ix. 1. But their design of defeating God's purpose was the occasion of accomplishing it.

5. the Lord came down] This is spoken after the manner of men, and means only that the Lord observed their design; ch. xviii. 21.; Exod. xi. 4.; Ps. cxliv. 5.

6. the people is one,] Viz. those who make the attempt are one people, having one language; "and this they begin to do," namely, to build a city and tower, v. 4. “ and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do;" i. e. nothing will deter them from accomplishing their designs.

7. Go to,] V. 3. note. "Let us," &c. a plain intimation of a Plurality in the Godhead, ch. i. 1. 26. notes. As to the mode in which their language was confounded, and they in consequence dispersed abroad, there have been many opinions, but they are little better than conjectures. The sacred historian merely states the fact of the confusion of languages, and the consequent dispersion of the people. In memory of this event, the city was called Babel, a Hebrew word denoting confusion.

31. they went forth] By Divine command, ch. xii. 1. xv. 7.; Neh. ix. 7.; Acts vii. 3.; Heb. xi. 8.

CHAPTER XII.

1. the Lord had said] From comparing Acts vii. 2-4. it appears that there were two Divine calls. The first is related ch. xi. 31. when Terah and his family came to Haran or Charran; the second in this verse, when "the Lord said unto Abram," for so it ought to be rendered, and not "had said ;" and this second call was after Terah was dead, ch. xi. 32.; Acts vii. 4. But some think there was only one call, and that what is here mentioned took place before Abram came to Haran, and while he lived in Ur of the Chaldees. The words, "a land that I will show thee," imply that God did not then tell him whither, and Abram's obedience was therefore the greater evidence of his faith, as the Apostle observes, Heb. xi. 8. We are not told how the Lord spake to Abram, nor how he showed him the land to which he was to go.

2. a great nation,] I will make thee the head and father of a great nation; a promise which has been eminently fulfilled by the numerous descendants from him, the Jews and Saracenic tribes. This promise was several times repeated; ch. xiii. 16. xv. 5. xvii. 6. xviii. 18 xxii. 17. xxvi. 4. xxviii. 14. xxxii. 12. "And I will bless thee" with temporal and spiritual things, ch. xxiv. 1; Gal. iii. 9. 14. "and make thy name," thy renown, ch. xi. 4. great; and thou shalt be a blessing," or, as the Hebrew may be rendered, be thou a blessing," i. e. to all nations, by being the progenitor of the Messiah, as explained in the next verse.

3. in thee, &c.] Viz. in thy seed, the Messiah, as is plain from ch. xxii. 18.; Acts iii. 25.; Gal. iii. 16. "shall all the families of

the earth be blessed," i. e. not only the Jews, the posterity of Abram, but all nations, Rom. iv. 11.; Gal. iii. 7-9. The first clause means that God would be in such friendship with him, as to regard Abram's friends as his friends, and Abram's enemies as his enemies.

4. seventy-five years old] See the chronological difficulty solved in the note on Acts vii. 4.

5. the souls] Rather," and the servants which they had acquired in Haran;" for the word rendered " souls," denotes also servants; ch. xxxvi. 6.; Ezek. xxvii. 13. comp. ch. xiv 14.

6. the place of Sichem,] The spot where Sichem was afterwards built. The plain," rather, "the oak of Moreh," as in ch. xxxv. 4.; Josh. xxiv. 26. "The Canaanite;" probably some particular tribe descended from Canaan, which, Moses observes, were then in the land," i. e. the place where Sichem was afterwards. It may, however, mean that the Canaanites were then in the land of Canaan. This has been considered an interpolation, as the observation was not likely to be made till after the expulsion of the Canaanites. But, in either of the above senses, the remark is natural, and coherent with the narrative; viz. the Canaanite was in the land at the time when " the Lord appeared unto Abram," &c. v. 7. comp. ch. iii. 9. note.

7. an altar] For sacrifice; ch. xiii. 4, 18. xxvi. 25. so in the next verse; and called upon the name of the Lord," i. e. paid divine worship to him, ch. iv. 26. note. The promise of giving the land of Canaan to Abram's seed was afterwards renewed; ch. xiii. 15. xv. 18. xvii. 8. xxiv. 7. xxvi. 3. comp. Deut. xxxiv. 4.

11. a fair woman] The Hebrew implies fairness of complexion, and therefore likely to attract the attention of the darker coloured Egyptians. Though Sarai was now perhaps about sixty, yet, considering the longevity and robust health of the patriarchs, she might retain her comeliness.

