And Abraham sojourned in Gerar — We are not told upon what occasion he removed, whether terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or, as some of the Jewish writers say, because he was grieved at Lot's incest with his daughters, and the reproach which the Canaanites cast upon him for his kinsman's sake.... [ Continue Reading ]
But God came to Abimelech in a dream — It appears by this that God revealed himself by dreams, which evidenced themselves to be divine and supernatural, not only to his servants the prophets, but even to those that were out of the pale of the church; but then usually it was with some regard to God's... [ Continue Reading ]
Wilt thou slay also a righteous nation — Not such a nation as Sodom.... [ Continue Reading ]
I withheld thee from sinning against me — It is God that restrains men from doing the ill they would do; it is not from him that there is sin, but it is from him that there is not more sin, either by his influence on mens minds checking their inclination to sin, or by his providence taking away the... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou hast done deeds that ought not to be done — Equivocation and dissimulation, however they may be palliated, are very ill things, and by no means to be admitted in any case. He takes it as a very great injury to himself and his family, that Abraham had thus exposed them to sin, What have I offend... [ Continue Reading ]
What sawest thou that thou hast done this thing — What reason hadst thou to think, that if we had known her to be thy wife, thou wouldst have been exposed to any danger by it?... [ Continue Reading ]
I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place, and they will slay me — There are many places and persons that have more of the fear of God in them than we think they have; perhaps they are not called by our name, they do not wear our badges, they do not tie themselves to that which we have a... [ Continue Reading ]
When God caused me to wander from my father's house — Then we settled this matter. It may be, that God denied Abraham and Sarah the blessing of children so long to punish them for this sinful compact they had made to deny one another: if they will not own their marriage, why should God own it? But w... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy brother is to thee a covering of the eyes — Thou must look at no other, nor desire to be looked at by any other. Yoke — fellows must be to each other for a covering of the eyes. The marriage — covenant is a covenant with the eyes, like Job's, Job 31:1.... [ Continue Reading ]