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of Sodom, I have lifted up mine 23 That I will not take from hand unto the LORD, the most a thread even to a shoe-latchhigh God, the possessor of heav-et, and that I will not take any er and earth, thing that is thine, lest thou

19.

k Ex. 6. 8. Dan. 12. 7. Rev. 10. 5, 6. 1 ver. ch. 21. 33.

the king of Sodom has obtained credit. Indeed we see that Abraham himself admits the right of his friends to that which, for himself, he declined.' Pict. Bible.

m So Esther 9. 15, 16.

strued; where it might be said that he was prompted to the rescue of Lot more by the hope of plunder than the spirit of benevolence. His conduct in this emergency affords a good hint to Christians. They are really so rich in their own inheritance that it ill becomes them to crave the possessions of others.

23. That I will not take.

Heb. D

if I will take; an imperfect mode of expression peculiar to the original Scriptures, and frequently occurring in oaths. It is equivalent to a negative, as rendered in our version. Thus in like manner Ps. 95. 11, 'Unto whoin I

22. 1 have lifted up mine hand. A Hebraism for 'I have sworn,' derived from the custom, to which there are frequent allusions in the Bible, of elevating the right hand in the act of ta king an oath. Abrahamn doubtless knew the man, and perceiving his affected generosity, gave him to understand that he had already decided, and even sworn, in the presence of the most high God, what he would do in respect to that part of the spoils which had pre-sware in my wrath that they should not viously belonged to him. This answer of Abraham is somewhat remarkable. His having determined upon his course before the king of Sodom met him, implies something dishonourable in the character of that prince. He must have been well known to Abraham as a vain-boasting, unprincipled man, or he would not have resolved, in so solemu a manner, to preserve himself clear from the very shadow of an obligation to

enter my rest (Heb. if they shall enter my rest);' explained by the Apostle, Heb. 3. 18, 'that they should not enter into his rest.' So Mark, 8. 12, 'Verily I say unto you, there shall be no sign given into this generation (Gr. if a sign shall be given);' whereas in the parallel passage Mat. 16. 4, it stands, 'There shall no sign be given it.' Comp. Gen. 21. 23.-¶ From a thread even to a shoe-latchet. Heb. This was

מחוט ועד שרוך נעל | hiin. It is possible that he might have

thrown out some malignant insinuations against Lot and his uncle on the score of their religion. At any rate, he had become for some reason fixed in his purpose not to become in any sense a debtor to the king of Sodom. In this he may have designed to honour the promise of blessing which had been made to him. If the possessor of heaven and earth has engaged to provide for him he will not be beholden to an earthly potentate, especially where his motives in so doing were liable to be miscon- I

probably a proverbial expression of diminution, equivalent to 'the meanest thing.' As to the original hoot rendered thread nothing satisfactory can be determined respecting it, farther than that it denotes some kind of fastening either to the hair or the dress. "This may refer to the red thread worn round the neck or the arm, and which binds on the amulet; or the string with which females tie up their hair. The latchet I suppose to mean the thong of the sandal, which

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ed in the Scriptures for thing, or that which is the subject of words. Thus Lev. 5. 2, an 'unclean thing' is in the Heb. 'an unclean word;' Deut. 17. 5,

goes over the top of the foot and betwixt the great and little toes. It is proverbial to say, should a man be accused of taking away some valuable article, which belongs to another, 'I'wicked thing,' Heb. wicked word;' have not taken away even a piece of the thong of your worn-out sandals.'' Roberts.

24. Save only that which the young men have eaten., Heb. 7. The leading idea to be attached in numerous instances to the phrase 'young men' is that of service or ministry instead of youthful age. Thus Est. 2. 2, Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him; Heb. 'Then said the king's young men.' Neh. 5. 15, 'Nay even their servants bare rule over the

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and so in innumerable other cases. On the ground of this usage we are perhaps to explain our Saviour's declaration, Mat. 12. 37, 'By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned,' i. e. by thy deeds; for conduct is constructive or virtual language. Accordingly the Apostle speaking Heb 11. 14, of the conduct of the believing patriarchs, remarks, 'For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country;' i. e. whose actions say such things, or, in other words, who do such things. So also Eccl. 10. 3, 'When he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool;' i. e. his conduct proclaims him to be one. The word of the

ple; Heb. their young men.' Ex. 24. 5, And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burntofferings;' i. e. servants; men who performed the burdensome parts of the ritual. Acts, 5. 6, ' And the young men arose and wound him up, and carried him cut and buried him ;' i e. the servants, ministers, or deacons of the church; men doubtless of adult years. So those who by one Evangelist, Luke, 12. 45, are called in Gr. 'young men and yourg maids,' are by another, Mat. 24, 49, denominated fellow-ser-cial revelation to the prophets is aftervants,'