13. thou art my sister :] This was in some measure true, being his step-sister, as appears from ch. xx. 12.; but still it was a culpable prevarication, and the more disgraceful as it betrayed a distrust in the promise of God that he should have a numerous posterity, v. 2. From this history we may learn, 1st, to appreciate the admirable impartiality of the sacred writers in recording the defects as well as the virtues, of the ancient worthies, who as men were not perfect; and 2dly, to place a guard upon ourselves lest we also fall in the hour of temptation. Compare ch. xxvi. 7. 15. Pharaoh] This is a Coptic word signifying a king, and was the common name of the Egyptian kings.

17. the Lord plagued Pharaoh] We are not told what these plagues were, nor how Pharaoh learned that they were in consequence of his taking Sarai with an intent to marry her. The Égyptians, it appears, thought it unlawful to take another man's wife; for as soon as Pharaoh knew who Sarai was, he dismissed her and her husband with kindness, v. 19, 20, and in short his

conduct was throughout just and honourable. We may therefore conclude that the plagues with which God plagued Pharaoh and his household were not any severe visitations intended as a punishment, but something designed to touch him, as the Hebrew means, i. e. to restrain him from the wrong which, though unknowingly, he was about to commit; comp. ch. xx. 1. et seq.xxvi. 7.; Ps. cv. 14.

1. into the south.] pears from Josh. x. 40. of Egypt.

3. at the beginning,] comp. ch. xii. 7. note.

CHAPTER XIII.

Into the southern part of Canaan, as apxi. 16. The land of Canaan was north

Viz. before his journey into Egypt; v. 4.

6. not able to bear them,] Could not sustain them by reason of the number of its inhabitants, and the want of provisions for them and their cattle; "for their substance was great, so that," &c. i. e. their possessions were too great to allow them to dwell together; comp. ch, xxxvi. 7.

7. the Canaanite, &c.] Viz. they were in that country when this strife took place. The clause is no more an interpolation than ch. xii. 6. where see note.

8. brethren] So the Hebrews called all kinsmen; but Abram was uncle to Lot, and also his brother-in-law, having married Lot's sister.

10. as thou comest unto Zoar.] As Zoar was not in Egypt; ch. xiv. 2. 8. xix. 22. this clause must be connected with the first part of the verse; viz. "it was well watered even all the way till thou comest to Zoar, before the Lord destroyed," &c.

12. in the cities] Viz. in one of them; ch. viii. 4. note. The plain of Jordan was included in the land of Canaan, and therefore the meaning is, that Abram dwelled in another part of Canaan, while Lot dwelled in that called the plain of Jordan.

13. before the Lord] In his sight; ch. vi. 11.; comp. ch. xviii. 20. xix. 5. et seq.

15. to thee] Viz. I will give to thee the right and title to it; or the Hebrew particle "and" may be understood exegetically, "to thee will I give it, even to thy seed for ever." If this last word be taken in its strict sense, it must be with this reservation, viz. for ever upon condition of their obedience; Deut. iv. 25, 26.; Judg. ii. 20, 21., but it is often used in the Scriptures to denote a very long period; ch. xlix. 26.; Exod. xii. 24.; Ps. xlix. 11.; Eccles. i. 4. et al. comp. ch. xii. 2. 7. notes.

18. in the plain] Rather, "and dwelt by the oak of Mamre, which was near Hebron," ch. xii. 6, 7. notes.

CHAPTER XIV.

1. of nations;] Of Galilee, as some suppose, hence called Galilee of the nations, Isa. ix. 1, 2.; Matt. iv. 15.; but others take it for a proper name, and render it, Tidal, king of Goim." For these persons and places see the Index.

3. joined together] Viz. assembled their forces in the vale of Siddim as confederates.

10. slime-pits;] Places where asphaltus or bitumen sprung out of the ground, and which obstructed the flight of the discomfited host; ch. xi. 3. "and fell there," i. e. were there taken or put to rout, for these kings and others survived; v. 13, 17, 21

14. his brother] His kinsman, for Lot was his nephew, v. 12. ch. xiii. 8.

15. divided himself] Meaning he divided his forces into troops or battalions, and with his servants fell upon them by night.

