomed with bursts of joy.
·
THE CIRCUMCISION OF ISAAC.
Ø
The import of the rite (see
on ch. 17:10). It implied the formal
reception
of the party upon whom it was imposed within the prime of the
Old Testament
Church; it signified the putting away of the filth of the flesh;
it took
the subject of it bound to a holy life. Of a like import is the
Christian
sacrament of baptism, which, however, differs from the Hebrew
rite in
looking back upon a Christ already manifested, instead of forward to
a Christ
that was still to come.
Ø
The authority for the rite.
This was exclusively the Divine
commandment
the sole reason that can be assigned for the observance of
the
Christian sacraments, which in themselves are only symbols of spiritual
transactions, and have no validity apart from the appointment of Christ.
Ø
The index to the rite. This
was contained in the name generally given on
the
occasion of its observance:
o
compare
Abraham (ch. 17:5),
o
John
the Baptist (Luke 1:60),
o
Jesus
(ibid. ch.
2:21).
With this
ancient custom must be connected the Christian practice of
naming
children at baptism.
·
THE WEANING OF ISAAC.
Ø
A mother’s duty fulfilled. The first duty of a mother is to her babe, and
to withhold the sustenance God has provided
for her babe’s necessities is
both to violate Divine law and to perpetrate a
fraud upon her helpless
offspring. (Consider the implications concerning “Abortion
on Demand”
in 2019 – CY) Sarah, though
a princess, was not above discharging
the duties
of a nurse — an example which Sarah’s daughters should diligently follow.
Ø
A child’s independence begun. From the moment of weaning, a child
may be
said to enter on a separate and as it were independent existence,
attaining
then for the first time to a distinct individuality of being (denied
by the mother and the abortionist)
Ø
A father’s joy expressed. The interesting event was
celebrated by a festal
entertainment, at which, if not Shem, Melchisedeck,
and Selah, according
to the
Rabbis, the inmates of Abraham’s household were doubtless present.
“God’s
blessing upon the nursing of children, and His
preservation of them
during the
perils of infant age, are signal instances of the care and
tenderness
of Divine providence,
which ought to be acknowledged to its
praise”
(Matthew Henry).
·
LESSONS:
1. The right of parents to rejoice in their children.
2. The duty of parents to introduce their children to the
3. The propriety of parents recognizing the separate
individualities of
children.
Birth, Circumcision and Weaning of Isaac (vs.
1-8)
Here, is:
·
THE FAITIIFULNESS OF JEHOVAH. “As He had spoken.
At the set
time.” “God hath made me to laugh.”
·
THE FAITH OF HIS SERVANT, which was evidenced in waiting,
hoping, naming the son born unto him, and obeying the
commandment.
·
THE GIFT OF GOD WAS THE REVELATION OF GOD:
Ø
His love,
Ø
His power,
Ø
His purpose,
Ø
His patience.
·
TAKEN TYPICALLY, IT IS:
Ø
the foreshadowing of
the miraculous conception,
Ø
the kingdom of God, as
originating in the sphere of human
infirmity and helplessness;
Ø
the introduction of
bright hope and cheerful promise into the
gloomy barrenness of human life;
Ø
the lifting up of
man’s state into the covenant of God,
o sealed with His appointed ordinance, and
o surrounded with the promised blessings.
Isaac was the type of Christ,
Sarah of Mary, and Abraham of the people
and Church of God.
·
SARAH’S SONG, the
first cradle hymn of a mother’s thankful joy,
representing the Divine delight in the pure and simple happiness of those
who are children of God. Abraham rejoiced to see the brightness of the
future (John 8:56).
·
THE WEANING FEAST. All were called in to share in the joy. Household
joy should be widespread. We may suppose that such a banquet
was
religious in its character so, not only is it a sanction of
religious festivals,
but it reminds us that we should connect the events of the family life
immediately with the word and ordinances of God.
9 "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
which she had born unto
Abraham, mocking." And Sarah saw - at the feast already mentioned
(Knobel, Keil); probably also on different occasions since the birth of Isaac –
the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Παίζοντα μετὰ Ισαὰκ τοῦ
υἰοῦ αὐτης
– Paizonta meta Isaak tou huiou
autaes –
(Septuagint), ludentem cum Isaaco filio sue (Vulgate), playing like a child
(Aben Ezra, Knobel, Tuch, Ilgen), playing and dancing gracefully (Gesenius);
but the stronger sense of the word,
implying mockery, scoffing, irritating and
deriding laughter (Kimchi, Vatablus, Grotius, Calvin, Rosenmüller, Keil,
Kalisch, 'Speaker's Commentary,' Murphy), besides being admissible
(compare ch. 19:14; 26:8; 39:14, 17; Exodus 32:6), seems involved in
the Piel form of the participle מְצַחֵק (Kurtz), and is demanded by
Galatians 4:29. That Ishmael ridiculed the banquet on the occasion of
Isaac's weaning (Malvenda), quarreled with him about the heirship
(Fagins, Piseator), and perhaps made sport of him as a father of nations
(Hengstenberg), though plausible conjectures, are not stated in the text.
Ainsworth dates from this event the 400 years of
(see ch.15:13).
10 "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out
this bondwoman and her son:
for the son of this bondwoman shall not be
heir with my son, even with Isaac."
Wherefore she said - though with an admixture of sinful
feelings, non dubito
arcane Spiritus instinctu gubernatam fuisse ejus linguam et mentem (Calvin);
see Galatians 4:30 - unto Abraham, Cast out - by some kind of legal act
(as divorce: compare Leviticus 21:7,14; 22:13; Isaiah 57:20), which should
insure the disinheriting of Ishmael (Bush); though probably- this is to import
later Mosaic legislation into the records of primitive times - this bondwoman –
a term ill befitting Sarah, who had given Hagar to her husband as a wife
(ch.
16:3) - and her son (who was Abraham's offspring, though
not the
promised seed; a consideration which should have mitigated Sarah's anger):
for the son of this bondwoman (a repetition evincing the bitterness of her
contempt and the intensity of her choler - peevish or irascible temperament.)
shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. Notwithstanding the
assurance (ch.17:21) that the covenant was made with Isaac, Sarah was
apprehensive lest Ishmael should
contrive to disinherit him; an act of unbelief
into which she was manifestly betrayed by her maternal fears
and womanly
jealousy.
