GENESIS CHAPTER 15 A comfortable promise to Abram, GENESIS 15:1. His prayer for an heir, GENESIS 15:2,3. The promise of an answer to his prayer, GENESIS 15:4,5. Abram's faith, GENESIS 15:6. He desires a sign, GENESIS 15:7,8. God gives him one, GENESIS 15:9. He observes it, GENESIS 15:10,11. God appe... [ Continue Reading ]
What pleasure can I take in any other gifts, so long as thou dost withhold from me that great and promised gift of that blessed and blessing Seed, in the giving of whom thy honour and the world's happiness is so highly concerned? GENESIS 12:3. SEEING I GO CHILDLESS; either, 1. I pass the time of my... [ Continue Reading ]
Of such see GENESIS 14:14 ECCLESIASTES 2:7. And these are opposed to them that are born of a man's body, JOB 19:17 PROVERBS 31:2 JEREMIAH 2:14. MINE HEIR; either, 1. By nearness of relation, being, as some conceive, descended from Aram the eldest son of Shem. Or, 2. For a recompence of his fidelity... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. Out of thy own body: see GENESIS 35:11 2 SAMUEL 7:12 2 CHRONICLES 6:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
QUEST. Seeing the sun was not yet _going down,_ GENESIS 15:12, how could he see the stars? ANSW. 1. He might see them by representation in a vision, or by a Divine power strengthening his eyes to behold them. 2. It was not necessary he should then actually see them. He bids him make trial when he... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BELIEVED IN THE LORD, i.e. he was fully persuaded that God was able to fulfil, and would certainly fulfil, the promise made to him concerning a child, and especially concerning the Messias, who should come out of his loins by that child, and that both himself and all people should be justified an... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
He asks a sign, not out of distrust of God's promise, for _he was strong in faith,_ ROMANS 4:20, but for further assurance and confirmation of it. And such an asking of a sign was not an unusual practice with good men, as JUDGES 6:37 2 KINGS 20:8, not are they reproved for it; but on the contrary, A... [ Continue Reading ]
Take and offer at my command, and for my service, AN HEIFER OF THREE YEARS OLD, at which time it is perfect in stature and strength, and therefore fittest for God's service. This and the other creatures here following, and sacrifices, are the same which afterwards were prescribed in the Levitical la... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE, i.e. Abram, who by Divine instinct and precept did all this which here follows, DIVIDED THEM IN THE MIDST, into two equal parts. This was done for two reasons. 1. To represent the torn and distracted condition in which his seed was to lie for a season. 2. To ratify God's covenant with Abram... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOWLS CAME to devour them; whereby is signified, either, 1. The disturbance and distraction which good men are exposed to in the service of God from evil spirits and men; or rather, 2. The great peril of Abram's posterity, who were not only torn in pieces like these sacrifices, but even the re... [ Continue Reading ]
A DEEP SLEEP FELL UPON ABRAM; partly natural, from his labour in killing and sacrificing those creatures; and partly sent upon him from God, to make way for the following representation. He seemed to be covered with a dreadful darkness, which was either, 1. A token of God's special presence: compar... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A LAND THAT IS NOT THEIRS, i.e. in Canaan and Egypt; for though Canaan was theirs by promise, to be fulfilled in after-times, yet it was not theirs by actual donation and possession; but they were strangers in it, GENESIS 17:8 PSALMS 105:11,12. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS, exactly four hundred and five ye... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT NATION WHOM THEY SHALL SERVE, i.e. Egypt, the principal seat of their servitude, and the instrument of their sorest bondage, WILL I JUDGE, i.e. punish, as that word is used, PSALMS 51:4 OBADIAH 1:21, and elsewhere. WITH GREAT SUBSTANCE; the accomplishment of this, see EXODUS 3:22, EXODUS 11:2 1... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THY FATHERS, i.e. either, 1. Into heaven, where thy godly progenitors are gone; or, 2. Into the state of the dead, where all thy fathers are gone before thee. This may seem more probable, at least in this place, partly, because this or the like phrase is indifferently used concerning good and ba... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FOURTH GENERATION; in the end of the four hundred years mentioned GENESIS 15:13, a _generation_ being at that time reckoned at one hundred years, or thereabouts. Or, in the fourth generation numbered from their going into Egypt, or from their leaving Canaan; which may possibly be implied by t... [ Continue Reading ]
By which symbol God designed to represent, either, 1. The future state of Abram's seed; the SMOKING FURNACE signifying Israel's misery in the _iron furnace_ of Egypt, as it is called, JEREMIAH 11:4; and the BURNING LAMP noting their deliverance, or light shining out of darkness. Or, 2. His own pres... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THY SEED HAVE I GIVEN THIS LAND, i.e. decreed and promised in due time to give, which makes it as sure as if it were actually given to them. Or, I WILL GIVE; words of the past time being oft put for the future, especially in prophecies. THE RIVER OF EGYPT; not Nilus, which elsewhere is so calle... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KENITES are supposed the same with the Midianites, by comparing EXODUS 3:1, with JUDGES 1:16. See also NUMBERS 24:21 1 SAMUEL 15:6. THE KENIZZITES, thought to be the Idumeans, who sprung from Kenaz of Esau's race. But this seems not to agree with DEUTERONOMY 2:5, where God expressly saith to the... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]