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ley, in a bed the banks of which are fourteen or fifteen feet high when the river is at the lowest. The banks are thickly beset by tamarisks, willow, oleander, and other shrubs, which conceal the stream from view until it is approached very nearly. These thickets, with those of the lower plain, once af

of prey, which, when driven from their shelter by the periodical overflow of the river, gave much alarm to the inhabitants of the valley, Jeremiah 49. 19. Besides this passage, there are others, Josh. 3. 15; 1 Chron. 12. 15, in which an overflow of the Jordan is mention

called by various names, but best known as the Sea of Galilee; after leaving which, it flows about seventy miles farther, until it is finally lost in the Dead or Salt sea. It discharges into that sea a turbid, deep, and rapid stream, the breadth of which is from two to three hundred feet. The whole course of the river is about one hun-forded cover to lions and other beasts dred miles in a straight line, from north to south; but, with its windings, it probably does not describe a course of less than one hundred and fifty miles. Burckhardt says that it now bears different names in the various divisions of its course: Dhan near its source; Ordan lower down, near the Sea of Gal-ed, occasioned doubtless by the periodlilee; and Sherya between that lake and the Dead sea. As now understood, the valley or 'plain of Jordan,' through which the river flows, is applied to that part between the lake of Houle and the Dead sea; but as understood in the text, it must have comprehended that part of the valley which the Dead sea now occupies. From the accounts of different travellers, it seems to vary in breadth from four to ten or twelve miles in different parts. It is now in most parts a parched desert, but with many spots covered with a luxuriant growth of wild herbage and grass. Its level is lower, and the temperature consequently higher, than in most other parts of Syria. The heat is concentrated by the rocky mountains on each side, which also prevent the air from being cooled by the westerly winds in summer. This valley is divided into two distinct levels: the upper, or general level of the plain; and the lower, which is about forty feet below it. The preceding statement refers to the former; the latter varies in breadth from of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. a mile to a furlong, and is partially As Zoar was not in Egypt, but at the covered with trees and luxuriant ver- southern extremity of the plain of Jordure, which give it an appearance stri- dan, the latter clause is to be connectking in contrast with the sandy slopes ed with the first part of the verse, and of the higher level. The river flows the clause, 'before the Lord had dethrough the middle of this lower val- | stroyed `Sodom and Gomorrah,' to be

ical rains or the melting of the snows on Lebanon. The river seems then to have overflowed its inner banks to a considerable extent about the commencement of spring. Modern travellers who have visited it at that season, have not noticed such an inundation: whence we may infer that the stream of the Jordan has diminished, or that it has worn itself a deeper channel. It has much perplexed inquirers to determine what became of the waters of the Jordan previously to the formation of the Dead Sea. This difficulty seems to have been resolved by Burckhardt, who, in his "Travels in Syria and the Holy Land,' considers that the valley or plain of the Jordan is continued, under the names of El Ghor and El Araba, to the Gulf of Akaba; demonstrating that the river discharged its waters into the eastern gulf of the Red sea, until its course was interrupted by the great event which the nineteenth chapter of Genesis records.' Pict. Bible.

Like the land

11 Then Lot chose him all the | the cities of the plain, and r pitchplain of Jordan; and Lot jour- ed his tent toward Sodom. neyed east and they separated themselves one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot 9 dwelled in

q ch. 19. 29.

read in a parenthesis. Or we may adopt the equivalent construction of Houbigant who translates the verse ;'Before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it was all, as thou goest to Zoar, well watered, even as the garden of the Lord, and as the land of Egypt.' This gives the correct idea. Zoar is here so called by anticipation, as its name at this time was Bela, ch. 14. 2, 8, and 19. 22.

11. Separated themselves the one from

uman איש מעל אחיו .the other. Heb

from his brother; a common Hebrew idiom for expressing the idea conveyed in our translation. As nature, affection, religion, affliction all conspired to unite them, no doubt the prospect of separation was a severe trial to the feelings of Abraham. But it was a friendly parting; and whatever blank was made by it in his happiness, it was speedily and abundantly compensated by r newed manifestations of favour from that Almighty Friend who stick eth closer than a brother.'

12. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan. In its widest sense the land of Canaan included also the plain of Jordan, where Lot chose his residence; but it seems to have been occasionally used, in a more limited sense, to designate the mountainous country lying between the Mediterranean and the Jordan, exclusive of the valley through which that river runs.¶ Pilched his tent toward Sodom. That is, continued to remove his tent from place to place, gradually approaching towards Sodom, though not perhaps with the design of actually entering and taking up his

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD, exceedingly.

r ch. 14. 12. & 19. 1. 2 Pet. 2. 7, 8. s ch. 18. 20. Ezek. 16. 49. 2 Pet. 2. 7. 8. t ch. 6. 11.