11 "And the thing was very grievous in
Abraham's sight because of his son."
And the thing (literally, the word, i.e. Sarah's proposal) was very grievous (literally,
evil exceedingly in
Abraham's sight (literally, in the eyes of Abraham) because
of his son - who, besides being bound to him by the ties of natural affection,
had for years been regarded as the Heaven-appointed heir of the promise
(see ch.17:18).
12 "And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be
grievous in thy sight because
of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in
all that Sarah hath said unto thee,
hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy
seed be called." And God said unto
Abraham, - probably in a dream, or night vision (see v. 14) - Let
it not be grievous
in thy sight because of the lad, and
because of thy bondwoman; - who was never
recognized by God as Abraham's wife (compare
ch. 16:8) - in all that Sarah hath
said unto thee, hearken unto her voice. Though Sarah's counsel was approved by
God, it does not follow that her conduct was. On a former occasion Abraham's
hearkening unto Sarah's voice had led to sin (ch.16:2); this time it would lie exactly
in the line of duty. For in Isaac shall thy seed be called. Literally, in Isaac shall
seed (i.e. posterity) be called to thee; meaning neither, "by Isaac shall thy seed be
called, or named" (Hofmann, Kalisch, Ainsworth), nor, "in Isaac shall thy seed
be called into existence" (Dreschler); but, "in Isaac shall there be posterity to
thee which shall pass as such," i.e. be called or recognized as such (Keil); or,
more simply, "in Isaac," i.e. in the line of Isaac, "shall be called to thee a seed,"
i.e. a seed par excellence, the seed already promised (Bleek, Delitzsch, Rosenmüller,
Alford, Murphy).
13 "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I
make a nation, because he is
thy seed." And also of the son of the bond-woman will I make a nation. Literally,
to nation I will set or put him; a promise already given (ch. 17:20), but here repeated
to render Ishmael's dismissal easier. Because he is thy seed. "Thy son according to
the flesh, though not after the promise, as Isaac was" (Ainsworth); a proof that
men may sometimes receive mercies
for their fathers' sakes.
14 "And Abraham rose up early in the morning,
and took bread, and a bottle
of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it
on her shoulder, and the child,
and sent her away: and she departed, and
wandered in the wilderness of
force the Divine instructions (compare ch. 19:27; 22:8, Abraham; ch. 20:8,
Abimelech; ch. 28:18, Jacob) - and took bread, and a bottle of water, - the bottle,
from a root signifying to enclose (Furst); ἀσκόν – askon - bottle (Septuagint),
was composed of skin, the material of which the earliest carrying vessels were
constructed (compare Joshua 9:4, 13; Judges 4:19; I Samuel 16:20; Matthew 9:17).
"The monuments of
use of every variety of bottles, often surprising us both by their elegance and
costliness" (Kalisch) - and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, -
the usual place for carrying such vessels among Oriental women. According to
Herodotus (2. 35), Egyptian women carried burdens on their shoulders, Egyptian
men upon their heads - and the child, - not placing the child, now a youth of over
seventeen years, upon her shoulder (Septuagint, Schumann, Bohlen); but giving him,
along with the bottle (Havernick, Kalisch, A Lapide, Ainsworth), or, as well as the
bread (Keil, Murphy), to Hagar, not to be carried as a burden, but led as a companion –
and sent her away - divorced her by the command of God (A Lapide); but as Hagar
was never recognized by God as Abraham's wife, her sending away was not a case
of divorce (Wordsworth) - and
she departed (from
had by this time removed, and where, in all probability, Isaac had been born),
and wandered - i.e. lost her way (compare ch. 37:15) - in the wilderness
(the uncultivated waste between
introduced here by anticipation, unless the incident in vs. 22-33 had
previously taken place (see on v. 31).
The
Expulsion of Ishmael (vs. 9-14)
Ø The persecution of Isaac. “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian
mocking.” That this was no mere sportive pleasantry may be inferred from
the deep feeling it aroused in Sarah, the summary
chastisement it brought
on Ishmael, and the’ severe language in which it is
characterized by Paul.
The
emphasis laid by Sarah on the heirship suggests the
probability that
Ishmael’s
offence partook of the nature of wicked, irritating laughter at the
position and prospects of Sarah’s son, springing partly from
envy and
partly from unbelief.
Ø The apprehension of Sarah. That Sarah was actuated by personal
dislike
of Hagar’s boy, or inspired solely by maternal jealousy, is
a gratuitous
assumption. It is more satisfactory to ascribe her seemingly
harsh counsel
to the clearness with which she recognized that Isaac alone
was the
Heaven-appointed
heir, and that nothing must be allowed to either damage
his position or endanger his prospects.
Ø The commandment of God. Considering the patriarch’s former
experience of “hearkening to Sarah,” his
acquiescence in her counsel on
this occasion would in all probability have been problematical,
had not
God
interposed to recommend its adoption. It would both secure the
happiness of Isaac and remove temptation from the path of
Ishmael; while
it would serve to educate the patriarch himself for the
coming sacrifice on
Mount
Moriah. To facilitate the patriarch’s compliance with
the Divine
injunction, the promise of future greatness to Ishmael is
renewed, and in
the end Hagar and her boy are dismissed
Ø With
pain to himself. “The
thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight
because of his son.” Parental affection must have urged him to retain his
first-born son. Conjugal love must have interceded for her
who had been to
him as a wife. Self-interest may have represented the
advisability of still
clinging to Ishmael for the fulfillment of the promise, in
case the line of
Isaac
should fail. Yet grace and faith triumphed. “All things are possible to
him that believeth.”
Ø With tenderness towards the outcasts. Making provision for their
immediate necessities, and either then or afterwards adding
gifts
(ch. 25:6), he sends them away,
doubtless with many prayers and
tears. Nature and grace both enjoin tenderness in dealing
with those
whom God in His providence calls to suffer.
Ø With submission to the will of God. The moment the mind of God was
ascertained, internal controversy ceased and determined. The
patriarch was
never irresolute in following when God led. Obedience is the first duty of
faith.
Ø Ishmael and Isaac are representatives
of Abraham’s natural descendants and
Abraham’s
spiritual posterity;
spirit; souls in legal bondage and souls enjoying spiritual
freedom.
