33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it came to pass on the anorrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day. s Deut. 2. 9. t Deut. 2. 19. ception whatever of the incident from first to last, which we think less likely. 37, 38. Called his name Moab. Heb. 21 Moab, i. e. as generally interpreted, of the father.¶ Ben-ammi. Heb. ben-ammi, i. e. son of my people. Both these names justify the view given above of the translation, viz. that it was merely to preserve the family that the daughters of Lot had recourse to the expedient. Hence as we do not find that they ever repeated the stratagem, so neither do they ap tion as this is evident, for they could not be ignorant that there were men in Zoar; but as they were now more than ever convinced that they belonged to an accursed race, they seem to have regarded it as both dangerous and criminal to form any matrimonial connections with them. As then there was now in their apprehension no righteous man in the land, it was the same to them as if there had been none at all, and so they express themselves; and in this we see a prevailing regard to character which is highly commend-pear to have been at all ashamed of it, able. On the whole, though there was a large admixture of human infirmity in the proceeding and a gross practical distrust of Providence, yet the conduct of all parties admits of a strong plea of extenuation under the circumstan-connection itself, was certainly a bad ces, which we may warrantably concede to it, especially as the sin was one of such a peculiar nature as never to be capable of becoming a precedent. 33. He perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Heb. & both which would have been natural had their motives been more unworthy than they were. The offspring, however, of this incestuous connection, whatever may be said in behalf of the one. These Moabites soon fell from the faith of God, and became idolaters, the worshippers of Chemosh and of Baal-peor, and were enemies to the children of Abraham. The same also is true of the Ammonites. As both knee not in these make afterwards a considerable ידע בשכבה ובקומה | her lying down or in her rising up; i. e. knew not, distinguished not, the person, either on her approach or at her departure. Others understand the writer's meaning to be that he had no per figure in the sacred history, the inspired writer takes care to introduce, at this early period, an account of their origin. REMARKS.-Although we have already drawn a large amount of prac recorded on any other authority than that of inspiration. It is a sure sign that corruption has made great progress among any people when the age, and scruple not to expose their guilt to the eyes of those, from whom, of all others, they should hide it. But when the aged have lost all reverence for themselves; when they fear not to publish their shame to their sons; when the hoary head is found mingling in the licentious rabble with younger profligates, then indeed has guilt reached its last gradation, and we behold a spectacle which brings earth into close alliance with hell. Yet that this was the condition of Sodom on the eve of its destruction is clear from the narrative of Moses, and we feel but little wonder that the exhalations of such horrid sins should engender such a tempest of wrath in the heavens of the Lord God. What thankfulness should tical inference from the foregoing chapter, yet we know not how to forbear adverting to some few additional lessons which the narrative teaches us. (1.) The example of Lot forcibly in-young have cast off all reverence for culcates both the duty and the advantage of hospitality. Men stand continually in need of each other, and are therefore bound to give countenance, to show kindness, to grant succour to their brethren of the race. We cannot move a single step through the world without being brought into connection with strangers, nor of course without having opportunities afforded us of bestowing or of receiving some instance of hospitable entertainment. To be careless or unkind in this respe, then, is to be at once unwise, inhuman, and unjust. Christianity has taken into its service every noble and valuable principle of our nature, and calls the whole catalogue of human virtues its own. As we are continually reminded, in the course of providence, of our being strangers and pilgrims upon earth, so we are strictly and repeatedly enjoined by the laws of the Gospel, to be attentive and kind to strangers. Be given to hospitality,' says Paul. Use hospitality one to another without grudging,' says Peter. 'Be not forgetful,' says the author of the epistle to the Hebrews, 'to entertain strangers,' a pre-liver the godly out of temptation.' Alcept which he enforces by a motive though it was signal folly and infirmity drawn from the narrative before us, in Lot to go and take up his abode in 'for thereby some have entertained Sodom, and though his deliverance is angels unawares.' 