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given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

At the same time, it is probably to be understood, though not expressly affirmed, that Abraham became so far a party to the covenant as to promise under the most solemn sanctions a general course of obedience to all the divine requirements.¶ Unto thy seed have I given. Gr. dwow I will give, on which the Jewish doctors very pertinently remark, 'He saith not 'I will give,' but 'I have given;' and yet Abraham had now begotten no children. But because the word of the holy blessed God is a deed, therefore he thus speaketh.'-¶ From the river of Egypt. Heb. . Commentators are in great doubt as to the identity of this river. At first view it would unquestionably seem that the Nile is intended, as that river is clearly in several places indicated by this phrase. But as it does not appear that the jurisdiction of the Israelites ever actually extended to the Nile, Wells, Clark, and others incline to the opinion that it denotes an inconsiderable river or brook falling into the Mediterranean at a small distance south of Gaza. This is supposed to be the same stream which is called by Joshua, ch. 15. 47, the 'Sihor,' corresponding to the supposed situation of which Dr. Richardson crossed the dry bed of a river, thirty yards wide, called the 'Wadi Gaza.' But we still think the former is the true interpretation. For (1.) a brook or small stream is never called in Hebrew, as here, nahar, but

18. In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, &c. Heb. cut a covenant; in allusion to the ceremonies above described. From what follows it would seem that these words contain more than a mere exposition of the drift of the preceding rites. Those rites indeed had reference to a covenant; they were designedly subservient to one; yet of the verbal stipulations of that covenant nothing thus far has been said. That part of the transaction is now related. It is spoken of apart from the foregoing, probably because it took place subsequent to the incidents there mentioned. The action of the furnace and lamp in passing between the pieces was performed as it were in pantomime or dumb show, while Abraham was entranced in a vision. But the actual engagement into which God was pleased to come with his servant was of too much moment, of too high an import, to be made with him in any other than a waking state. Abraham accordingly is released from his state of vision, and God thus proceeds to bind himself by covenant to make over, as by a solemn deed of gift, the whole land in which he then was, the boundaries and the present occupants of which are specified with great accuracy and minuteness. Though called a 'covenant,' yet it was mainly a stipulation on the part of God only; for which reason it nahhal. (2.) In Josh. 13. 3, the probably was, that in the previous destined boundary of the land of Israel vision his symbol only passed between on the south is said indeed to be the the parts of the animals, while nothing Sihor, which is before Egypt, but in Is. of this kind is affirmed of Abraham. 23. 3. and Jer. 2. 18, mention is made

20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,

21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

CHAPTER XVI. OW Sarai, Abram's wife, Nbare him no children: and she had an handmaid, ban Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

с

a ch. 15. 2, 3. b ch. 21. 9. c Gal. 4. 24.

in their situation aud history. Out of the ten here mentioned only seven were actually subjugated, Deut. 7. 1. It is hence, with great probability inferred that the redundant three had, by the

either extinct or blended with other tribes, or had changed their names.

CHAPTER XVI.

of the same stream under the denomination of yeor, river, which is the appropriated name of the Nile, as is known to every reader of the Hebrew Scriptures, it being but in a single instance (Dan. 12. 5-7) applied to anoth-time of the actual conquest, become er stream. Indeed Wilkinson remarks that yeor, river, is merely the Hebrew form of the Egyptian word JARO river, applied to the Nile. (Dom. Man. of Anc. Egypt. vol. I. p. 12, note.) It 1. Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no is no valid objection to this that the Is- children. Abraham had now dwelt ten raelites never extended their borders years in the land of Canaan, and not quite to the banks of the Nile; for (3.) withstanding his advanced age appears It is doubtless the object of the divine to have discovered no impatience for speaker merely to designate in a loose the fulfilment of the promise. It was and general way the two great rivers now put beyond a doubt that he should as the extreme limits within which the become a father; but it had not yet been territory of the Israelites was to be in- explicitly declared that Sarah should cluded, though it might fall somewhat become a mother. We may suppose short of these limits on either side. In therefore that her feelings as a wife like manner in Is. 27. 12 and Jer. 2. 18, gave force to her concern about her the Euphrates and the Nile are un- husband's glory and happiness, and doubtedly opposed to each other as the prompted the weak and carnal expediextreme boundaries of the possessions ent which is here described, and to of the Hebrews. Moreover (4) in the which Abraham himself undoubtedly time of David and Solomon all, or lent too ready an ear. Seeing at her time nearly all, the kings between these riv- of life but little hope of seed in the ordiers were tributaries of the Israelitish nary way, she seems deliberately to have kings. 2 Chron. 9. 26. 2 Sam. 8. 3. concluded, that if the promise were to From the combined weight of the above be fulfilled it must be in the person of reasons we feel little hesitation in as- another. Accordingly, as unbelief is signing the Nile as the stream here in- very prolific of schemes, she here protended by the river of Egypt.' As to poses a measure evidently fraught with the fulfilment of the promise respect- the most pernicious consequences. It ing the actual occupancy of this ex- implied a culpable distrust of God who tended region, see Note on Josh. 1. 4. had promised, and went to introduce a - 19-21. Kenites-Kenizzites-Kad-foreign, perhaps an idolatrous mother monites, &c. So little is known of into the family of Abraham. It was most of these nations or clans, that it a most unwise and inconsiderate tamwill be sufficient to refer to the maps pering with her husband's affections, and Marg, Ref. for all that is important and it laid a foundation of probable, if