Ø Ishmael’s mockery of Isaac foreshadowed the persecuting spirit of the
unbelieving Jews, who adhered to the system of Moses, towards the
disciples of the New Testament faith, who sought salvation
through Christ;
hence also the antagonism of the sinful principle in man to the
renewed life
of grace.
Ø Ishmael’s separation from Isaac prefigured the ultimate removal of
unbelievers from believers, of the world from the Church, of
those in a
state of nature or of legal bondage from those who are
children of the
promise and of the heavenly
1. The wickedness and danger of mocking at sacred persons and
things.
2. The superior spiritual insight not infrequently exhibited
by woman.
3. The necessity of trying all human opinions by God’s
revealed will.
4. The care God takes to guide sincere souls as to the path of
duty.
5. The proper function of faith, which is to hear and obey.
6. The impossibility of any compromise existing between the world
and the Church.
7. The final casting out of the wicked from the congregation
of the
righteous.
15 "And the water was spent in the bottle, and
she cast the child under one
of the shrubs." And the water was spent in (literally, from) the bottle, - so that
the wanderers became exhausted, and were in danger of fainting through thirst –
and she cast the child - a translation which certainly conveys an erroneous
impression, first of Ishmael, who was not an infant, but a grown lad (v. 14),
and secondly of Ishmael's mother, whom it represents as acting with violence,
if not with inhumanity; whereas the sense probably is that, having, as long as
her rapidly diminishing strength permitted, supported her fainting son, she at
length suddenly, through feebleness, released his nerveless hand as he fell,
and in despair, finding herself unable to give him further assistance, left him,
as she believed, to die where he had flung himself in his intolerable anguish –
under one of the shrubs.
16 "And she went, and sat her down over against
him a good way off, as it
were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see
the death of the child. And she
sat over against him, and lift up her voice,
and wept." And she went, and sat
her down - וַתֵּשֶׁב לָהּ, the pronoun being added to the verb, as an ethical dative,
to indicate that the action was of special importance to her, meaning, "she, for
herself, or for her part, sat down" (see Ewald's 'Hebrews Synt. ,' § 315, a.; and
Glass, 'Phil Tract.,' 1. 3. tr. 2. c. 6; and compare ch. 12:1; 22:5) - over against him
a good way off. The hiphel infinitive of רָחַק, to go far away, to recede from any
one, is here used adverbially, as in Joshua 3:16 (Gesenius, Furst, Kalisch), though
by others it is understood as explaining the action of the previous verbs, and as
equivalent to a gerund in do, or a participle, elon-gando se (Rosenmüller), or
simply" removing to a distance" (Ewald; vide 'Hebrews Synt., § 280 a.).
As it were a bowshot. Literally, as those who draw the bow, i.e. as far off as
archers are accustomed to place the target (Keil). The sense is correctly given
by the Septuagint: μακρόθεν ὡσεὶ τόξου βολήν
– makrothen hosei toxou bolaen –
a good way off about a bow shot away. For she said, Let me not see - i.e. look
upon with anguish (compare Numbers
11:15) - the death of the child - τοῦ παιδίου
μου – tou paidiou mou – of the child (Septuagint). And she sat over against him,
and lift up her voice, and wept. The verbs, being feminine, indicate that it is
Hagar's grief which is here described, and that the rendering, "and the child lifted
up his voice and wept" (Septuagint), is incorrect; although the next verse may
suggest that Ishmael, like his
mother, was also dissolved in tears.
17 "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the
angel of God called to Hagar
out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for
God
hath heard the voice of the lad where he is." And God - Elohim; Hagar and
Ishmael having now been removed from the care and superintendence of the
covenant God to the guidance and providence of God the ruler of all nations
(Keil) - heard the
voice of the lad; - praying (Inglis), or
weeping, and the angel
of God - Maleach Elohim; not Maleach Jehovah, as in ch.16:7-13, for the reason
above specified (Hengstenberg, Quarry) - called to Hagar out of heaven, - it may
be inferred there was no external appearance or theophaneia, such as was vouchsafed
to her when wandering in the
wilderness of Shur (ch.
16:7) - and said unto her, What
aileth thee (literally, What to thee?) Hagar? fear not; - so the word of Jehovah
addressed Abram (ch. 15:1), Isaac (ch. 26:4), Daniel (Daniel 10:12), and John
(Revelation 1:17) - for God hath heard the voice of the lad - i.e. the voice (perhaps
the mute cry) of the lad's misery, and in that also the audible sob of Hagar's weeping.
It is not said that either Ishmael or his mother prayed to God in their distress. Hence
the Divine interposition on their
behalf non quid a se peterent,
sed quid servo suo
Abrahae de Ismaele pollicitus foret, respexit (Calvin) - where he is - an ellipsis for
from, or in, the place where he is - ἐκ τοῦ τόπου οὑ
ἐστιν – ek tou topou
ou estin –
(Septuagint); ex loco ubi est (Calvin); meaning either "in his helpless condition"
(Keil), or out in the desolate wilderness, as contrasted with the house of Abraham
(Calvin).
Hagar, a
Weary Outcast (v. 17)
“What aileth
thee, Hagar?” Hagar is sent away from Abraham’s tents. In
the
wilderness wandering she is lost. In despair she sinks down and weeps.
An angel’s voice is heard inquiring, “What aileth thee, Hagar?”
STILL
CHRISTLESS, They are —
Ø
Weary.
Ø
Thirsty.
Ø
Apparently
man-forsaken and God-forsaken.
Ø
Their dearest comforts
slipping from them, as Hagar’s child, by
death.
Ø
Death expecting.
IN TROUBLE.
1. Realize it.
2. Seek deliverance from above.
God is nearer to
us than we imagine. He feels for us, hears us, helps
us. He
gives sustenance,
cheer, guidance.
18 "Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in
thine hand; for I will make him a
great nation." Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand. Literally, bind
fast thy hand to him, i.e. give him thy support now, and take care of him till he
reaches manhood. Compare God's
promise to
him (literally,
to) a
great nation (see v. 13; and compare ch.16:10; 17:20).
19 "And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well
of water; and she went, and
filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink." And God opened her eyes.
