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2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, I go childless, and the steward of what wilt thou give me, seeing mine house is this Eliezer of Da

e Acts 7. 5.

e

a prophecy in Is. 1. 1, is called a vision,
in accordance with what is said Num.
12. 6, 'If there be a prophet among
you, I the Lord will make myself
known to him in a vision
).

mascus ?

ple, interposes at the needful moment and ministers the support, confidence, and courage which they require.—T I am thy shield. Gr. 'I will protect thee.' Chal. 'My word shall be thy There is great obscurity resting upon strength.' As thou wert shielded by the modes of the divine communica- my protection in the late engagement, tions to men, but when God is said to so believe me to be to thee an everhave appeared to any one even in a vis- present defence. The same assurance ion, it does not necessarily follow that is virtually given to all God's servants, the recipient of such a revelation was Ps. 84. 11. -T And thine exceeding properly asleep. Though the night great reward. Rather, as the Heb. season and the state of sleep was often accents require, and as the Greek renchosen for that purpose, and probably ders it, 'Thy reward shall be exceeding was in the present instance, yet in great.' Although there is nothing speother cases the prophet was evidently cifically said of the grounds of this rethrown into a temporary trance, in ward, or of the nature of it, yet there which the exercise of the senses on can be little doubt that it was but anoutward objects was suspended. In other form of the gracious promise alother instances the will of heaven was ready made to Abraham of his being imparted by the powerful agency of blest with a numerous seed, of his inthe Spirit of God, giving to the subject heriting the land of Canaan, and of his of it a strong perception and super- finally becoming a fountain of blessing natural persuasion of the truth of the to the whole world. But as Abraham things revealed. See 'Hengstenberg's had done nothing to merit all this, if it Christology,' p. 217. Keith's Transl. is here spoken of as a reward, it could 1836. -T Saying, Fear not. As Abra- be only a reward to faith, and not to ham had defeated the kings mentioned works; and it is in this view that the in the last chapter with far inferior num. Apostle seems to allude to this very bers, he may have thought it not un- terin as here employed, Rom. 4. 4, likely that, in order to retrieve the dis- 'Now to him that worketh is the regrace, they might again rally and come ward not reckoned of grace, but of upon him with a force which he should debt.' The plea of rewardable works be unable to resist. Such an assu- however did not hold in regard to Abrarance, therefore, as he now received of ham; 'But to him that worketh not the divine protection, must have been (that is not said to have worked, viz. peculiarly seasonable and consolatory. Abraham), but believeth on him that Whether from a review of past diffi-justifieth the ungodly, his faith is countculties, or from a prospect of augmented for righteousness.'

wilt thou give me.
to the Heb.
do (it) for me.

Rather, according

ed trials, or from an apprehension of 2. And Abram said, Lord God what disappointed hopes, the most eminent saints are prone at times to give way to discouragements; but God, who watches over the secret fears as well as the outward afflictions of his peo

how wilt thou Such in numerous instances is the force of the original particle here rendered 'what.' Thus Gen.

3 And Abram said, Behold, to |lo, one born in mine house is me thou hast given no seed: and mine heir.

f ch. 14. 14.

44. 16, How (2) shall we clear our-tationis, son of running about; or selves?' Job, 9. 2, 'How (7) should one who occupies the station of headman be just with God?' Abraham's servant in the midst of a numerous thoughts instinctively reverted to the household. The idiom by which such great promise, and he here suggests an one is called a 'son of stewardship,' what he conceived, in the judgment of is of very frequent occurrence; thus human reason, an insuperable obsta- 1 Kings, 1. 52, son of strength' for cle to the fulfilment of this promise.'strong man;' Ezek. 4. 1, 'sons of cap He reverently inquires how it was tivity' for 'captives;' Ju. 48, 45, 'sons possible that good word could be ac- of uproar' for 'tumultuous persons,' &c. complished to him, so long as he was The Chal. reading is No bar living and apparently like to die in a parnasa, son of feeding, sustentation, childless state? It is proper to remark, or procuring, in evident allusion to the however, that the words of the com- office of a steward, whose business it mon translation make a consistent is to 'give every one his portion of sense in themselves, and do no violence meat (food) in due season,' Luke 12. 42. to the original, implying that Abraham The reason of Abraham's introducing could find no comfort or happiness in the mention of the steward of his house any thing else, so long as the promise in this connection, and the manner in respecting a blessed seed remained un- which it bore upon the objection statfulfilled or unfulfilling. Still the inter-ed, will be apparent from the next pretation we have given we think a verse, and the accompanying notes. better one, as being equally consistent -¶ Is this Eliezer of Damascus. with the original and more natural in Heb. A this Da -T Seeing 1 go childless. Heb. mascene, or Damasco-man, Eliezer. am going childless; i. e. The name 'Eliezer' signifies 'help of am going out of the world. Thus the God,' and from this name, especially as Targ. Jon. Seeing I depart out of the it is written Ex. 6. 25, 'Eleazer,' comes midst of this world.' Gr. aroλvopathe apocopated 'Lazar,' and from this, aTεKVOS 1 am being dismissed, or let de- by adding the termination os, the Gr. part, childless; the same word as that Lazaros; Eng. 'Lazarus.' Guided used by Simeon, Luke 2. 29. 'Now let-by tnis clew, we learn why it is that test thou thy servant depart (añoλvεts) our Saviour, in the parable of the rich in peace.' Compare 1 Chron. 17. 11 man and Lazarus, Luke 16. 23, reprewith 2 Sam. 17. 12, where 'go' and sents Lazarus as being 'in Abraham's 'sleep' are evidently used as synony-bosom;' i. e. seated familiarly with mous terms, signifying 'to die.' So also him at the same table. It is because Ps. 39. 13, 'Spare me, that I may re- there is a covert allusion, in the person cover strength before I go hence (3), of Lazarus, to this same Eliezer, the and be no more.' Ps. 58. 8, "As a patriarch's venerable steward. snail which melteth, let every one of the discourse, Luke 16. 20, is concernthem pass away (go), i. e. let ing Abraham and Lazarus, who would them die.- -T Steward of mine house. not call to mind Abraham and Eleazer Heb.pson of adminis- his servant, one born at Damascus, a tration or stewardship: filius discursi-Gentile by birth, and some time the