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2 And Sarai said unto Abram, | thee go in unto my maid; it Behold now, the LORD hath re-may be that I may obtain chilstrained me from bearing: I pray dren by her. And Abram & hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

d ch. 30. 3. e ch. 20. 18. & 30. 2. 1 Sam. 1. 5, 6.

not of certain domestic jealousies and quarrels. In a word, it was a direct doing of evil in the vain expectation that good might come. But let us consider the particulars.¶ She had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. A bond-woman, a female slave, in opposition to a free woman, Jer. 34. 10, 11. Gal. 4. 22, who according to the usages of those times might be disposed of by her mistress Sarah as she chose, v. 6. She probably came into Abraham's family during his sojourn in Egypt, and may have been one of the maid-servants' presented by Pharaoh to the patriarch, Gen. 12. 20. Her name 'Hagar' flight, or a fugitive, we think with Mchaelis was not bestowed by her parents--for why should an Egyptian child be called by a Hebrew name?-but was one that accrued to her in process of time from the leading event in her history here recorded. Multitudes of similar instances, as we have before remarked, occur in the sacred narrative. Her descendants were called 'Hagarites' or 'Hagarenes,' 1 Chron. 5. 10, rendered by the Gr. παροίκους strangers. From her, by Ishmael, the Saracens and Arabs were descended, and the word 'Hegira' applied to the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina, comes from the same root, as does also 'Mohagerin' or 'Mohajerin,' fellow-flyers, the name given by the false prophet to the companions of his flight. She is said to have been handmaid or servant to Sarah, and not to Abraham, from its being customary in those patriarchal times, for the male and female departments of a family to be kept in a great measure distinct; and Hagar probably stood

f ch. 30. 3, 9. g ch. 3. 17.

in the same relation to Sarah, that Eliezer did to Abraham. Thus likewise Rachel and Leah, the daughters of Laban, had their respective handmaids, or female head-servants, Gen. 30. 3. In such cases the relation between the mistress and her servant was so intimate, that the children of the latter by the master were reckoned as those of the mistress, as appears not only from the present instance, but also in the parallel case of Rachel, Gen. 30. 3, 6, 8. So afterwards under the law, the children of the bond-servant were accounted the children of the master, Ex. 21. 4.

2. Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing. The acknowledgment conveyed in these words is almost the only redeeming feature of Sarah's conduct on this occasion. She owns God's providence in her childless condition, Ps. 127. 3, and yet well nigh destroys the virtue of this confession by making the fact a plea for contriving some other means for the fulfilment of the promise! What a lively pattern do I see in Abraham and Sarah, of a strong faith and weak; of strong in Abraham, and weak in Sarah! She, to make God good of his word to Abraham, knowing her own barrenness, substitutes a Hagar; and, in an ambition of seed, persuades to polygamy. Abraham had never looked to obtain the promise by any other than a barren womb, if his own wife had not importuned him to take another. When our own apparent means fail, weak faith is put to the shifts, and projects strange devices of her own, to attain her end: she will rather conceive by another womb, than be childless: when she hears of an impossibility to

3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, | years in the land of Canaan, and took Hagar her maid the Egyp-gave her to her husband Abram tian, after Abram had dwelt tento be his wife.

h ch. 12. 5.