Not necessarily by miraculous operation; perhaps simply by providentially guiding
her search for water, after the administered consolation had revived her spirit and
roused her energies. And she saw a well of water, בְּאֵר מַיִם, as distinguished from
בּור, a pit or cistern, meant a fountain or spring of living water (compare 24:11, 20;
26:19-21). It had not been previously observed by Hagar, either because of her
mental agitation (dolors quasi caeca. Rosenmüller), or because, as was customary,
the mouth of the well was covered -
and
she went, and filled the bottle with water,
and gave the lad drink - which was certainly the first of the youth s necessities,
being needful to the preservation of his life and the reviving of his spirits.
God’s Appearance to
Hagar (vs. 17-19)
The greatest truths in the Bible are put before us in a
setting of human interest
and
feeling. Our hearts are strangely touched by the
picture of the desolate
woman
and the
helpless child. (Is this true
character of God is exhibited. He heard the voice of the lad. All
such facts point
to
THE
GREATEST FACT, the union of God and man in the man
Christ Jesus. We see here:
SUFFERING: our example, The object of pity
apart from antecedents.
to some extent by means of, human infirmities, errors, and
sins. Ishmael
must be preserved, and has his part to play in the future.
apart from the covenant of God, outside the circle of
special privilege.
There is
God in the wilderness. The eyes which are darkened with
ignorance and self-will may yet be mercifully opened to see
the well of
water. The angel of deliverance follows even the bondwoman
and her son.
But the way to God through the wilderness is a
hard way:
Ø
a way of suffering,
Ø
a way of danger.
God was with Ishmael. He was
with him through
Abraham, for Abraham’s
sake. The course of Ishmael’s life illustrates the contrast
between a truly
religious career and one given up to natural impulse.
Compare
Esau and Joseph’s brethren.
Hagar in the
Wilderness (v. 19)
“And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water.” Hagar in the
wilderness. Why? She had no pleasure in her home; would not accept
her
position there. Hence Ishmael’s mocking. Compare working of pride
in
“Ye shall be as gods” (ch. 3:5), and its result — Adam and Eve driven out.
Observe — a soul despising the position of a child of God
is driven into the
wilderness by its own act. Pride rebels against terms of salvation
(Romans 10:3), a free gift to sinners seeking it as such
(Mark 2:17).
Hagar felt her misery, like many who find no peace. “All
is vanity.” She sat
down and wept. Did she cry to God? He had met her there before. Past
mercies should move to trust (Psalm 42:6). But pride and
unbelief
hinder prayer (Exodus 17:3-6). But God had not forgotten her
(compare
Matthew 18:11). “What aileth
thee?” Compare our Lord’s dealing with
those He helped.
1. Himself taking the first step.
2. Requiring a confession of their want.
3. Rousing expectation (John 4:14; 7:37).
the water of life. Why are
so many without peace? The well is
beside them;
the sound of the gospel is familiar to them. The Bible is
read in their
hearing, but it speaks nothing to them (II Corinthians
3:15). Christ died
for all (ibid. ch. 5:14). His blood the ransom for all
(I John 1:7).
We have
not to go to seek a Savior (Romans 10:6-8). No sin is too
deep for cleansing, no sorrow too great for comfort; nothing
required to
give a right to trust him (Isaiah 55:1; Luke 15:2). Why without
peace? The eyes are
closed to the truth (I Corinthians 2:14). Human
teaching cannot give life (Ezekiel 37:8). What is wanted is
not a new
fountain, but opened eyes. And it is disbelief of this
that keeps so many in
anxiety. To them the well is not there; they want God to give it.
They look
for something they are to do to find a Savior. It is
important to know what is
wanted — spiritual discernment. To many this seems a mere
fancy; but
they whose eyes are opened know it to be a passing from
darkness to light
(II
Timothy 1:10). Words often read become full of new meaning.
(Dwight
Moody said he had read the Bible through a hundred times and
each time it was new!
CY – 2019)
blind cannot see by his own will, so neither can the
unspiritual. The way of
salvation is before him, but while it commends itself to his
reason it brings
him no joy. Are we then without effort to sit still? No; all is ready on
God’s
part. “Wilt thou be made
whole?” Want of will alone hinders. Often men
would like to drink, but
not at God’s
fountain. Make an effort to
believe,
and power will be given.
(“But as many as received Him, to them gave
He power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His
name.” -
John 1:12)
the soul — THIS IS PEACE! Not by our own powers or wisdom, not by
our own holiness or advance in grace; but trust in Him. No
more fears. True,
the wilderness is there; the work has to be done, temptations
overcome,
sorrows borne, graces cultivated; but we can do all through Christ.
(Philippians
4:13) Now troubles become helps (Psalm
84:6), for they
make us flee to Christ (II Corinthians 12:9). And who can
count the
blessings revealed to him whose eyes are opened? A Father in
everything:
Ø
protection,
Ø
teaching,
Ø
guidance.
are inlets of ever increasing knowledge of God, whom to
know is
LIFE ETERNAL!
20 "And God was with the lad; and he grew, and
dwelt in the wilderness,
and became an archer. 21 And he
dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his
mother took him a wife out of the
Not simply in the ordinary sense in which He is with all men (Psalm 139:3-9;
Acts 17:27-28); not, certainly, in the spiritual sense in which He had promised to
be with Isaac (ch. 17:21), and in which He is with believers (ch. 26:24; Isaiah 41:10;
Matthew 28:20); but in the particular sense of exercising
towards him a special
providence, with a view to implementing the promise made concerning
him to
Abraham and Hagar. And he grew (literally, became great, i.e. progressed towards
manhood), and dwelt in the wilderness (i.e. led a roving and unsettled life),
and became an archer. Literally, and he was ׃ך׃ך רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת deriving רֹבֶה from רָבַה,
to grow great or multiply, either:
(1) when he grew up, an archer, or man using the bow (Gesenius, Keil);
(2) growing an archer, or acquiring skill as a bowman (Kalisch, Wordsworth); or
(3) growing, or multiplying into, a tribe of archers (Murphy).