itself.

הולך ערירי

'Since

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of this class as their own child and heir; or sometimes they purchase promising boys when young, and after having brought them up in their own faith, formally adopt them as their children.' Pict. Bible. Such appears to have been Abraham's idea in the present instance. Instead of thinking of adoptaing his nephew Lot, he speaks as if his faithful steward were the probable candidate for that honour.

3. One born in mine house is mine heir. Heb.

son of my house is inheriting me; i. e. about to inherit, or destined or likely to inherit me. To 'inherit one' is a Hebraism for inheriting one's goods, or estate. Thus, Jer. 49. 1, 'Why then doth their king inherit Gad?' this is explained in the ensuing clause to import 'dwelling in his cities.' By the like idiom, 'to possess great nations,' Deut. 9. 1, is to possess their lands, cities, and substance; for the nations themselves were to be destroyed. So, Ps. 79. 7, 'They have devoured Jacob;' i. e. they have consumed his possessions. 2 Cor. 11. 20, 'Ye suffer if a man devour you ;' i. e. devour your property. By one 'born in his house' is meant a home-born servant in opposition to those bought or obtained otherwise from without, and also from 'sons of the womb,' Prov. 31. 2, or one's own proper children. 'In Mohammedan Asia the slaves termed 'house-born' are regarded with peculiar esteem. They form part of their master's family, and their welfare is an object of his peculiar care. They are the most attached of his adherents, and often inherit a large share of his wealth. It is sometimes the practice of childless persons to adopt a favourite slave

4. The word of the Lord came unto him, saying, &c. God, in mercy to the patriarch, condescends to remove his doubts on this head, by assuring him that his heir should be the offspring of his own body. This he had not before done, but had merely given him a general promise that he should be blest with an innumerable seed, leaving it uncertain whether it should be by the increase of a natural or an adopted seed. But now his doubts on that head are fully resolved, the promise being renewed in so explicit a manner, that it was impossible he should afterwards mistake in regard to it. It is true, indeed, he was not yet expressly informed whether this promised seed should be the offspring of Sarah or of some other woman, but on this point also he was afterwards clearly instructed, Gen. 17. 16; teaching us that it sometimes pleases God to make known his will and impart his promises to his servants not all at once, but by gradual disclosures.

5. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, &c. If the 'vision' mentioned in the first verse was vouchsafed

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believed in the | the LORD that "brought thee out counted it to him of Ur of the Chaldees, P to give thee this land to inherit it.

6 And he LORD; and he for righteousness.

7 And he said unto him, I am

1 Rom. 4. 3, 9, 22. Gal. 3. 6. James 2. 23. m Ps. 106. 31.

n ch. 12. 1. o ch. 11. 28, 31. p Ps. 105. 42, 44. Rom. 4. 13.