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Lord came to Abram. Heb.
D was to Abram; i. e. efficacious-
ly was; was made to be. This is the
first instance of the occurrence of the
phrase 'word of the Lord,' as applied
to a divine communication. It is the

usual way in which the fact of a spe

wards announced. See the Prophets
passim.
In a vision. Heb.

in a sight. Gr. ev opipari, id. Chal.
in a prophecy; i. e. in a pro-
phetic vision, Prophets were in the
earliest ages called seers (Heb.

things spoken of. 'Word' is often us-), 1 Sam, 9, 9. 2 Sam. 24. 11, and

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

e Acts 7. 5.

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mascus ?

ple, interposes at the needful moment and ministers the support, confidence, and courage which they require.¶

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 I am thy shield. Gr. 'I will protect known to him in a vision thee.' Chal. 'My word shall be thy strength.' As thou wert shielded by my protection in the late engagement, so believe me to be to thee an everpresent defence. The same assurance is virtually given to all God's set vants, Ps. 84. 11- - And thine exceeding great reward. Rather, as the Heb. accents require, and as the Greek renders it, "Thy reward shall be exceeding great.' Although there is nothing specifically said of the grounds of this reward, or of the nature of it, yet there can be little doubt that it was but another form of the gracious promise already made to Abraham of his being blest with a numerous seed, of his inheriting the land of Canaan, and of his finally becoming a fountain of blessing to the whole world. But as Abraham had done nothing to merit all this, if it is here spoken of as a reward, it could

There is great obscurity resting upon the modes of the divine communications to men, but when God is said to have appeared to any one even in a vision, it does not necessarily follow that the recipient of such a revelation was properly asleep. Though the night season and the state of sleep was often chosen for that purpose, and probably was in the present instance, yet in other cases the prophet was evidently thrown into a temporary trance, in which the exercise of the senses on outward objects was suspended. In other instances the will of heaven was imparted by the powerful agency of the Spirit of God, giving to the subject of it a strong perception and supernatural persuasion of the truth of the things revealed. See 'Hengstenberg's Christology,' p. 217. Keith's Transl. 1836.- 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 augment-ed for righteousness.'

ed trials, or from an apprehension of 2. And Abram said, Lord God what disappointed hopes, the most eminent wilt thou give me. Rather, according saints are prone at times to give way to the Heb. 3 how will thou to discouragements; but God, who do (it) for me. Such in numerous inwatches over the secret fears as well stances is the force of the original paras the outward afflictions of his peo- ticle here rendered 'what.' 'Thus Gen.

one born in mine house is

3 And Abram said, Behold, too, me thou hast given no seed: and mine her.

f ch. 14. 14.

44. 16, 'How (7) shall we clear our- tationis, son of running about; of selves?' Job, 9. 2, 'How (2) 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 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 -T Is this Eliezer of Damascus. with the original and more natural in Heb. 13 punt this Daitself. Seeing 1 go childless. Heb. mascene, or Damasco-man, Eliezer. 3 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. amoλvopathe apocopated 'Lazar,' and from this, ATεKVOS 1 am being dismissed, or let de- by adding the termination os, the Gr. Guided part, childless; the same word as that 'Lazaros; Eng. 'Lazarus.' used by Simeon, Luke 2. 29. 'Now let- by this clew, we learn why it is that test thou thy servant depart (anoλveis) 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 (N), of Lazarus, to this same Eliezer, the and be no more.' Ps. 58. 8, "As a patriarch's venerable steward. 'Since snail which melteth, let every one of the discourse, Luke 16. 20, is concernthem pass away (go),' i. e. leting Abraham and Lazarus, who would them die.¶ Steward of mine house. not call to mind Abraham and Eleazer Heb. son of adminis- his servant, one born at Damascus, a tration or stewardship: filius discursi-Gentile by birth, and some time the

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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

5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the i stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

h Ps. 147. 4. i Jer. 33. 22. k ch. 22. 17. Ex. 32. 13. Deut. 1. 10. & 10. 22. 1 Chron 27. 23. Rom 4. 18. Heb. 11. 12. ch. 13. 16.

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 adopting his nephew Lot, he speaks as if his faithful steward were the probable candidate for that honour.

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 sced, 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.

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

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