abode in it. From this he would doubtless be deterred by the well known abandoned and profligate character of its inhabitants. We may suppose that he fully intended to keep at a safe distance from that scene of abominations, but having once come within the perilous vicinity of the tents of sin, he is im perceptibly drawn onward. So treacherous is fallen nature in its weakness, that having once been persuaded to tread the borders of forbidden ground, we are easily induced to proceed a little farther, to take one more step, till at length every restraint is broken through and we are borne forward into the vortex of sin. So with Lot. The next that we hear of him he has actually planted himself in Sodom. Righteous Lot, a servant of God, seated in the very sink of corruption! 'Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.' 13. Wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. Heb. 1 079 wicked and sinners to Jehovah exceedingly. Chal. 'Unrighteous with their mammon, and most vile in their bodies before the Lord exceedingly.' A very emphatic mode of expression, implying not only the depraved character common to all mankind in their unrenewed state, but the most vile, unblushing, abominable, and awful exhibitions of that character. They were not only wicked, but desperately wicked; they were not only sinners, but high-handed and heaven-daring sinners. Their city was polluted to its centre, and the iniquities which abounded in it were even now calling aloud for the vengeance of heaven. It had filled up

.

14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot" was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

15 For all the land which thou

u ver. 11. w ch. 28. 14.

the measure of its crimes and was already ripe for destruction. How Lot was affected by the manners of the abandoned society in which he finally took up his abode, we learn from the words of the apostle, 2 Pet. 2. 8, 'For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds'-a passage on which Bp. Hall shrewdly remarks, 'He vexed his own soul, for who bade him stay there?'

14. And the Lord said unto Abram, &. Leaving Lot for the present, not to enjoy, but to endure as best he may, the so lety of the wretched Sodomites, our attention is again turned to the venerable patriarch, who was not so easily ensnared by the sight of his eyes. We have already noticed his generous proposal to Lot. We have seen him willing for the sake of preserving peace, to waive his right and for go his temporal advantage. Here we are taught how richly his disinterestedness was rewarded; and in his example we cannot fail to read the certainty, that a similar self-sacrificing conduct will always redound to the ultimate gain of him who practises it. Upon his withdrawment from Lot, the Lord again meets him in mercy and renews to him his gracious covenant promise. bids him lift up his eyes and look around the whole horizon, surveying the land on the north and the south, on the east

He

see t, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

x ch. 12. 7. & 15. 18. & 17. 8. & 24. 7. & 26. 4. Num. 34. 12. Deut. 34. 4. Acts 7. 5. y 2 Chron. 20. 7. Ps. 37. 22, 29. & 112. 2. 2 ch. 15. 5. & 22. 17. & 26. 4. & 28. 14. & 32. 12. Ex. 32. 13. Num. 23. 10. Deut. 1. 10. 1 Kings 4. 20. 1Chron. 27. 23. Is. 48. 19. Jer. 33. 22. Rom. 4. 16, 17, 18 Heb. 11. 12.

and the west, and then confirms to him and his posterity the gift of the whole as far as the eye could reach. How striking an instance this of the considerate kindness, of the recompensing mercy, of Him with whom we have to do! At the moment when Abraham had been making the greatest sacrifices for peace, and demonstrating how loosely he sat by the richest earthly abundance, compared with the desire of securing the divine favour, the Most High visits him with a fresh manifestation of his favour, and comforts him with renewed assurances of his future inheritance. 'Thus he who sought this world lost it; and he who was willing to give up any thing for the honour of God and religion, found it.' Fuller.

15. To thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. By comparing Acts, 7. 5, it would appear that this promise was not fulfilled to Abraham personally; a more correct rendering, therefore, may be, To thee will I give it, even to thy seed.' By the Heb. and Gr. usage in the Scriptures, the particle' and' is very often synonymous with 'even,' and should be so rendered. As for example, 1 Chron. 21. 12, 'The Lord's sword, and the pestilence;' i. e. even the pestilence. Num. 31. 6, 'The holy instruments, and the trumpets;' i. e. even the trumpets. Eph. 4. 11, 'And some pastors and teachers;' i. e. even teachers. Mat. 21. 5, 'Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an

17 Arise, walk through the land | tent, and came and in the lengh of it and in the plain of Mamre, breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

18 Then Abram removed his

Hebron, and built
unto the LORD.

b

а

a dwelt in the which is in there an altar

a ch. 14. 13. b ch. 35. 27. & 37. 14.