believed in הימין במימרא דיי .to Abraham in the sleeping hours of

Chal

night, we may easily conceive that it was early in the morning, before sunrise, that he was brought forth and bid to count, if he could, the number of the stars. And this, on the whole, seems the simplest mode of exposition, though Maimonides and other Jewish writers suppose that every thing related in this chapter was transacted in vision, in which state stars might be made to appear to the mental perception at noonday, as well as to the natural eye at midnight. This is indeed true, and can believe in' him. The Hebrew it is true also that the Scriptures often represent that which is done in vision term aman, from which comes the as if it were an historical fact, without familiar 'Amen' so be it, signifies to be clearly drawing the line between them, firm, fixed, stable, sure; and in the as in Jer. 13. 4, 5. Ezek. 8. 7, 9. But Hiphil conjugation, which is here emin the present case, as all the circum-ployed, followed by in or to, to esstances are consistent with the literal | tablish one's self, or one's faith, firmly verity of the incidents recorded, we pre-in or towards an object, to deem, or ac fer this mode of interpretation, espe- count, or make sure to one's self, and cially as an act of faith so highly com- so to lean upon, confide in, or trust to, mended as that of Abraham on this any thing as stable and stedfast. occasion would seem to have required Hence as applied to the act of a believthe exercise of a waking and not of a ing agent in reference to divine promsleeping or entranced mind. Whether ises, it denotes a degree of assured conthe innumerable host of stars were de-fidence amounting, as it were, to a signed to shadow forth the countless multitude of his natural or his spiritual seed is not apparent from the narrative, nor is it certain that a distinction of this kind was intended. It was probably designed as a general intimation including both, though with a dominant reference to his seed in the line of Isaac and Jacob. This is to be inferred from the passages which speak of the fulfilment of promise, as Deut. 10. 22. 1 Chron. 27. 23. Neh. 9. 23.

the Word of the Lord. Gr. ExIOTEVOE Te believed God, omitting the 'in,' which is followed by the Apostle, Rom. 4. 3. In numerous other instances in the New Testament the Greek verb TIOTEνw to believe is followed by the particles es, ETL, or εv, in, as if there were a designed distinction, at least in some cases, between 'believing' and ‘believing in;' and perhaps it may not be believe' Christ, a true penitent only improper to say, that while the devils

creative efficacy, making to exist, substantiating, confirming the thing believed, 'calling things which are not as though they were.' Thus 'faith is the substance (the substantiating principle) of things hoped for;' and in this view Christ is denominated the 'Amen, the faithful and true witness,' from his being the ground of the most fixed and stable confidence, whose fidelity or trust-worthiness may be relied upon with unbounded assurance. The cir 6 And he believed in the LORD. Heb. cumstances which gave so much effi1 believed in Jehovah. | cacy and value to the faith of Abraham

on this occasion are so forcibly recited | pute () iniquity unto me.' Ps.

in the Epistle to the Romans, that we adduce the words of the Apostle as the most apposite commentary which can be given upon this passage. Rom. 4. 18-22, 'Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.' -T And he counted it to him for righteousness.

-and he count ויחשבה לו צדקה .Heb

ed it to him righteousness. Gr. Xoyioon avтw Els dikaιoovvny it was reckoned, accounted, imputed to him for righteousness. Nearly all the ancient versions agree with the Sept. in rendering the verb in the passive, which shows that they understood it as constructed with an indefinite nominative, equivalent to the passive, like Gen. 2. 20, ‘But for Adam there was not found an help meet.' Heb. 3 one did not find. See Note on Gen. 16. 14. This current of authorities, which is countenanced by the Apostle's citing it also in the passive, strongly inclines us to regard this as the genuine sense of the original, although the main scope of the clause remains the same whichever construction be adopted.

The Scriptural usage of the term un is primarily to think, purpose, intend, imagine, devise, as evil or mischief towards any one. Gen. 50. 20. Ps. 35. 4, 20.-41. 8. Jer. 11. 19. 2 Sam. 14. 13. And secondly, to reckon, esteem, account; to impute, to put to one's account, whether favourably or the reverse. Thus 2 Sam. 19. 20, ‘Let not my lord im

32. 2, Blessed is the man un o whom the Lord imputeth (m) not iniquity.' Comp. Lev. 7. 18.-17. 4. Num. 18. 27. The expression before us becomes important from the use which is made of it by the Apostle Paul, Rom. 4, in establishing the doctrine of justification by faith; but as a full consideration of his reasoning on the subject' would lead us into too wide a field of discussion we shall content ourselves with glancing at some of the leading aspects of the passage. The 'believing' which is here said to be counted to Abraham for righteousness is not to be understood of the general and habitual faith that governed his life and entitled him to the character of a truly pious man. It was the particular act of believing here spoken of which was so imputed. Nor is it to be supposed that Abraham now first began to believe savingly in God, for the Apostle assures us, Heb. 11. 8. 9, that it was by faith that he obeyed when called, long before this, to forsake his native country, and sojourn in a strange land; and so far as he then had true faith, he doubtless had justifying faith, or such a faith as availed to constitute him a pious man and an heir of salvation. In what sense, then, was his faith on this occasion peculiarly counted to him for righteousness? We answer, that it was counted to him, as in its own nature it truly was, as a righteous, that is, an acceptable, an excellent, a praiseworthy act. This we conceive to be, in this connection, the genuine import of (Gr. dikatovvn) translated righteousness, a term clearly used in a parallel sense in D ut 24. 13, 'In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness (PT) unto thee before the Lord thy God;' i. e. a good, a meritorious deed, an act of piety. So in Gen. 18.

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