-T And

nature, she doubteth, and yet hides her that their houses shall continue for diffidence; and, when she must be- ever; i. e. that their stock or race shall lieve, feareth, because she did distrust. be interminably perpetuated. Ps. 113. Abraham hears and believes, and ex-9, 'He maketh the barren woman to pects and rejoices; he saith not, I am keep house;" i. e. as the ensuing exold and weak; Sarah is old and bar-egetical clause explains it, 'to be a ren; where are the many nations that joyful mother of children.' shall come forth from these withered Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. loins? It is enough to him that God That is, obeyed; a very common sense hath said it: he sees not the means, he of the word. Thus Prov. 1. 33, 'Whosees the promise: he knew that God so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safewould rather raise him up seed from ly;' i. e. whoso obeyeth me. Ps. 81. the very stones that he trod on, than 13, 'O that my people had hearkened himself should want a large and hap- unto me;' i. e. had obeyed my prepy issue.' Bp. Hall.- - I pray thee cepts. Rev. 1. 3, 'Blessed is he that go in unto my maid. That is, marry readeth, and they that hear the words her, as is clear from the ensuing verse, of this prophecy;' i. e. they that give on which see note.- -TI may obtain obedient heed to what is written. The children by her. Heb. may be period of Abraham's previous sojourning builded by her. The ideal connection in Canaan is stated in the next verse between the rearing of offspring and with a view, perhaps, of displaying 'building' is very close in the original still more impressively his infirmity on this occasion. He who had for ten Scriptures. The Heb. ben, a son,

is a derivative from 2 banah, to

build, and eben, a stone, of which houses are built, probably comes from the same root. The following passages, among others, will exhibit the Scriptural usage in this respect. Deut. 25. 9, 'So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house;' i. e. who will not raise up seed to his brother. Ruth 4. 11, 'The Lord make the woman like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel;' i. c. were the founders of the nation of Israel. Ex. 1. 21, 'And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses;' i. e. he gave them children, an extended posterity. Ps. 68. 6, 'God setteth the solitary in families; Heb. 'in houses;' i. e. makes them progenitors. Ps. 49. 11, 'Their inward thought is

long years sojourned as a stranger and a pilgrim in the land of promise, and that wholly from a principle of faith, he, alas! is at length so far overcome as to yield to the carnal expedient proposed by his wife. The father of mankind sinned by hearkening to his wife, and now the father of the faithful follows his example. How necessary for those who stand in the nearest relations, to take heed of being snares, instead of helps, to one another! Fuller. Abr ham was now 85 and Sarah 75 years of age.

3. Gave her to her husband Abram

to be his wife. That is, a secondary wife, or one of an inferior grade. Such wives, though contrary to the primeval institution of marriage, were customary in the patriarchal and subsequent ages, and are generally in the scriptures called 'concubines.' 'The

4 And he went in unto Ha- | My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom: and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between

gar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was i despised in her eyes.

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, me and thee.

i 2 Sam. 6. 16. Prov. 30. 21, 23.

k ch. 31. 53. 1 Sam. 24. 12.

her posterity, and as a natural resul her mistress is despised in her eyes, thus showing herself to be one of the three things by which the earth is disquieted, Prov. 30. 23, viz. 'an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.'

5. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee, &c. Heb. on

Hebrew word pilgash, here translated 'wife,' is frequently in other places rendered concubine.' It describes a wife of a second and inferior class. Such women were considered real wives, inasmuch as the connection was legal and customary; but the absence of certain solemnities and contracts of dowry marked the condition as inferior, though my wrong is (lieth) upon thee; not in itself degrading. The children did not inherit the property of the father; who usually provided for them in his own life-time, if he had sons by the principal wife or wives to claim the inheritance. We thus find Abraham providing for the sons of his concubines Hagar and Keturah. Things are still much the same in the East, where similar practices are legalized by the Mohammedan law. That law allows a man four wives of the first class, and does not restrict him as to slaves. But the condition of a slave is not altered as such by the manner in which she lives in the family of her master. The sweeper of his house and the partner of his bed are alike liable to be sold again if they have been purchased; but delicacy prevents this right from being often exercised. (See Malcolm's 'History of Persia.') So we see that Hagar remained a 'bondwoman' after she had become the mother of Ishmael, and Sarai is still called her mistress.' Pict. Bible.

4. When she saw that she had conceived, &c. The consequence was what might have been anticipated. The young woman, elated with the honour done her, becomes vain and insolent. She views Abraham's vast possessions, and vaster prospects, as entailed upon

i. e. thou art to blame in suffering her insolence; the duty of redressing the wrong which I sustain rests with thee; or she may mean to say, My injury is thine also. Those who are the first to give evil counsel are often the first to suffer by it. This was strikingly exemplified in the case of Sarah. Being now made to reap according to that she had sown, she begins, when it is too late, to repent of her rashness. But instead of condemning her own conduct, and confessing that her folly had recoiled upon herself, she turns the edge of her resentment against her husband. Had the good man formed a deliberate design of injuring and insulting her, she could not have employed harsher language. Indeed her conduct throughout was that of a peevish, unreasonable, and disappointed woman; and its weakness and wickedness are aggravated by her appealing to God in a case where she was clearly and consciously in the wrong. As if she had taken it for granted that her husband would not hear her, she exclaims, 'The Lord judge between me and thee! Such hasty and passionate appeals to heaven, instead of indicating a good cause, are commonly the marks of a bad one A truly serious spirit will pause before interposing the

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