18. brought forth bread and wine:] Viz. he brought provisions for the refreshment of Abram on his return from his victory, " and he was the priest of the Most High God." That Melchizedek was an eminent type of Christ, and that his priesthood prefigured that of our Saviour, is evident from Ps. cx. 4. and Heb. vii. 1. et seq. where the Apostle explains the type, and adduces it in proof of the pre-eminence of Christ's priesthood above the Aaronical priesthood. For the illustration of this subject see the notes to Heb. vii. 1-10. and the Synopsis to it.

19. and he] Viz. Melchizedek, blessed Abram, which act belonged to the office of a priest; Numb. vi. 23.; Deut. xxi. 5. "and said, blessed be Abram of the Most High God," i. e. may Abram ever receive blessings from the Lord, the " possessor (the creator and lord) of Heaven and earth;" v. 22.

20. he gave him tithes of all.] Of all he had, of all his substance, for the expression is general. Abraham also gave to Melchizedek tithes of all the spoils which he had taken from the confederate kings, as is clear from Heb. vii. 4. From this place and ch. xxviii. 22. it is evident that tithes were paid, and set apart for religious purposes before the giving of the Law of Moses.

21. the persons,] Viz. the people of Sodom whom Abram had rescued. "The goods," i. e. the goods and property belonging to them.

22. I have lifted up, &c.] A customary mode of taking an oath; Exod. vi. 8.; Numb. xiv. 30.; Deut. xxxii. 40.; Dan. xii. 7. By the young men" in v. 24. are meant his servants spoken of v. 14, and by the other "men" his confederates, mentioned v. 13.

66

CHAPTER XV.

1. the word of the Lord came, &c.] Viz. the Lord revealed this to him in a vision, namely, "Fear not" as to the fulfilment of my

promises, for "I am thy shield," I am thy protector; Ps. iii. 3. v. 12. lxxxiv. 11. " and thy exceeding great reward;" or rather "exceeding great shall be thy reward;" i. e. according to either version, I will abundantly reward thee; Ps. xvi. 5.; Prov. xi. 8.

2. what] Viz. "what [reward] wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house, this Eliezer of Damascus, [is mine heir]:" or rather, as the Hebrew will bear, "the possessor of my house will be this Eliezer of Damascus." That this verse must be understood in some such way, is evident from what follows. Eliezer's ancestors came from Damascus, though he was born in Abram's house; v. 3. It was usual with the rich people in the East, when they had no children, to adopt the child of some favourite domestic, in preference to their relations, as may be inferred from the history in the next chapter. V. 5.; see ch. xii. 2.

note.

6. And he believed, &c.] His faith was "counted (reckoned) to him for righteousness" or justification; he was justified by his faith; Rom. iv. 1-5.; Gal. iii. 6-9.; James ii. 21-24. on all which places see the notes. Ver. 7. see ch. xii. 1, 7. notes.

8. whereby, &c.] As Abram did not doubt the promise of God, v. 6. this must imply either that he only desired a more distinct knowledge of the matter, or that he wished for something further, for the satisfaction of his family and posterity; comp. Judg. vi. 36.; 2 Kings xx. 8.; Luke i. 18.

9. Take me an heifer, &c.] Or, "bring to me an heifer," &c. These were the only creatures appointed for sacrifice by the law of Moses; but under that law they were offered when only one year old, whereas the Lord upon this occasion commanded them to be three years old. The reason for this difference can only be matter of conjecture.

10. divided, &c.] It was the ancient manner of making covenants that the parties should divide the sacrifice, and pass between the two parts to denote that the violator of the compact should be put to death, as the animals were slain and divided. That this was a sacrifice in ratification of the covenant, and that Abram passed between the divided parts, may be inferred from v. 17, 18. and from Jer. xxxiv. 18, 19. "The birds divided he not:" and it was afterwards so commanded; Levit. i. 17.

11. the fowls] The birds of prey, as the Hebrew denotes. 12. a deep sleep] In the original it is the same word which is used to express the sleep into which Adam was cast when Eve was formed out of his side, ch. ii. 21. "An horror of great darkness ;" i. e. a gloom and terror accompanied the deep sleep; comp. Job iv. 13. xxxiii. 15.; Dan. x. 9. Some consider it emblematical of the affliction of his seed foretold in the next verse.

13. in a land that is not theirs,] Viz. in Egypt. The chronology is explained in the note to Acts vii. 6.

14. will I judge:] I will punish. "With great substance;" comp. Exod. iii. 21, 22. xii. 35, 36. with v. 15. comp. ch. xxv. 8. xlix. 29. 33.; Josh. viii. 32.; Job v. 26.; Acts xiii. 36.