And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Ver. 1. _The Lord appeared to Abram._] After thirteen years' absence and silence, far aught we read; so that Abram began to conclude, that Ishma... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. Ver. 2. _And I will make my covenant._] This is now the fifth confirmation of the Covenant; which shows that it is the _alpha_ and _omega_, the first, second, and third of our salvation; and it is fit we should be... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, Ver. 3. _And Abram fell on his face._] It was fit he should, now that God talked with him. Such a posture of body befits us at the hearing of the word, as may best express our reverence, and further our attention. Balak is bid to rise up... [ Continue Reading ]
_As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations._ Ver. 4. _As for me._] _Ego ecce_. An abrupt speech, to show what haste God made to comfort and confirm Abram, now fallen at his feet. _ Thou shalt be a father of many nations._] The Israelites, Ishmaelites... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. Ver. 5. _Neither shall thy name any more, &c._] This is reckoned for a high favour by those holy Levites. Neh 9:7 The Jews say, that for honour's sake, God inserted one of... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. Ver. 6. _I will make thee exceeding fruitful._] Heb., _Foecundabo te valde valde_ :and as oft as thou thinkest upon thy new name, thou shalt remember my promise, and rest assured of my perfor... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Ver. 7. _For an everlasting covenant._] Circumcision, the outward sign of it, was temporary, and changeable into baptism;... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Ver. 8. _All the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession._] And yet now, for their inexpiable guilt, in putting to death... [ Continue Reading ]
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. Ver. 9. _Thou shalt keep my covenant._] This is the stipulation on Abraham's part, by receiving the sacrament of circumcision, to "avouch God to be his God". Deu 26:17 Now to the ma... [ Continue Reading ]
This [is] my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. Ver. 10. _Every man-child among you._] Infants were circumcised to signify that we had better be flayed, and have our skin quite stripped off, than to have it as a... [ Continue Reading ]
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. Ver. 11. _It shall be a token of the covenant._] It seals up nothing then to those that are not in covenant. Circumcision to such is but as a seal to a blank. Unregenerate Israel was to G... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which [is] not of thy seed. Ver. 12. _And he that is eight days old._] This warrants our baptizing of infants of both sexes. _See Tr... [ Continue Reading ]
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. Ver. 13. _He that is born in thy house._] Householders must see to it, that their families fear God. They walk not "in a perfect way" th... [ Continue Reading ]
And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. Ver. 14. _That soul shall be cut off._] From the commonwealth of Israel; so shall those be from benefit by Christ, that are uncircumcised in heart;... [ Continue Reading ]
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah [shall] her name [be]. Ver. 15. _Thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah._] The Chaldee, Sarai, is made Hebrew, Sarah: One of the four letters of Jehovah being also added (as before in Abraham), th... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother] of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Ver. 16. _Yea, I will bless her._] This is repeated, for the greater comfort of this good old couple, q.d., I will double-bless her, bless her with... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? Ver. 17. _Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed._] Not as doubting, much less deriding, Rom 4:19 but as rejoicing an... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! Ver. 18. _Oh that Ishmael might live._] The life of grace here, and of glory hereafter: that he be not "killed with death" when he dies, as Jezebel's children were. Rev 2:23... [ Continue Reading ]
And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him. Ver. 19. _I will establish my covenant with him._] This was a far greater favour than that bestowed on... [ Continue Reading ]
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. Ver. 20. _And us for Ishmael, I have heard thee._] Faithful prayer may have anything at God's hands. I... [ Continue Reading ]
But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Ver. 21. _But my covenant._] This is the thirteenth time that the covenant is named in this chapter, saith an interpreter; and hereby is meant the promise of Christ and salvation by him.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. Ver. 22. _And he left off talking with him._] As man with his friend. Such honour have all his saints. Oh, speak it when I am gone, and preach it at my funeral, God dealeth familiarly with man, said that heavenly spark, now ready to be... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. Ver. 23. _Abraham took Ishmael._] To make the other... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham [was] ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Ver. 24. _And Abraham was ninety years old and nine._] Five different times is Abraham's age exactly noted in Scripture; which showeth how dear the saints are to God; when the wicked are, ουτιδανοι, l... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ishmael his son [was] thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Ver. 25. _And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old._] The Turks' children are not circumcised till they are ten years old, and then they use great feasting, banqueting, music, and bringing of prese... [ Continue Reading ]
In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. Ver. 26. _In the self-same day._] To show his prompt and present obedience, without shucking and hucking, without delays and consults.... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. Ver. 27. _All the men of his house._] _Faciles se proebent in re ardua et ridicula_. An excellent pattern of a well-ordered family.... [ Continue Reading ]