word in the original is not the same with that usually rendered remove (yo) in reference to tents, but the same as that used v. 12, of Lot's fixing his habitation towards Sodom, and probably kindred to the term occurring Is. 13. 20, Neither shall the Arabian pitch tent (yahel) there.' It is a general expression, implying that Abraham. still following his nomadic mode of life, and in virtue of the permission above mentioned, selected a station, now here and now there, where he spread his tent and abode for a time, and so continued journeying at intervals, till at length he came and pitchea his tent more permanently in the plain

of Mamre -T And came and dwelt

ass and a colt the foal of an acs;' i. e. even a colt, &c. Thus probably, Rev. 19. 19, 'And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth;' i. e. even the kings of the earth; intimating that the symbolical 'beast' is but another name for the aggregate body of despotic rulers, within the limits of the apocalyptic 'earth.' - For ever. Heb 3 unto eternity; a period of very long, but indefinite duration. Subsequent facts in the history of the chosen people show that this promise was to be understood conditionally, as they might by transgression forfeit the possession of this covenanted region, as was actu ally the case, Lev. 26. 33. Is. 63. 18. If, however, the Jews are to be hereaf ter restored to the land of their fathers, as many interpret the prophecies respecting them, these words will receive a still more exact accomplishment than they have hitherto done. Even now, it is common to speak of the Jews ob- be implied that after making the cirtaining possession of their own land, cuit of the country, agreeably to the as though their title had never been divine monition above mentioned, he extinguished. See Note on ch. 17. 18. finally selected a location in the neigh17. Arise, walk through the land, &c.bourhood of Hebron, which is not more Heb. make thyself to walk, traverse the land to and fro. The form of the original conveys the idea of what Ewald terms 'zealous spontaneity,' and has an emphasis which cannot well be transferred into English. It was a command or permission to Abraham, not as a lonely individual, but with all his establishment to travel over and sojourn in any portion of the country that he pleased, and that too as a pledge of its finally becoming the perpetual inheritance of his seed.

18. Then Abram removed his Heb. 3 and pitched tent.

in the plain of Mamre. It is probable that a somewhat extended period of time, perhaps the lapse of one or two or more years, is embraced in the first two clauses of this verse. It seems to

than eighteen hours' journey from the site of Beth-el, his former station. The remark made in the note on ch. 12. 6, on the original of the word plain (18 alon) is applicable here also, as the Hebrew term is the same. It undoubtedly denotes a trec, or grove, or plantation of trees of some kind, but whether of oaks or terebinths cannot be determined. Mamre is the name ɔf the person described ch. 14. 13, as an Amorite, one of three brothers who were friends of Abraham and confedertent.ates with him in the expedition against The the four kings, and the plain was prob

arose; their servants quarrelled, and the masters could no longer remain together. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare.' Through covetousness thousands 'have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.'

ably so called from him as its first jarring of interests; but when their opowner or occupant —¶ Which is in | ulence increased, occasions of jealousy Hebron. That is, by or near Hebron; in the region in which Hebron is situated. This place did not obtain the name of Hebron till it came into the possession of Caleb, several years after the death of Moses. Josh. 15. 14. Its former name was Kirjath-arba. It is to be presumed, therefore, that the name in the present passage was inserted by Ezra or some other person who revised the sacred canon in after ages. For an account of Hebron, see Note on Gen. 23. 2.—¶ And built there an altar unto the Lord. See Note on Gen. 12. 7.

REMARKS.-(1.) We learn from the incidents here recorded the disadvantages, if not the dangers, of wealth. Wealth is almost universally considered as a source of happiness, and in that view is most eagerly sought. That it may conduce to our happiness in some respects, especially when improved for the relief of our fellow-creatures, we admit; but it is much oftener a source of trouble and vexation than of satisfaction and comfort. 'If goods increase,' says Solomon, 'they are increased that eat them.' A multitude of servants

(2.) The children of Abraham should cultivate peace, especially by cutting off the occasions of strife. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water;' the breach however small at first, being quickly widened by the stream that rushes through it, will speedily defy all the efforts of man to prevent an inundation. Let us therefore learn the important lesson leave off contention before it be meddled with.' When it is once begun, no man can tell when or how it shall terminate.

to

(3.) External advantages of place or situation are no sure criterion of the favour of God. The sinners of Sodom dwelt in a fertile and delightful region; Abraham and his family among the mountains. But this paradis was turned into the likeness of hell by the sinners that dwelt there. How much

augments our care. Their disagree-happier was Abraham and his pious ments among themselves, or disputes household in the mountains! with the servants of others, frequently become an occasion of disquiet to ourselves. The envy also and jealousy that are excited in the breasts of others, operate yet farther to the disturbance of our own peace. In how many families have contentions arisen from this source! How many who have spent years together in love and harmony, have been distracted by feuds and animosities as soon as ever a large estate came to be divided between them! Even piety itself cannot always prevent the discord that arises from this source. Abraham and Lot had lived together in perfect amity, while their circumstances were such as to preclude any

(4.) Let us often turn our thoughts to the promised blessings of Heaven in order to strengthen our faith and hope. Let us dwell much upon the prospect of our glorious inheritance. Let us survey the heavenly Canaan 'in the length of it, and the breadth of it.' Such a believing anticipation will cheer and refresh us when those whom we have loved and cherished here, and in whose society we have delighted, are separated from us by distance or death. In the darkest hour of this world's vicissitudes, let us listen to the soothing voice of the Spirit saying to us as he did of old to Abraham, 'Lift up new thine eyes, and look from the place

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