'The houses of holy ascribed perhaps as much to the effimen,' Bp. Hall remarks, 'are full of cacy of Abraham's prayers as to his these heavenly spirits whom they know own merit, yet it would appear that not; they pitch their tents in ours, and while there he kept himself pure from visit us when we see not; and, when the abounding iniquities, and instead of we feel not, protect us. It is the honour following a multitude to do evil, boldly of God's saints to be attended by an- rebuked them by his preaching and exgels.' ample. The consequence was that (2.) We learn from this history of God was pleased to intimate that the what enormous depravity human na-fated city could not be destroyed til ture is capable. The pitch of wicked-Lot was safe! In like manner, those ness to which Sodom and Gomorrah who stand aloof from prevailing corrose is such as to stagger belief were it ruptions, and sigh over the abomina we not feel if we have been kindly withheld from attaining to so awful a pre-eminence in crime ! (3.) We learn also the care and the ⚫ favour with which God regards the good. How precious are their lives in his sight! While he 'reserves the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished, the Lord knoweth how to de tions of the places where they live, | of personal exertion and persevering shall have a mark set upon them before the destroying angel goes forth, and only with their eyes shall they see and behold the destruction of the wicked.' (4.) The story admonishes those who | are hastening towards heaven not to be content to go alone. Let them seek to take all they can along with them. Let them exert their influence to the utmost over all their friends and connections, in order that they may be instrumental to their salvation also. Let them especially manifest their conjugal and parental affection in this way. Derided as visionaries they may be by some, and forsaken in their progress by others, yet let them not for one moment intermit their diligence in the salvation of souls. If their labours prove effectual only to one or two, it will be a rich consolation to them in the day of judgment, that though many who were once dear to them have reaped the fruits of their indifference, yet there are others for whom they have not laboured in vain, nor run in vain.' diligence if we would escape the wrath (5.) Sinners when most careless and secure are often the nearest to danger. When the sun rose upon Sodom, with the promise of a fine day, could any thing be farther from their thoughts than the overwhelming tempest which almost immediately began to pour down upon them? Had they had the most distant idea of their perilous situation, with what avidity would they have seized the opportunity of escape, and with what persevering efforts have ex-in the flesh.' We may 'escape the polerted themselves to reach a place of safety. But their confidence destroyed them. Let the heedless take warning. The breath of the Lord may kindle a stream of brimstone before they are aware. 'He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.' (6.) How forcibly are we here reminded of the indispensable necessity lutions of the flesh, and yet be entangled therein, and overcome.' We may come out of Egypt, and yet never reach the promised land. He that endureth unto the end shall be saved. He that puts his hand to the plough and looks back, is not fit for the kingdom of heaven. (7.) The dishonourable end of Lot shows that we are never out of danger country, and dwelled between and took Sarah. Kadesh and Shur, and sojourn ed in Gerar. a ch. 18. 1. b ch. 16. 7, 14. c ch. 26. 6. If while we are upon earth. He whose righteous soul was grieved with the filthy conversation of the wicked while in a city, is drawn into the same kind of evils himself when dwelling in a cave! His whole history indeed from the time of his leaving Abraham furnishes an affecting lesson to the heads of families in the choice of habitations for themselves or their children. worldly accommodations be preferred to religious advantages, we have nothing good to expect, but every thing evil. We may or may not lose our substance as he did; but what is of far greater consequence, our families may be expected to become mere heathens, and our own minds contaminated with the examples which are continually before our eyes. So was it with Lot, and so will it be very likely to be with all those that follow his example. CHAPTER XX. d ch. 12. 13. & 26. 7. e ch. 12. 15. the reproof itself, which makes it so painful to contemplate, and the grounds of which we are now to consider. 1. Abraham journeel from thence. That is, from the oak-groves of Mamre, where he had long resided, as appears from Gen. 13. 18.-18. 1.—¶ Dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. These places were all contiguous to the southern borders of Canaan. Gerar was the metropolis of the country of the Philistines. See map. 2. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, &c. Heb. 17 to Sarah his wife. The original word el, sig. nifying to or unto, is occasionally rendered of or concerning. Thus, Jer. 27. 19, Thus saith the Lord concerning the pillars; Heb. to the pillars. Ezek. 13. 