And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. Ver. 1. _And the Lord visited Sarah._] God pays not his people with words only, as Sertorius did his soldiers, _a_ He fools them not off with fair promises, _b_ as Ptolemy (surnamed therefore Dωσων) did his fav... [ Continue Reading ]
_For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him._ Ver. 2. _For Sarah conceived._] By the force of her faith, though at first she faltered. Heb 11:11 _ And bare Abraham a son in his old age._] _Beatae senectutis et emeritae fidei filium_,... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. Ver. 3. _And Abraham called the name, &c._] A ridiculous name, but such as God had imposed. All God's ways are foolishness to the world, - Christ and all. But - as old men use to say to young - they _think... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. Ver. 4. _And Abraham circumcised his son._] At circumcision, as now at baptism, names were given. Let them be such as are significant, and may immind us of some good, either person or thing; all will be found litt... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him._ Ver. 5. _And Abraham was a hundred years old._] After twenty years' praying, and waiting the fulfilling of the promise; besides thirteen of those years' silence, for aught we read, after the promise of a child. This was a... [ Continue Reading ]
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, [so that] all that hear will laugh with me. Ver. 6. _God hath made me to laugh._] "A wise son maketh a glad father". Pro 10:1 _Monstri autem simil est, quando pro risu sunt fletus, sunt flagellum_. And yet this is many a good man's case. How many parents a... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 7. _That Sarah should have given children suck._] So she had a double blessing, - of the womb, and of the breasts. Milk she had at those years, and great stor... [ Continue Reading ]
And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the [same] day that Isaac was weaned. Ver. 8. _And Abraham made a great feast._] A laudable custom, saith Cajetan, that the beginning of the eating of the firstborn should be celebrated with a feast. St Augustine observeth here, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking._ Ver. 9. _And Sarah saw the son of Hagar mocking._] At that mystical name Isaac, as a gaud, or laughingstock. At the feast also, made upon such a frivolous occasion. As who should say, What care I, though this a... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 10. _Cast out this bondwoman._] Who had been, likely, either an author or abettor of her son's sin, in ambitiously seeking the inheritance. Out... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son._ Ver. 11. _And the thing was very grievous, &c._] See, there is grief sometimes between the best couples as above said. Gen 16:5 But why was it so grievous to cast out Ishmael, when in the next chapter, it seems no such grief t... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 12. _In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, &c._] The wife then is to be hear... [ Continue Reading ]
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed. Ver. 13. _Because he is thy seed._] So bountiful a Master is God, so liberal a Lord, that he blesseth his servants in their seed too. We count it a great favour if an earthly lord give an old servant a country cott... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Beersheba. Ver. 14. _And Abraham rose up early._] He was not disobedient to... [ Continue Reading ]
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. Ver. 15. _And the water was spent in the bottle._] All creature comforts will fade and fail us; as the brook Cherith dried up while the prophet was drinking of it; as those pools about Jerusalem, that might be dr... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 16. _Let me not see the death of the child._] This, saith an interpreter, _a_ was but po... [ Continue Reading ]
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]. Ver. 17. _And God heard the voice of the lad._] Weeping hath a voice. Psa 6:8 And as music upon the wa... [ Continue Reading ]
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. Ver. 18. _For I will make him a great nation._] A nation by himself, as he had promised to Abraham. This had not come to pass, had not she missed her way to Egypt, and wandered in this wilderness. God, by his pr... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 19. _God opened her eyes, &c._] The well was there before, but she saw it not till her eyes were opened. So, till God irradiate both the organ and the object, we neithe... [ Continue Reading ]
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. Ver. 20. _And God was with the lad, &c._] The fountain of Hagar, saith a divine, lying between Bared and Kadesh Barnea, was afterwards called the well of the living God; and seemeth mystically to represent bap... [ Continue Reading ]
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt. Ver. 21. _And his mother took him a wife._] _Adeo est iuris non gentium, sed ipsius naturae, ut parentes matrimonia liberis procurent_. Children are a chief part of their parents' goods; therefore to b... [ Continue Reading ]
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: Ver. 22. _God is with thee in all that thou doest._] Natural conscience cannot choose but stoop to the image of God stamped upon the natu... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 23. _Swear unto me here by God, &c._] This vi... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham said, I will swear. Ver. 24. _I will swear._] Abraham quickly consents to so reasonable a request, from so honourable a person. The wisdom from above is "easy to be entreated". Jam 3:17 The churl Nabal holds it a goodly thing to hold off. It is but manners to reciprocate: very publicans... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away. Ver. 25. _And Abraham reproved Abimelech._] Inferiors may reprove their superiors, so they do it wisely and modestly.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 26. _I wot not who hath done this thing._] A fault it might be in Abraham, not to complain to the king. For many a good prince is even bought and sold by his officers an... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. Ver. 27. _Abraham took sheep and oxen._] In token of true and hearty reconciliation. _Reconciliationes_, saith Menander, _sunt vulpinae amicitiae_. Let it be so among heathens. But we have not so learne... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. Ver. 28. _By themselves._] Because for a distinct use; nothing concerning the covenant aforementioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What [mean] these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? Gen 21:30 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. Ver. 29, 30. _These seven ewe-lambs._] Wherewith I w... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. Ver. 31. _They sware both of them._] Or, they were sworn. The Hebrew is passive (נשׁבע). To show that an oath is not rashly to he undertaken, but by a kind of necessity imposed. It comes of a root that signifies to sati... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. Ver. 32. _A covenant._] _Foedus_, παρα το πεποιθεναι _a_ a _Sic fidus_, παρα το πειθειν... [ Continue Reading ]
And [Abraham] planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. Ver. 33. _Abraham planted a grove._] That he might have a private place for prayer and meditation. And thus he improved and employed that recent peace he had made with Ahimelech. Oh that God w... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days. Ver. 34. _Many days._] Twenty-five years at least: for so old was Isaac when he went to be sacrificed. Some halcyons God vouchsafes to his "afflicted, and tossed with tempest"; Isa 54:11 some rest and repose to his poor pilgrims. _Laus Deo_... [ Continue Reading ]