_AND THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM IN THE PLAINS OF MAMRE: AND HE SAT IN THE TENT DOOR IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY;_ The Lord appeared. This chapter records another manifestation of the divine presence more familiar than any yet narrated, and more like that in the fullness of time, when the Word was made f... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE LIFT UP HIS EYES AND LOOKED, AND, LO, THREE MEN STOOD BY HIM: AND WHEN HE SAW THEM, HE RAN TO MEET THEM FROM THE TENT DOOR, AND BOWED HIMSELF TOWARD THE GROUND,_ Lift up his eyes ... and, lo, three men. Travelers in that quarter start at sunrise, and continue until midday, when they look ou... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAID, MY LORD, IF NOW I HAVE FOUND FAVOUR IN THY SIGHT, PASS NOT AWAY, I PRAY THEE, FROM THY SERVANT:_ My Lord. The person addressed by Abraham was pitched upon, as it would seem, from some apparent superiority of person or of mien. [It is true that the text has _ 'ADONAAY_ (H136) (not _ 'ªDON... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET A LITTLE WATER, I PRAY YOU, BE FETCHED, AND WASH YOUR FEET, AND REST YOURSELVES UNDER THE TREE:_ And rest yourselves under the tree, [Hebrew, _ WªHISHAA`ªNUW_ (H8172)] - and recline, by stretching yourselves upon the sward, and leaning upon the elbow.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND I WILL FETCH A MORSEL OF BREAD, AND COMFORT YE YOUR HEARTS; AFTER THAT YE SHALL PASS ON: FOR THEREFORE ARE YE COME TO YOUR SERVANT. AND THEY SAID, SO DO, AS THOU HAST SAID._ For therefore are ye come. No questions were asked. But Abraham knew their object by the course they took-approaching di... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ABRAHAM HASTENED INTO THE TENT UNTO SARAH, AND SAID, MAKE READY QUICKLY THREE MEASURES OF FINE MEAL, KNEAD IT, AND MAKE CAKES UPON THE HEARTH._ Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal - [Hebrew, _ Cª'IYM_ (H5429)]. The seah contained six cabs, and three seahs made an ephah - i:e., about... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD, AND FETCHT A CALF TENDER AND GOOD, AND GAVE IT UNTO A YOUNG MAN; AND HE HASTED TO DRESS IT._ Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf. Animal food is seldom indulged in by the wealthiest pastoral chiefs, and is never provided except for visitors of a superior ra... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE TOOK BUTTER, AND MILK, AND THE CALF WHICH HE HAD DRESSED, AND SET IT BEFORE THEM; AND HE STOOD BY THEM UNDER THE TREE, AND THEY DID EAT._ Milk [Hebrew, _ CHEM'AAH_ (H2529), curdled or sour milk, called by the Arabs leban] - a common refreshment in the tents of nomadic people. The butter is... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, WHERE IS SARAH THY WIFE? AND HE SAID, BEHOLD, IN THE TENT._ An enquiry about his wife, so surprising in strangers, the subject of conversation, and the announced fulfillment of the fondly cherished promise at a specified time, showed Abraham that he had been entertaining mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE MEN ROSE UP FROM THENCE, AND LOOKED TOWARD SODOM: AND ABRAHAM WENT WITH THEM TO BRING THEM ON THE WAY._ Men rose ... Abraham went with them. It is customary for a host to escort his guests a little way [Hebrew, _ LªSHALªCHAAM_ (H7971)] - to accompany them at departing (cf. Genesis 12:20; G... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SAID, SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM THAT THING WHICH I DO;_ The Lord said - the chief stranger. No other than the Lord disclosed to Abraham the awful doom about to be inflicted on Sodom and the cities of the plain for their enormous wickedness. SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM THAT THING WHICH... [ Continue Reading ]
_SEEING THAT ABRAHAM SHALL SURELY BECOME A GREAT AND MIGHTY NATION, AND ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED IN HIM?_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR I KNOW HIM, THAT HE WILL COMMAND HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER HIM, AND THEY SHALL KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD, TO DO JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT; THAT THE LORD MAY BRING UPON ABRAHAM THAT WHICH HE HATH SPOKEN OF HIM._ For I know him, that he will command. Kennicott renders it, 'I know him, that,... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SAID, BECAUSE THE CRY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH IS GREAT, AND BECAUSE THEIR SIN IS VERY GRIEVOUS;_ Because the cry of Sodom ... is great, [Hebrew, _ ZA`ªQAT_ (H2201) _ CªDOM_ (H5467)] - the cry concerning Sodom. The word denotes a cry-outcry-arising from pain and sorrow, or as imploring h... [ Continue Reading ]
_I WILL GO DOWN NOW, AND SEE WHETHER THEY HAVE DONE ALTOGETHER ACCORDING TO THE CRY OF IT, WHICH IS COME UNTO ME; AND IF NOT, I WILL KNOW._ I will go down ... and see. The meaning of the passage, which is elliptical, is this:-I shall examine fully whether the corruption of the people is as universa... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE MEN TURNED THEIR FACES FROM THENCE, AND WENT TOWARD SODOM: BUT ABRAHAM STOOD YET BEFORE THE LORD._ The men ... went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. The two who departed are generally supposed to be the angels whose arrival in Sodom is described, Genesis 19:1. But it ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ABRAHAM DREW NEAR, AND SAID, WILT THOU ALSO DESTROY THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED?_ And Abraham drew near. The traditional spot where this memorable intercession was made is called Caphar barucha, whence, through a ravine, a distant view of the Dead Sea and its environs is to be obtained (see... [ Continue Reading ]
_PERADVENTURE THERE BE FIFTY RIGHTEOUS WITHIN THE CITY: WILT THOU ALSO DESTROY AND NOT SPARE THE PLACE FOR THE FIFTY RIGHTEOUS THAT ARE THEREIN?_ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD WENT HIS WAY, AS SOON AS HE HAD LEFT COMMUNING WITH ABRAHAM: AND ABRAHAM RETURNED UNTO HIS PLACE._ The Lord ... left communing ... and Abraham returned unto his place. Why did Abraham cease to carry his intercessions further? Either because he fondly thought that he was now sure of th... [ Continue Reading ]