With the first of these substantially agree the renderings καὶ ἀγένετο τοξότης –
kai ageneto toxotaes – and.....as he grew up became an archer (Septuagint),
and factus est juvenis sagittarius (Vulgate). Others, connecting רֹבֶה with רָבַכ,
in the sense of to cast arrows (compare ch. 49:23), read:
(1) "and he was a shooter of arrows from the bow" (Jarchi, Kimchi, Rosenmüller),
though in this case קֶשֶׁת would have to be read for קַשָּׁת (Furst);
(2) a marksman, archer, i.e. a marksman skilled in using the bow (Ewald,
see ' Hebrews Synt.,' § 287). Baumgarten translates, a hero (or great one),
an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: - the
on the south of
out
of the
God’s Care
for Ishmael (v. 20)
“And God was with the lad.” The encampment of Abraham was the scene
of
joy and festivity on the occasion of the recognition of Isaac publicly as
his
heir. It is said in Jewish lore that Abraham called a number of the
patriarchs to the feast, and that Melchizedek, Nahor,
and even Noah were
present. Ishmael had been heir-presumptive up to that time. He was
then
put
in the position of a subject to the son of Sarah. He and his mother
despised the weakling and nursling. They “mocked.” This roused the
indignation of Sarah, and she insisted on the banishment of both.
Abraham
was
very unwilling to consent to the proposal, for he had great affection
for
Ishmael. No wonder that he loved him, for he was, if not the child of
promise, at least the son who first roused in his breast the pride
and joy of
paternity. He seems to have hoped that Ishmael would be the one
through
whom the great blessings promised to him would be bestowed. Hence he
had
prayed, “O that Ishmael might live before thee” (ch.17:18).
Perhaps unbelief had much to do with the expression of the
hope. He
indicated his own contentment with that mode of fulfillment of the
promise;
God, however, has another. Abraham evidently loved the lad,
and now that
he
is grown to be a stalwart youth of about sixteen, it is strongly against his
inclination to send him away. Sarah insists. She in her indignation
will not
even speak of him by his name, but calls him contemptuously “the
son of
this bondwoman” (v. 10).
Abraham was very grieved (v. 11), but he can see
that there is no prospect of any peace in his encampment unless he should do
as
Sarah wishes. Two jealous women are enough to embitter his life, and bring
discord eventually among his retainers For typical reasons the
banishment was
permitted by God (v. 12), and Abraham sends both away, laden
probably not only
with trinkets, which shall suffice for barter, but with a flask of water and
strings
of
small loaves. Abraham had thus to sacrifice his own inclinations in Ishmael,
his
son after the flesh, as afterwards his will in offering up Isaac, his child of
promise. Away towards Egypt Hagar and Ishmael
travel. They enter the
wilderness of
dreariness, lonely journeys, imminent dangers from the wild beasts
and
fierce hordes of men, with
water spent, losing her way, waits for some one to guide. Unable
to
proceed, she and her son sink down to die, to perish in the
scorching heat
from that most fearful of all deprivations, water. Hagar, with bitter
memories of lost happiness and unjust treatment crowding, cannot
bear the
sight of her son’s woe and sound of his moaning, therefore
removes to a
slight distance, that she might not see his death nor disturb it
as she sought
to
ease her poor heart with tears. Oh, what moral beauty blossoms in the
desert in the maternal love of this outcast bondwoman. No human
eye
detects it, but God notices and hears her voice, and that of the
child. Then
comes the direction from heaven, and the promise, “I
will make of him a
great nation.” We are
told immediately afterwards in the brief record
concerning Ishmael that “God was with the lad,” and so the
promise was
fulfilled. We notice God’s care even for an Ishmael, for
one who would
appear to be outside all covenant blessings. He was one whose “hand
was
to be
against every man, and every man’s against him” (ch.16:12).
God manifested His care to Ishmael:
needs. God always knows our needs; whence to supply them,
and where to
find us even in the wilderness. A well of water is
unexpectedly pointed out
to the mother. Her eyes were opened to see its whereabouts.
So God
teaches many a mother, that she may lead her children to the
well of living
water. Every life preserved is only through the mercy of
God. “In
His hand
our breath is” (Daniel
5:23). There is a well for bondsmen as well as
free. God’s living well is to be reached in any position of
life. It is near to
us when we think it far off. “The word is nigh thee, in thine heart,” &c.
(Romans
10:8). If we are to see the treasure, our spiritual understanding
must be quickened, our “eyes opened” by the Holy Spirit.
If we desire to
know the way and well of life, we can pray for that opening.
Only as we
have this spiritual sight and life can we rejoice in the present
existence, in our preservation. God preserved Ishmael that
he might know
Him.
and gave him favor in the sight of others. God is ever
seeking by His Holy
Spirit to mold the character of the worst for good. If we
have any
prosperity and grow up to influence, we should remember that
it is from
God. The darkest
hour for Ishmael had ushered in the dawning of the
brightest day. God knew what he would do with Ishmael.
Ishmael is to
found a nation. It is remarkable that he was the ancestor of
the same
number of tribes as was
scattered people in the
seem to have absorbed all others. What an honor to be the
founder of a
house, a dynasty; how much more of a nation! This God granted
to an
Ishmael.
defend himself, and secure for himself, by God’s help, a
position. The
fighting power is not the highest, but man has always had to
protect
himself before he could make progress in civilization. Alas,
when he
supposes himself to be civilized he often clings to the old
habit, and still
loves the fighting. The archers, like Ishmael, have their
sphere as well as
the shepherds, like Isaacs. The fiery defenders of faith and
the controversial
champions of the truth have their sphere as well as the
pious, plodding
pastors of Christ’s flock. If men have skill for the one
thing, let them not
despise the powers of others. We have all to learn to
appreciate diversity of
talents, and to remember that skill in any work is the
outcome of
independence, resolution, and energy. Ishmael had been
endowed with
these by God.
He
gave to him the desert for his domain. Here he might
roam and pitch his tent at his own suggestion. God knew that
the hot blood
of his Egyptian mother, which coursed in his veins, would
find its most
fitting sphere in the desert. Instead of mingling with
gentle herdsmen, he
had to dwell among the fierce and untrained spirits of the
desert. He
became an ancestor of those who despised town life, and who
were hardy
and frugal enough to exist where others would have perished.
Thus to
Ishmael,
the desert, with its widespread, sun-scorched sands, its scant
herbage, its infrequent wells and scattered oases, became a
fitting home.
God chose
for him his dwelling-place, and defined for him the bounds of
his habitation. And is it not best for us to leave ourselves
in God’s hands?
