_ABRAM BELIEVES GOD, WHO PROMISED HIM A SEED WHICH SHALL EQUAL THE STARS IN NUMBER. HE IS COMMANDED TO PREPARE VICTIMS; FALLS INTO A DEEP SLEEP, AND HEARS GOD FORETELLING THE FUTURE CONDITION OF HIS POSTERITY: THE COVENANT IS RENEWED._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD OF THE LORD, &C.— This is the first time that this expression occurs, דבראּיהוה _debar Jehovah, the word of Jehovah,_ which many suppose to be characteristic of the second Divine Person, who is the WORD, John 1:1. And possibly it is first used here, as the chapter contains a _prophetic acco... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIEZER OF DAMASCUS— i.e.. sprung originally from Damascus. The Hebrew word _ben-meshec,_ which we translate _steward_, signifies _the son of provision, he who provideth._ It was a custom among the ancients to have such a _superior_ servant: but upon what custom the right to inheritance for such a o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABRAM SAID, &C.— Abram spreads his grief before the Lord; and since he is so gracious, shews him his trouble. _Observe,_ God's ears are ever open to the voice of our complaint. Abram had a great promise, but no appearance of its fulfilment: he was childless, and, humanly speaking, likely to cont... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BROUGHT HIM FORTH ABROAD, &C.— This was done most probably towards the decline of the _night,_ for reasons we shall presently assign: but the reader is desired to take notice, that there is nothing here which can countenance the opinion of this being a _visionary_ representation. _SO SHALL THY S... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BELIEVED, &C.— Not only that he should have a child, though his wife was barren, and far advanced in life, as well as himself; but also that his posterity, which seemed extremely improbable, should be, like the stars, innumerable. Assured of the Divine veracity and power, he gave glory to God, an... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREBY SHALL I KNOW THAT I SHALL INHERIT IT?— "Whereby shall I be ascertained, that my posterity shall possess this land, in right of that inheritance which thou hast given to me?" For the higher confirmation, of his faith, he asks some miraculous sign and pledge of the certainty of an _event,_ of... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID UNTO HIM, TAKE ME AN HEIFER, &C.— i.e.. says Mede, offer unto me the following creatures; the only ones appointed to be offered under the Mosaic law; which strengthens their opinion (and I confess it is mine) who believe, that animals were divided into clean and unclean for sacrifice before... [ Continue Reading ]
HE TOOK AND DIVIDED, &C.— We have here the first and most ancient account of the manner by which many nations of the world entered into and ratified their covenants. It is alluded to again in Jeremiah 34:18. The method was to divide the victims, and lay the parts divided asunder, when the covenantin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN— The original is, _and the sun was_ (לבוא _labo, ad intrandum,_ says Montanus) _about to enter,_ "the time of sun-rising approached," which I take to be the true sense of the passage. For, as I conceive, God came to Abram in the night, perhaps the beginning of it; aft... [ Continue Reading ]
AFFLICT THEM FOUR HUNDRED YEARS— That is, from the birth of Isaac, the seed to whom the promise was given: and from that birth to the coming out of AEgypt, were just four hundred years. It cannot fail to strike the attentive reader how exactly this prophecy, respecting Abram's seed, was fulfilled.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL I JUDGE— _Judge_ is a Hebraism for _punish:_ 2 Chronicles 20:12.Hebrews 13:4. It is also used in the contrary sense, of acquitting, rewarding, or redressing wrongs, when applied to the righteous, Psalms 10:18. The reason is evident: God, the just Judge, when he _tries_ both righteous and wicked... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT GO TO THY FATHERS IN PEACE— It appears that this verse only concerns Abram personally, but all the rest of the prophecy respects his posterity. Some, says Parker, think this, _Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace,_ was no more than an oriental phrase for going to the grave: but it cannot... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FOURTH GENERATION— Either, 1st, from the descent into AEgypt; and thus Caleb was the fourth from Judah; and Moses and Aaron the fourth from Levi: or, 2nd, in the fourth generation of the Amorites; a sense which seems the more probable from the words immediately following, _for the iniquity of... [ Continue Reading ]
IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN, &C.— As in Genesis 15:12 according to our interpretation, mention is made of the _rising,_ so here of the _setting_ sun; nor does it seem probable, that both passages speak of the latter. If any one, however, shall be tenacious of this opinion, we must s... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS LAND, FROM THE RIVER OF AEGYPT, &C.— The river of AEgypt cannot mean the Nile, but some river upon the border of AEgypt. Solomon is said to have reigned from the river (Euphrates) unto the border of AEgypt. See 1 Kings 4:21 where we shall speak more of this grant to Abram, and its completion.... [ Continue Reading ]