16, "The prophets of Israel which prophecy concerning Jerusalem ;' Heb. to Jerusalem. Strictly parallel with this is the usage of the Gr. preposition Nothing is more worthy of admira-pos pros, which primarily signifies to tion than the fidelity of the Scripture history. There is not a saint, however eminent, but his faults are reported as faithfully as his virtues; and from the testimony given we are constrained to acknowledge that the best of men, when they come into temptation, are weak and fallible as others if they be not succoured from above. We are habituated to behold Abraham as a burning and shining light; but here, as on a former occasion, we are called to view him under somewhat of an eclipse. We see the father of the faithful drawing upon himself a sharp rebuke from a heathen prince. But it is the justice of the reproof, rather than or unto. Thus, Heb. 1. 7, 'And of the angels he saith ;' Gr. unto the angels. So v. 8, 'But unto the Son he saith;' Gr. as to, concerning the Son. Rom. 10. 21, 'But to Israel he saith;' Gr. concerning Israel. It appears evident from v. 5, that Sarah connived at the equivocation, and the fear which prompted her to do so seems to be tacitly censured by the Apostle, 1 Pet. 3. 6.¶ She is my sister. She was, it is true, his sister in the same sense that Lot was his brother. She was his niece, the daughter of Haran, who was his brother by the father's side. Still it cannot be denied that there was a culpable dissimulation in his conduct, But and when we consider the circumstan- | should never have subjected himself ces under which it occurred, it is impos- again to such danger reproach, and sible to acquit him, to say the least, of infamy. The repetition of so gross the sin of gross unbelief. Having been an offence, after such a warning and called out of his native country to so- such a deliverance, increased its sinfuljouru in a strange land, and depending ness an hundred-fold. We shudder, upon God for direction and support, he moreover, while we contemplate the went forth, not knowing whither he tendency of this shameful prevarication. went. For the space of twenty-five It was calculated to ensnare the people years he had experienced the faithful- among whom he sojourned; while it ness and loving-kindness of his God. exposed the virtue of Sarah to the exHe had moreover recently received the tremest hazard. Had she been acmost express promises that he should knowledged for Abraham's wife, every have a son by Sarah, who should be one would have known the unlawfulthe progenitor of the Messiah. Yet on ness of entertaining a desire after her, coming to Gerar his heart fails him and would have abstained from showfor fear that the people will kill him in ing her any undue attention. order to gain possession of his wife; when she passed for an unmarried wowho, it appears, though ninety years man, every one was at liberty to insinstill retained a good degree of her for- uate himself into her affections and to mer beauty; and in order to secure seek to the uttermost an honourable himself has recourse a second time to connection with her. The event inthe expedient of equivocating in respect deed shows what might reasonably to his real relation to Sarah. This have been expected from such a plot. was a practical distrust of the protec- The catastrophe, which came so near tion of Jehovah for which we can find taking place, was no other than the no apology. In what had God failed natural consequence of the deceit which him that he should begin now to doubt was practised. But what was its asof his faithfulness or power? Could pect and tendency with respect to the the Philistines touch a hair of his head Messiah? This was a matter of very without the divine permission? Be- serious moment. But a short time, sides it ought to have occurred to him perhaps but a few days, before, God that he had once before been guilty of had promised to Abraham that within the same dissimulation, and had been the year he should have a son by Sareproved for it. Had the Philistines rah. Had Abimelech then proceeded come suddenly upon him, and threat- to accomplish his purpose, and God ened to put him to death for his wife's withholden his interference, it would sake we should the less have wonder- have remained a doubt at this moment ed that they were prevailed upon to whether the promises were ever fulfilconceal their relation to each other. But led to Abraham, and whether the Mes he had done the same thing many years siah did indeed descend from his loins. before and had thereby ensnared Pha- Consequently the covenant made with raoh king of Egypt, nor was he then Abraham, and all the promises made to delivered without a divine interposition, him and his seed, would be left an awand a just rebuke from the injured ful uncertainty. If it would have been monarch. Surely he ought to have criminal in Abraham and Sarah to conprofited by past experience. He should cert such a plan under any circumstanhave been sensible of the evil of such ces, how much more criminal was it a proceeding; and having been once to do so under the peculiar circumstanrescued, as it were by a miracle, heces in which they then were? Happy |