He knows
best where to place any of us, and what work to give us to do,
what sphere to fill. We might prefer the green pasture and
hills flowing
with milk and honey of the
loneliness may be the best for training our spirits. We may
have losses to
endure outwardly, but if we can acquire a spirit of contentment
and faith,
that is great gain. (I Timothy 6:6) That spirit will lead us to say, “He shall
choose our inheritance for us.”
BRETHREN. He was to “dwell in the presence of his brethren”
(ch. 16:12). Though cast out by Abraham, he was not cast off
by
God or cut
off from all interchange with others. We find (ch.
25:6)
that Abraham gave portions to the sons of his second wife, Keturah, and
sent them away. Doubtless he gave a portion to Ishmael, for
we find him
uniting with Isaac in the funeral obsequies of his father (ibid. v. 9).
The two
sons were not at enmity now. Further, he seems to have kept up
his union with his brother, for his daughter Bashemath (ch. 36:3)
married Esau, Isaac’s son. Thus two families in the line of
promise, but
who had cast themselves out — Esau by his indifference, and
Ishmael by
his mocking — were united. Thus, although of fierce and
fiery nature,
Ishmael “dwelt
in the presence of his brethren.” God was with him. He had
a shorter life than Isaac. Ishmael died at 130 years old,
Isaac at 180.
Evidently
the active, restless, wandering, hazardous life was more wearing
and consuming than the calm and meditative life of the
pastoral Isaac. But
when he died God cared for him as well as for Isaac, only
his purposes
with respect to Isaac were different. Isaac was an ancestor
after the flesh
of the Messiah, but Ishmael had not that honor. Still
we must not think that
God had cast off Ishmael, and left him utterly and everlastingly to
perish.
Our God
cares for those outside the pale of the Church, even as for those
within. The former have not taken up their privileges, nor
seen how Christ
loves them. They are suffering
great loss, and are in danger of further loss,
but God cares for and pities them.
He wills not the death of a sinner.
Ø
He pitied the people
of
them space for repentance.
(Jonah)
Ø
He healed a Naaman; (II Kings 5)
Ø
sent his prophet to
dwell with a woman of Sarepta, and so conferred
honor upon her; (I Kings 17) and
Ø
he brought a Nebuchadnezzar to his
right mind by a judicious infliction.
(Daniel
4)
All
this was mercy shown outside the pale of
accounted as Ishmaelites. Oh, how much more widely flows the channel of
Divine mercy and love than we imagine! How little we conceive the depth of
the Father’s love to all His creatures! In every heart He is
seeking to find a
reflection of His image. By the side of every soul, however
much of an
Ishmaelite,
he is seeking by His Holy Spirit to walk, that He may win back
to the fold of love and mercy. Oh, ye who think yourselves
too sinful to
have a share in the Divine compassion, see God’s treatment
of an Ishmael.
Remember
that Christ came “not to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.” God is
merciful even to thoughtless sinners, and gives streams
in the desert. If this be the spirit of our God and Savior,
should it not teach
us to take an interest in all? As the sun when setting in
the west throws his
golden and purple rays not only over the broad ocean, but on
the dank
ditches of the meadows and the puddles of the street, so
should we
remember that there is no
heart so depraved but the love of God in
Christ
may light it up. If
only we looked at our fellows thus, with deeper
sympathy, we should see them won to Christ.
The
Separation of the Bondwoman’s Son from the Promised Seed
(vs. 8-21)
It was necessary that this should take place for the
accomplishment of the
Divine plan. Human conduct is employed, as in so many other cases, as
the
instrument or occasion. There was mockery or unbelief in Ishmael. It was
not
personal merely, but a mockery of Jehovah
and of His Church. Sarah
saw
it. The mother’s keen affections were sharpened to detect the scorn of
her
joy. Abraham and Sarah were both severely tried. Their lack of faith
must
yield fruit of sorrow (in the matter of Hagar).
The separation was pain to
the
father, but it was part of the gracious work of God for Isaac. Abraham was
being prepared by such discipline for his great climax of trial.
There is beautiful
tenderness and simplicity in Abraham’s conduct (v. 14). It is:
1. Entire obedience.
2. Kind and gentle consideration for Sarah and Hagar.
3. Strong faith; he committed her to God according to His word.
4. The master and the servant at the door of the house in the
early
morning; the
master himself placing the bottle of water on the
bondwoman’s
shoulder as a sign of continued affinity.
God commands separations. In obedience to Him they may involve
severe
struggle with self. It
should still be carried out with as little wounding of
human affections as possible.
Hagar and Ishmael (vs. 15-21)
Ø Banished from home. Hitherto the household of Abraham had been
to
Hagar
and her boy such a pleasant and doubtless much-prized abode;
henceforth their connection with the patriarch’s encampment
was to be
completely severed. So God in His mysterious providence and
in many
different ways frequently bereaves men of the shelter and
society of home.
Ø Separated from the Church. Practically the expulsion of this Egyptian
slave-mother and her son from the household of Abraham, if
it did not
involve a casting off from God’s mercy, amounted to
extrusion from the
patriarchal Church.
Ø Lost in the wilderness. Whether because the region through which
they
traveled was unfamiliar, or because, impelled by indignation
and
excitement, they simply drifted on with aimless feet, the
narrative depicts
the unhappy pair as having “wandered,” turned aside
into unfrequented
paths, and become lost; in that touchingly portraying the
sad condition of
thousands or homeless and churchless wanderers to-day, roaming
purposeless and perplexed across the trackless waste of
life.
Ø Perishing through thirst. Extreme thirst one of the most
excruciating
torments to which the physical frame can be subjected, and a
fellow
creature dying for lack of water, one of the commonest of
God’s mercies,
as sad a spectacle as any on which the eye of man can gaze.
Ø Sobbing in anguish. Too exhausted to weep aloud, the poor
disheartened lad moans out his misery. Happy they who, if
they cannot
relieve, can at least understand and be affected by their
necessities. To
recognize and make complaint of one’s spiritual destitution
is better than to
be callous and indifferent to one’s dying condition.
Ø Praying to God. Though not certain that the “voice”
of the lad meant
more than the rude cry of his distress, charity may hope
that in the day of
his calamity he directed his prayer to God. Prayer generally precedes
deliverance.
Ø The voice of heathen, superstition.
“Let me not see the death of the
lad.”
To a Christian mother
Hagar’s behavior is simply inexplicable. It is
doubtful if Sarah would have been a bow-shot removed from
Isaac had he
been expiring. But then Hagar, though she had been Abraham’s
wife, was
still a poor untutored slave-girl. It may assist us to
understand our
indebtedness to the humanizing influences of Christ’s
religion.
Ø The cry of material affection. “She sat over against her boy, and lifted
up
her voice and wept.” Even in the breast of this Egyptian bondmaid nature
asserted her supremacy. Everywhere beautiful and sacred is a
mother’s
love, worthy of being cherished and reciprocated by those
who know its
sweetness and strength, never failing to bring down
retribution on those by
whom it is rejected and despised.
Ø Sympathizing with the sorrowful. “What aileth thee,
Hagar?” What a
glimpse into the infinite pitifulness
of the Divine nature! Only when Christ
came was it surpassed in clearness and fullness.
Ø Listening to the suppliant. As the prayer of Ishmael came up into the
wakeful ear of God, so the cries of dying men and perishing
souls never
fail to do.
Ø Consoling the dejected. As to Hagar the angel spoke words of
encouragement, and renewed the formerly-given assurance
concerning the
future greatness of her son, so God revives the drooping spirits of His
people by directing them to His exceeding great and precious
promises.
Ø Providing for the destitute. “God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of
water.” And so by the
leadings of His providence, the teachings of His
word, and the illumination of His Spirit does God guide the
meek to the
wells of salvation.
Ø Abiding with the homeless. “God was with the lad.” Ejected from
Abraham’s
house, he was not deserted by Abraham’s God. Happy they
who amid life’s wanderings can count on God’s companionship. For
desertions of friends and deprivations of goods it will
prove ample
compensation.
LEARN:
1. To prize the blessing
of a home and the privilege of a Church.
2. To commiserate and
succor those who have neither.
3. To use God in all
the revealed aspects of His gracious
character.
22 "And it came to pass at that time, that
Abimelech and Phichol the chief
captain of his host spake
unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that
thou doest:" And it came to pass at that time, - possibly in immediate sequence
to the incident of the preceding chapter, but, "according to the common law
of Hebrew narrative, probably not long after the birth of Isaac." (Murphy) –
that Abimelech - the king of Gerar (ch. 20:2; 26:1,16) - and Phi-chol - if the
name be Shemitic, "mouth of all," i.e. spokesman of all (Murphy), ruler of all
(Gesenius); or "the distinguished" (Furst); believed to have been a titular
designation of the Philistine monarch's grand vizier or prime minister (Lange,
'Speaker's Commentary'), who was also - the chief captain of his host
(i.e. the commander-in-chief of his forces) spake unto Abraham (having
come from Gerar for the purpose), saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest –
a conviction derived from his former acquaintance with the patriarch (ch. 20.), his
knowledge of Isaac s birth, and his general observation of the patriarch's prosperity.
23 "Now therefore swear unto me here by God
that thou wilt not deal falsely
with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's
son: but according to the kindness
that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto
me, and to the land wherein thou
hast sojourned." Now therefore swear unto me here by God - the verb to swear is
derived from the Hebrew numeral seven, inasmuch as the septennary number was
sacred, and oaths were confirmed either by seven sacrifices (v. 28) or by seven
witnesses and pledges - that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, - literally, if thou
shalt lie unto me; a common form of oath in Hebrew, in which the other member
of the sentence is for emphasis left unexpressed (compare Ruth 1:17, and see
ch. 14:23). As a prince, Abimelech was afraid of Abraham's growing power;
as a good man, he insures the
safety of himself and his dominions not by resorting
to war, but by
forming an amicable treaty with his neighbor - nor with my son,
nor with my son's son: - σπέρμα καὶ ὅνομα – sperma kai honoma – issue or seed
called by my surname – interpretation
mine – CY – 2019) (Septuagint); posteri et
stirps (Vulgate); offspring and progeny (Kalisch); kith and kin (Murphy) - but
according to the kindness that I have done
unto thee (see ch. 20:15), thou
shalt
do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned - the land being put for
the people (compare Numbers 14:13).
24 "And Abraham said, I will swear." Only before concluding the agreement there
was a matter of a more personal
character that required settlement.
25 “And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well
of water, which
Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.” And Abraham reproved
(literally, reasoned with, and proved to the satisfaction of) Abimelech (who was,
until informed, entirely
unacquainted with the action of his servants) because of
a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. The greatest
possible injury of a material kind that could be done to a nomads chief was the
abstraction of his water supplies.
Hence "the ownership of wells in
as jealously guarded as the possession of a mine in our own" (Inglis). Contests for
wells "are now very common all over the country, but more especially in the
southern deserts" (Thomson, 'Land and Book,' p. 559). (Also in the settlement
of the western
26 “And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this
thing: neither didst
thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to
day.” And Abimelech said,
I wot not who hath done this thing. There is no reason to question the sincerity
of the Philistine monarch in disclaiming all knowledge of the act of robbery
committed by his servants. Neither
didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it,
but today. The prince rather
complains that Abraham had done him an injustice.
27 “And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them
unto Abimelech;
and both of them made a covenant.” And
Abraham took sheep and oxen,
and gave them unto Abimelech As the usual covenant presents (compare
I Kings 15:19; Isaiah 30:6; 39:1). And both of them made a covenant.
As already Mamre, Aner, and Eshcol had formed a league with the patriarch
(see ch.
14:13).
28 “And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by
themselves. 29
And
Abimelech said unto
Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou
hast set by themselves? 30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou
take of my hand, that they may be a witness
unto me, that I have digged this
well.” And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves (designing
by another covenant to secure
himself against future invasion of his rights). And
Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou
hast set by themselves? And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take
of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, - that this peculiar kind of oath
never occurs again in Old Testament history is no proof of the mythical character
of the narrative (Bohlen); on the contrary, "that the custom existed in primitive
Hebrew times is shown by the word נִשְׁבַּע, which had early passed into the
language, and which would be inexplicable without the existence of such a
custom" (Havernick)
- that
I have digged this well.
31 “Wherefore he called that place
of them.”
Wherefore he called that place
φρέαρ ὁρκισμοῦ - phrear horkismou (Septuagint, Gesenius, Furst, Rosenmüller),
or the well of the seven (Keil), rather than the seven wells (Lange); discovered
by Robinson in Bir-es-seba, in the Wady-es-seba, twelve miles to the south of
diameter at the mouth of twelve feet six inches, or a circumference of nearly
forty feet. The shaft is formed of excellent masonry to a great depth until it
reaches the rock, and at this juncture a spring trickles perpetually. Around
the mouth of the well is a circular course of masonry, topped by a circular
parapet of about a foot high; and at a distance of ten or twelve feet are stone
troughs placed in a concentric circle with the well, the sides of which have
deep indentions made by the wear of ropes on the upper edges The second well,
about 200 yards farther south, is not more than five feet in diameter, but is
formed of equally good masonry, and furnishes equally good water" (see
'Byeways in
sware both of them.
32 “Thus they made a covenant at
and Phichol the
chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land
of the Philistines. 33 And
Abraham planted a grove in
there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.” And Abraham planted –
as a sign of his peaceful occupation of the soil (Calvin); as a memorial of the
transaction about the well ('Speaker's Commentary'); or simply as a shade for his
tent (Rosenmüller); scarcely as an oratory (Bush, Kalisch) - a grove - the אֵשֶׁל –
wood, plantation (Targum, Vulgate, Samaritan, Kimchi); a field, ἄρουραν –
arouran – a tamarisk tree (Septuagint) - was probably the Tamarix Africanae
(Gesenius, Furst, Delitzsch, Rosenmüller, Kalisch), which, besides being common
in
in
on the name of the Lord, - Jehovah (see ch. 12:8; 13:4) - the everlasting God –
τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου θεὸς αἰώνιος – to onoma kuriou Theos aionios - literally, the name
of THE GOD OF ETERNITY (Septuagint, Vulgate, Onkelos); not in contrast
to heathen deities, who are born
and die (Clericus), but "as
the everlasting Vindicator
of the faith of treaties, and as the infallible Source of
the believer's rest and peace"
(Murphy).
34 “And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land
many days.”
The apparent contradiction between the statement of this verse and that
of v. 32 may be removed by supposing either:
(1) that as the land of the Philistines had no fixed boundary toward the desert,
or,
(2) that as
Abraham must frequently have sojourned in their country while pasturing
his flocks (Rosenmüller).
Abimelech
and Abraham, or Ancient Covenanters
(vs. 22-34)
Ø The contemplated object. Peace. What modern monarchs mostly desire
at the close of exhausting campaigns is here sought before campaigns
begin.
Ø The covenanting parties. Two powerful princes, in their conduct
exemplifying the
spirit of unity and peace which should bind
together
private persons in their daily intercourse, as well as kings
and nations in
their political alliance.
Ø The impelling motives. Worldly policy may have urged Abimelech to
cement a league with the powerful chieftain in his
neighborhood, but
religions affinity would also seem to have exercised an
influence in drawing
him to seek the friendship of one who appeared to enjoy
celestial
protection. Good men mostly desire to have the saints as
friends, and even
the wicked can perceive an advantage in being allied to the
righteous.
Abraham’s
acquiescence in the king’s proposal was no doubt dictated by:
o
a peaceable
disposition,
o
a
sense of equity,
o
a
spirit of contentment, and
o
an unwavering confidence in God.
Ø The public ceremonial. The alliance was contracted
o
by
means of amicable conference, and
o
with
the sanctions of religion.
Ø The palpable injury. The herdsmen of the king had appropriated
Abraham’s
well. God s people, though expected meekly to suffer wrong,
cannot always help seeing that it is wrong they suffer. Nor
are they called
upon to bear what by lawful means they are able to redress.
A godly man is
entitled to be careful of his property, to preserve it from
damage, protect it
from theft, and recover it when stolen or lost. (The child of God has the
same rights as an unbeliever! CY – 2019)
Ø The mistaken charge. Abraham, thinking the herdsmen had acted
on
their master’s orders, reproved Abimelech.
This, however, was an error,
which shows:
o
that
a person cannot always be held responsible for what his servants
do,
o
that
it is wrong to judge on insufficient evidence with reference to the
characters and conduct of others, and
o
that
in making charges or preferring complaints it is well to avoid both:
§
heat
of temper and
§
severity
of language.
Ø The satisfactory explanation. Abimelech
declared himself perfectly
unacquainted with the wrong which had been done to Abraham,
and
immediately returned the well, which discovers how easily
misunderstandings might be removed if, instead of harboring enmity, men
would resort to friendly conference. It is as much the duty of him who has
a grievance to reveal it, as it is the duty of him who has
caused the
grievance to remove it.
Ø The prudent measure. Abraham gave Abimelech
seven ewe lambs as a
witness that he had digged the
well, and consequently had a right to its
possession. Seemingly betraying a secret suspicion of the
prince’s veracity,
the act aimed at preventing any recurrence of the grievance,
and in this
light it appears to have been regarded by Abimelech. Good
men should not
only rectify the wrongs they do to one another, but adopt all wise
precautions against their repetition.
Ø
Peace established, Abimelech and Phichol, having accomplished their
mission, returned to
(Matthew
5:9) and “how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet
of him that publisheth peace.” (Isaiah
52:7)
Ø
Peace commemorated. Abraham instituted two memorials of the
important transactions, naming the well
tamarisk beside his tent. It is
good to remember God’s mercies,
of which national and civil quietude is one of the greatest,
and it
is becoming to erect memorials of both privileges and
obligations.
Ø
Peace enjoyed. Abraham called on the name of the everlasting God. As
a planter of tamarisks, the patriarch has been styled the
father of
civilization; it is more important to remark that he never
neglected to
worship God himself and publish his salvation to others. Happy they
who can do both in peace!
A Covenant between the Patriarch and
the Philistine King
(vs. 22-34)
1. God’s care for
those beyond the covenant. A
land.
2. The things of this
world made a channel of higher blessings. The
covenant arising out of bodily wants a civil agreement. The oath a
testimony to God where reverently made.
3. He is not far from
every one of us. The neighborhood of
revelation of Jehovah, the little company of believers.
4. The blessing made
manifest. The days spent in
some enlightenment.
5. Adaptation of
Divine truth to those to whom it is sent. Abraham’s name
of
God, Jehovah
El Olam; the two
revelations:
The name of the Lord itself is an invitation to believe and
live.
Paul at
while leading them to faith. “In Him we live, and move, and
have our
being.” (Acts 17:26)
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